Residential comparison · 13 facts
Austin, TX vs Denver, CO
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Austin needs about $93,000 in Denver to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Denver, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $77,500 in Austin.
A few differences
- Denver is lower on property tax rate (0.5% vs 1.8%).
- Austin is lower on sales tax (8.25% vs 8.8%).
- Austin is lower on groceries index (97 vs 102).
Austin vs Denver · facet by facet
| Facet | Austin, TX | Denver, CO |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $540,000 | $560,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,900/mo | $2,150/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.8% | 0.5% |
| State & local income tax | 0% | 2.89% |
| Sales tax | 8.25% | 8.8% |
| Cost of living index | 107 | 112 |
| Groceries index | 97 | 102 |
| Utilities | $175/mo | $160/mo |
| Median household income | $86,000 | $85,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 3.8% |
| Crime index | 44/100 | 50/100 |
| School rating | 7.0/10 | 6.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 228 days | 245 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Austin, TX · Denver, CO
Questions & answers
- Is Austin cheaper than Denver?
- Austin has the lower day-to-day cost index (107 vs 112 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Denver equals $85,000 in Austin?
- A household earning $85,000 in Austin needs about $93,000 in Denver to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Denver lifestyle costs about $77,500 in Austin.