Is Austin cheaper than Denver?

Yes. Typical rent in Austin is $1,852 a month versus $2,089 in Denver — 11% cheaper. Median household income is $86,556 in Austin compared with $85,853 in Denver, so Austin has the stronger local pay picture.

Which city is safer, Austin or Denver?

Austin is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 109 versus 137 in Denver — 20% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.

Which city has better schools, Austin or Denver?

Austin has better schools on this comparison: A (88/100) versus A- in Denver — school scores run 5% higher. District averages can hide campus-level gaps, so check the zoned elementary, middle, and high school you would actually use.

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City comparison

Austin, TX vs Denver, CO

Austin, TX versus Denver, CO is a real move, not a trivia matchup. This comparison uses the same 2026 neighborhood report data we publish on each city page — typical rent, median household income, crime indexes, school composites, and typical weather — so you can see which city actually fits how you live, work, and spend. Typical rents sit near $1,852 a month in Austin and $2,089 in Denver, and median household income lands at $86,556 versus $85,853. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

Austin takes affordability, job market, safety, and schools, while Denver takes weather. The widest gap is typical weather, where Denver leads by 46% — the kind of spread you feel in a monthly budget or a nightly walk, not just on a chart. Read the category rows as a filter: if cheaper housing would change your life more than a stronger job market, weight rent first. If you are moving with kids, weight schools and crime. If you picked a city after one good weekend, use the weather and income rows to test whether that weekend survives a full year.

Numbers below are citywide, not a guarantee about the street you will actually live on. Two ZIP codes in Austin can feel further apart than Austin and Denver do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Austin and Denver reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Full Austin report Full Denver report

Austin, TX

Rent: $1,852/mo
Median income: $86,556
Crime index: 109
Schools: A
Weather: 91°F

Denver, CO

Rent: $2,089/mo
Median income: $85,853
Crime index: 137
Schools: A-
Weather: 82°F

Rent

11% cheaper

Austin rent is 11% cheaper than Denver

Austin

Winner

$1,852/mo

Denver

$2,089/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $1,852 a month in Austin versus $2,089 in Denver, so Austin is 11% cheaper. A meaningful but not dramatic gap. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets. Over a year the spread is about $2,844 — enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. Austin still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in Denver.

Median income

1% higher

Austin's median income is 1% higher than Denver

Austin

Winner

$86,556

Denver

$85,853

What this means for your life

Median household income is $86,556 in Austin versus $85,853 in Denver, so typical pay runs 1% higher in Austin — about $703 more household income a year. The income edge is modest. Treat it as extra negotiating context, not a reason to ignore rent, schools, or climate. Remote workers especially should not treat citywide pay as a personal raise if their employer will not localize salary.

Crime index

20% lower crime

Austin's crime index is 20% lower than Denver

Austin

Winner

109 (100 = avg)

Denver

137 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

Austin's crime index is 109 versus 137 in Denver (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 20% lower in Austin. That gap is meaningful day-to-day — it affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Austin is the easier city. Denver can still work if you pick the right pocket — just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.

School scores

5% higher scores

Austin's school scores are 5% higher than Denver

Austin

Winner

A · 88/100

Denver

A- · 84/100

What this means for your life

Austin grades out at A (88/100) against A- (84/100) in Denver — school scores run 5% higher in Austin. The citywide gap is modest. For families with kids it is still worth checking the specific campuses you would actually use, because a small composite lead can disappear — or reverse — two neighborhoods over. Denver is only the better school story if a campus you already researched beats this composite.

Typical weather

46% more comfortable

Denver weather is 46% more comfortable than Austin

Austin

91°F typical

Denver

Winner

82°F typical

What this means for your life

Denver scores 46% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 91°F in Austin and 82°F in Denver. Austin reads as hot, long summers; Denver reads as hot, long summers. Climate affects quality of life more than most people anticipate when planning a move. Consider how much time you spend outdoors and whether extreme heat or cold impacts your mood or productivity. Denver is the better default if you want year-round outdoor access. Austin can still be right if you love that climate on purpose — beach heat, dry heat, or a real winter — but you cannot return a city's weather.

Fit check

Who should choose Austin

Families on a budget who want good schools without coastal price tags

Austin fits families on a budget who want good schools without coastal price tags. Lower typical rent ($1,852/month) plus stronger school scores (A) is the combination that actually changes a decade of life, not just a year of housing. Denver can still win if a specific campus or family network is already there — but on the public data, Austin is the more forgiving place to raise kids without overextending.

Austin is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 1% higher here ($86,556). Start with Austin if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.

Open the Austin report →

Fit check

Who should choose Denver

Outdoor enthusiasts and people who need year-round access to nature for their wellbeing

Pick Denver if you are an outdoor enthusiast or you need year-round access to nature for your wellbeing. Typical conditions (82°F) beat Austin on this page's weather index by 46%. Austin may pay more or cost less, but Denver is the city where the forecast fights you less.

Open the Denver report →

Bottom line

Austin vs Denver, called

If weather is your priority, Denver is the clear choice.

If safety matters more to you, Austin pulls ahead.

For most movers comparing these two cities, Austin offers the better overall package.

Common questions

Austin vs Denver FAQ

Is Austin cheaper than Denver?: Yes. Typical rent in Austin is $1,852 a month versus $2,089 in Denver — 11% cheaper. Median household income is $86,556 in Austin compared with $85,853 in Denver, so Austin has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, Austin or Denver?: Austin is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 109 versus 137 in Denver — 20% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.
Which city has better schools, Austin or Denver?: Austin has better schools on this comparison: A (88/100) versus A- in Denver — school scores run 5% higher. District averages can hide campus-level gaps, so check the zoned elementary, middle, and high school you would actually use.

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