Aurora, Colorado

Denver's diverse neighbor

West Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO Metro

U.S. News (2025)

#45 Best Places to Live

Livability (2025)

#48 Top 100 Best Places to Live

WhereAtHome Score

65

D

out of 100

Overview

Aurora is Colorado's third-largest city and one of its most diverse, offering more affordable housing than Denver while maintaining metro access. The city hosts major medical facilities including the Anschutz Medical Campus and Buckley Space Force Base. Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge provides unexpected nature access.

Key Highlights

  • More affordable than Denver proper
  • Extremely diverse population
  • Anschutz Medical Campus employment
  • Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge
  • Direct light rail to downtown Denver
  • Buckley Space Force Base

Key Metrics

Population 2024

394,934

Source: Census ACS

$458,582

Source: Zillow ZHVI

$72,342

Source: Census ACS

28.1 min

Source: Census ACS

Walk Score 2025

33

Source: Walk Score

School Rating

2025

C (5.4/10)

Source: Curated

108 (100 = U.S. avg)

Source: Curated

2024 Presidential Election

Arapahoe County (county-level results)

59%
39%
Democrat 190,725
Republican 125,311
Leans D+20.1

Source: County-level results from MIT Election Data + Science Lab. Learn more

Climate

Summer High

88°F

Winter Low

18°F

Annual Rainfall

15"

Sunny Days

300

Amenities & Infrastructure

100+ Parks

Green spaces and recreation

4 Major Hospitals

Healthcare access

2 Universities

Higher education institutions

Public Transit Available

Bus, rail, or metro service

Major Employers

UCHealth Raytheon Children's Hospital Colorado Amazon

Score Breakdown

6 of 6 score factors available. Missing factors are excluded and available weights are rescaled.

Housing Affordability 44.8/100

Median home value relative to national average (Weight: 20%)

Income vs Housing 43.4/100

How affordable housing is relative to local incomes (Weight: 20%)

Commute Time 48.5/100

Average commute time compared to national average (Weight: 15%)

Crime 35/100

Overall crime levels based on FBI crime statistics (Weight: 20%)

Walkability 33/100

Walk Score — ease of daily errands on foot (Weight: 15%)

Purchasing Power 47.2/100

Median income relative to national average, adjusted for cost of living (Weight: 10%)

WhereAtHome Score 65

Location

Aurora, CO (39.7294, -104.8319)
View on Google Maps

Compare with another city

Start Comparison

Last Updated: 2026-07-01

Data sourced from U.S. Census Bureau, Zillow, FBI Crime Data Explorer, Walk Score, and Niche.