City comparison
Longmont, CO 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 $2,124 a month in Longmont and $2,089 in Denver, and median household income lands at $89,720 versus $85,853. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.
Longmont takes job market and weather, while Denver takes affordability. The widest gap is typical weather, where Longmont leads by 11% — 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 Longmont can feel further apart than Longmont and Denver do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Longmont and Denver reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.
Longmont, CO
Denver, CO
Rent
2% cheaper
Denver rent is 2% cheaper than Longmont
Longmont
$2,124/mo
Denver
Winner$2,089/mo
Typical rent runs $2,089 a month in Denver versus $2,124 in Longmont, so Denver is 2% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $35, or $420 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
5% higher
Longmont's median income is 5% higher than Denver
Longmont
Winner$89,720
Denver
$85,853
Median household income is $89,720 in Longmont versus $85,853 in Denver, so typical pay runs 5% higher in Longmont — about $3,867 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
Neck and neck
Longmont and Denver are about even on crime index.
Longmont
137 (100 = avg)
Denver
137 (100 = avg)
Longmont and Denver post similar crime indexes (137 vs 137, where 100 is the national average). A small gap at the city level can still hide a huge neighborhood spread. Walk the specific block, check lighting and late-night activity, and use each city's full report for violent vs. property crime instead of stopping at the headline index.
School scores
Neck and neck
Longmont and Denver are about even on school scores.
Longmont
A- · 84/100
Denver
A- · 84/100
School composites are effectively even (A- in Longmont, 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
11% more comfortable
Longmont weather is 11% more comfortable than Denver
Longmont
Winner79°F typical
Denver
82°F typical
Longmont scores 11% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 79°F in Longmont and 82°F in Denver. Longmont reads as warm weather most of the year; Denver reads as hot, long summers. The comfort edge is real but not a personality transplant. If you already know you want Denver's season, a modest index lead should not talk you out of it. If you are undecided, Longmont is the city where the forecast fights you less.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside plus year-round outdoor access
It is also a match for career-focused movers who want salary upside and year-round outdoor access. Median household income runs 5% higher ($89,720), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two — around 79°F. That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.
Fit check
People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Denver
Denver is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 2% cheaper here at about $2,089 a month. Choose Denver if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Bottom line
If weather is your priority, Longmont is the clear choice.
If cost of living matters more to you, Denver pulls ahead.
For most movers comparing these two cities, Longmont offers the better overall package.
Common questions
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