Boulder, CO vs Los Angeles, CA

Side-by-side comparison of housing, income, commute, safety, and quality of life.

Score Snapshot

No universal winner

Scores summarize the published model. Use the objective metric differences below and your own priorities to choose.

Boulder

67.4

#1424 nationally

vs

Los Angeles

60.9

#1917 nationally

Boulder leads in school rating (8.4 vs 5.4). Boulder leads in average commute (21.4 min vs 31.4 min). Boulder leads in median household income ($86,098 vs $74,891).

Metric-by-Metric Breakdown

Metric Boulder, CO Los Angeles, CA
WhereAtHome Score 67.4 (#1424) 60.9 (#1917)
Population 103,166 3,822,238
Typical Home Value (ZHVI) $957,377 $946,268
Median Household Income $86,098 $74,891
Average Commute 21.4 min 31.4 min
Walk Score 62 68
Crime Level Moderate-Low Moderate-High
School Rating 8.4 5.4
Cost of Living Index 165 173
Political lean County 2024 presidential margin — context only, not scored D+55.8 D+32.9