City comparison
Gresham, OR 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 $1,922 a month in Gresham and $2,089 in Denver, and median household income lands at $69,437 versus $85,853. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.
Gresham takes affordability, safety, and weather, while Denver takes job market. The widest gap is typical weather, where Gresham leads by 29% — 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 Gresham can feel further apart than Gresham and Denver do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Gresham and Denver reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.
Gresham, OR
Denver, CO
Rent
8% cheaper
Gresham rent is 8% cheaper than Denver
Gresham
Winner$1,922/mo
Denver
$2,089/mo
Typical rent runs $1,922 a month in Gresham versus $2,089 in Denver, so Gresham is 8% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $167, or $2,004 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
24% higher
Denver's median income is 24% higher than Gresham
Gresham
$69,437
Denver
Winner$85,853
Median household income is $85,853 in Denver versus $69,437 in Gresham, so typical pay runs 24% higher in Denver — about $16,416 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, Denver is the stronger labor market on paper. Gresham can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
19% lower crime
Gresham's crime index is 19% lower than Denver
Gresham
Winner111 (100 = avg)
Denver
137 (100 = avg)
Gresham's crime index is 111 versus 137 in Denver (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 19% lower in Gresham. 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, Gresham 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
Gresham and Denver are about even on school scores.
Gresham
A- · 84/100
Denver
A- · 84/100
School composites are effectively even (A- in Gresham, 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
29% more comfortable
Gresham weather is 29% more comfortable than Denver
Gresham
Winner66°F typical
Denver
82°F typical
Gresham scores 29% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 66°F in Gresham and 82°F in Denver. Gresham reads as mild, livable temperatures; 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. Gresham is the better default if you want year-round outdoor access. Denver 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
Outdoor enthusiasts and people who need year-round access to nature for their wellbeing
Gresham is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 8% cheaper here at about $1,922 a month. Choose Gresham if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Pick Gresham if you are an outdoor enthusiast or you need year-round access to nature for your wellbeing. Typical conditions (66°F) beat Denver on this page's weather index by 29%. Denver may pay more or cost less, but Gresham is the city where the forecast fights you less.
Gresham is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 19% lower than Denver (111 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
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Denver is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 24% higher here ($85,853). Start with Denver if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Bottom line
If weather is your priority, Gresham is the clear choice.
If the job market matters more to you, Denver pulls ahead.
For most movers comparing these two cities, Gresham offers the better overall package.
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