Denver-Aurora-Centennial and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Measured values
| Metric | Denver-Aurora-Centennial | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,002,721 | 4,061,920 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $105,762 | $115,177 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $57,998 | $63,994 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 360/sq mi | 692/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $603,800 | $717,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,874 | $2,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.1% | 60.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 5.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.9% | -1.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 49.4% | 47.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.4% | 8.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 16,728 | 20,957 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.6 | 5.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 5.8% | 37.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 15.0" | 34.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 22 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.0 min | 31.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.3 | 37.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Denver-Aurora-Centennial
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Your best match
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Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO Metro Area · Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology