City comparison
Lakewood, CO versus Nashville, TN 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 $1,665 a month in Lakewood and $1,730 in Nashville, and median household income lands at $82,786 versus $71,328. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.
Lakewood takes affordability, job market, and safety, while Nashville takes weather. The widest gap is median income, where Lakewood leads by 16% — 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 Lakewood can feel further apart than Lakewood and Nashville do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Lakewood and Nashville reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.
Lakewood, CO
Nashville, TN
Rent
4% cheaper
Lakewood rent is 4% cheaper than Nashville
Lakewood
Winner$1,665/mo
Nashville
$1,730/mo
Typical rent runs $1,665 a month in Lakewood versus $1,730 in Nashville, so Lakewood is 4% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $65, or $780 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
16% higher
Lakewood's median income is 16% higher than Nashville
Lakewood
Winner$82,786
Nashville
$71,328
Median household income is $82,786 in Lakewood versus $71,328 in Nashville, so typical pay runs 16% higher in Lakewood — about $11,458 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, Lakewood is the stronger labor market on paper. Nashville can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
2% lower crime
Lakewood's crime index is 2% lower than Nashville
Lakewood
Winner137 (100 = avg)
Nashville
140 (100 = avg)
Lakewood's crime index is 137 versus 140 in Nashville (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 2% lower in Lakewood. The difference is noticeable without being night-and-day. You will still want to pick the neighborhood carefully in Lakewood, but you will usually spend less energy on constant vigilance than you would in Nashville. Tour both cities after dark before you let a modest index gap close the decision.
School scores
Neck and neck
Lakewood and Nashville are about even on school scores.
Lakewood
A- · 84/100
Nashville
A- · 84/100
School composites are effectively even (A- in Lakewood, A- in Nashville). 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
7% more comfortable
Nashville weather is 7% more comfortable than Lakewood
Lakewood
81°F typical
Nashville
Winner79°F typical
Nashville scores 7% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 81°F in Lakewood and 79°F in Nashville. Lakewood reads as warm weather most of the year; Nashville reads as warm weather most of the year. The comfort edge is real but not a personality transplant. If you already know you want Lakewood's season, a modest index lead should not talk you out of it. If you are undecided, Nashville is the city where the forecast fights you less.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Lakewood is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 4% cheaper here at about $1,665 a month. Choose Lakewood if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Lakewood is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 16% higher here ($82,786). Start with Lakewood if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Lakewood is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 2% lower than Nashville (137 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 Nashville if you are an outdoor enthusiast or you need year-round access to nature for your wellbeing. Typical conditions (79°F) beat Lakewood on this page's weather index by 7%. Lakewood may pay more or cost less, but Nashville is the city where the forecast fights you less.
Bottom line
If the job market is your priority, Lakewood is the clear choice.
If weather matters more to you, Nashville pulls ahead.
For most movers comparing these two cities, Lakewood offers the better overall package.
Common questions
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