City comparison
Carrollton, 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 $1,931 a month in Carrollton and $2,089 in Denver, and median household income lands at $95,380 versus $85,853. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.
Carrollton takes affordability, job market, and safety, while Denver takes weather. The widest gap is typical weather, where Denver leads by 56% — 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 Carrollton can feel further apart than Carrollton and Denver do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Carrollton and Denver reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.
Carrollton, TX
Denver, CO
Rent
8% cheaper
Carrollton rent is 8% cheaper than Denver
Carrollton
Winner$1,931/mo
Denver
$2,089/mo
Typical rent runs $1,931 a month in Carrollton versus $2,089 in Denver, so Carrollton is 8% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $158, or $1,896 a year — noticeable, but rent alone should not pick the city. Use this as a tie-breaker after you compare income, schools, and crime, unless you are already stretching every dollar.
Median income
11% higher
Carrollton's median income is 11% higher than Denver
Carrollton
Winner$95,380
Denver
$85,853
Median household income is $95,380 in Carrollton versus $85,853 in Denver, so typical pay runs 11% higher in Carrollton — about $9,527 more household income a year. Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Carrollton is the stronger labor market on paper. Denver can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
20% lower crime
Carrollton's crime index is 20% lower than Denver
Carrollton
Winner109 (100 = avg)
Denver
137 (100 = avg)
Carrollton's crime index is 109 versus 137 in Denver (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 20% lower in Carrollton. 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, Carrollton 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
Neck and neck
Carrollton and Denver are about even on school scores.
Carrollton
A- · 84/100
Denver
A- · 84/100
School composites are effectively even (A- in Carrollton, A- in Denver). For families with kids this is a warning if you assumed one city was obviously better — at this range the campus, not the city name, decides it. Tour the zoned elementary you would actually use.
Typical weather
56% more comfortable
Denver weather is 56% more comfortable than Carrollton
Carrollton
92°F typical
Denver
Winner82°F typical
Denver scores 56% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 92°F in Carrollton and 82°F in Denver. Carrollton 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. Carrollton 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
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Carrollton is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 8% cheaper here at about $1,931 a month. Choose Carrollton if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Carrollton is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 11% higher here ($95,380). Start with Carrollton if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Carrollton is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 20% lower than Denver (109 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.
Fit check
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 Carrollton on this page's weather index by 56%. Carrollton may pay more or cost less, but Denver is the city where the forecast fights you less.
Bottom line
If weather is your priority, Denver is the clear choice.
If safety matters more to you, Carrollton pulls ahead.
For most movers comparing these two cities, Carrollton offers the better overall package.
Common questions
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