HEAD TO HEAD
Boulder vs Denver
Denver leads Boulder on 4 of 5 factors — but the right pick depends on your priorities.
Boulder, CO
wins 1 of 5 factors
Denver, CO
wins 4 of 5 factors
Match scores, side by side
| Factor | Boulder | Denver |
|---|---|---|
| Affordable to buy | 59 | 69 ◆ |
| Affordable to rent | 49 | 62 ◆ |
| Climate comfort | 52 ◆ | 45 |
| Plenty of sunshine | 59 | 67 ◆ |
| Big-city amenities | 62 | 96 ◆ |
By the numbers
| Figure | Boulder | Denver |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $728K | $573K |
| Typical rent | $2,257/mo | $1,910/mo |
| Average temperature | 10.3°C | 9.1°C |
| Sunshine (solar) | 4.58 kWh/m²/day | 4.85 kWh/m²/day |
| Metro size rank | #156 | #19 |
Home & rent Zillow, May 2026 · climate & sunshine NASA POWER climatology. Scores are normalised 0–100 across all metros; higher is better. A research aid, not advice.