Is Denver a good place to live?

49/100 livability · United States
Denver, United States scores 49/100 for livability — a mixed pick: cost 0/100, climate 85/100, safety 68/100. Warmest-month high ~22.2°C, coldest-month low ~-0.8°C. Main natural-disaster exposure: drought; homicide rate ~5.8/100k. Safety 68/100 blends disaster (60) and crime (83).
Denver — average monthly high (°C, WorldClim)
JFMAMJJASOND
Livability pillars (0-100)
0Cost85Climate68Safety
Disaster risk by type (1-5)
2Quake1Flood1Storm3Wildfire2Heat4Drought3Cold1Tsunami

How each score is calculated: CostiAffordability, 0–100. Higher = cheaper. = 100 − (country price level vs US × a city-size premium). Source: World Bank PPP ÷ exchange rate (US = 100). · ClimateiComfort, 0–100, from WorldClim monthly temperatures. Penalises hot summers (above ~24°C), cold winters (below ~6°C) and too-cool summers (below 15°C). Higher = milder. · Safetyi0–100. Higher = safer. Blends 55% natural-disaster safety (8 hazards — earthquake from real USGS records, plus flood, storm, wildfire, heat, drought, cold, tsunami) and 45% crime safety (homicide rate). · LivabilityiOverall score, 0–100 = 0.35 × Cost + 0.30 × Climate + 0.35 × Safety. (hover the i)

How to read the scores — all on a 0–100 scale, higher is better.

What living in Denver actually looks like

On cost, United States sits at 109 on the World Bank price level (US=100) — around US price levels — which maps to an affordability score of 0/100. The climate brings mild summers (warmest-month highs around 22.2°C) and cold winters (coldest-month lows near -0.8°C), scoring 85/100 on our comfort index. Personal safety is moderate at 68/100 — a blend of natural-disaster exposure (60/100; main risk drought) and crime safety (83/100, homicide roughly 5.8/100k). Weighted together (0.35 cost, 0.30 climate, 0.35 safety) that produces an overall livability of 49/100 — a mixed pick. On balance, Denver suits people who prioritise climate comfort best; weigh it against the disaster profile below before committing.

Natural-disaster risk in Denver

Is Denver prone to drought?

Drought risk in Denver is high (4/5), from regional aridity and summer heat.

Is Denver at risk of wildfires?

Wildfire risk in Denver is moderate (3/5), based on regional fire-weather exposure.

How cold does Denver get?

Extreme-cold/winter risk in Denver is moderate (3/5); coldest-month mean low ~-0.8°C (WorldClim).

How scored: livability = 0.35·cost + 0.30·climate + 0.35·safety. Climate from WorldClim v2.1 normals; cost from World Bank PPP÷FX (real, open); earthquake from USGS (real); flood/storm/wildfire/drought/tsunami tiers indicative — verify before publish.

FAQ

Is Denver a good place to live?

Denver scores 49/100 for livability — cost 0, climate 85, safety 68.

Is Denver safe?

Safety 68/100 = disaster safety 60 (main risk drought) blended with crime safety 83 (homicide ~5.8/100k).

What's the climate like in Denver?

Warmest-month highs average ~22.2°C and coldest-month lows ~-0.8°C (WorldClim climate normals).

How much does it cost to live in Denver?

United States sits at 109/100 on the World Bank price level (US=100) — affordability score 0/100.

See also

All cities in United States → Best places to retire in United States → Digital nomad guide to United States → Natural-disaster risk in United States → Safest cities from drought → Desert and semi-arid cities →

← Compare all cities