San Diego vs Denver

A side-by-side comparison of San Diego, California and Denver, Colorado — population, climate, cost of living, demographics, and more.

PlaceSan DiegoSan Diego

California, United States

DenverDenver

Colorado, United States

Location
State / regionCaliforniaColorado
Country🇺🇸 United States🇺🇸 United States
Coordinates32.815, -117.13639.762, -104.881
Elevation128 m1,613 m
Size
Population1,404,461729,019
Land area326.1 mi²153.1 mi²
Water area46.3 mi²1.7 mi²
Density (per mi²)4,3074,763
Housing units588,866372,123
Demographics
Median age36.635.6
White (non-Hispanic)44.7%57.3%
Black or African American5.4%9.6%
Asian17.7%3.8%
Hispanic or Latino30.5%28.3%
Economy & education
Median household income$111,032$92,504
Median home value$980,700$636,400
Bachelor's or higher53.6%58.6%
Poverty rate10.4%12.1%
Unemployment5.6%4.3%
Climate
Avg high temp70°F66°F
Avg low temp56°F39°F
Annual precipitation13.5 in17.2 in
Sunshine % of year70.0%69.0%
Annual solar (kWh/m²)1,7931,770
Air & environment
US AQI3054
Air quality categoryGoodModerate
PM2.5 (µg/m³)7.34.2
PM10 (µg/m³)11.67.1
Ozone (µg/m³)65.081.0
NO₂ (µg/m³)2.74.5
Wildlife species observed1010
Wildlife observations3,162,0851,799,821
Risk & hazards
Earthquakes (last 10y)1,23611
Largest earthquake (mag)5.43.2
Active weather alerts11
Health
Obesity24.6%21.8%
Diabetes9.4%8.0%
Smoking9.6%10.3%
Schools
Schools total275190
Elementary schools173106
Middle schools3531
High schools4948
Civic & interest
Notable people (Wikidata)816
Books about this place88
Wikipedia views (last 30d)4,8105,081
Overview
Summary

San Diego is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. It is the eighth-most populous city in the U.S. and second-most populous city in California with a population of over 1.4 million, while the San Diego metropolitan area with over 3.3 million residents is the 18th-largest metropolitan area in the country. San Diego is the county seat of San Diego County. It is known for its mild Mediterranean climate, extensive beaches and parks, long association with the United States Navy, and recent emergence as a wireless, electronics, healthcare, and biotechnology development center.

Wikipedia

Denver is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Officially a consolidated city and county, it is located in the South Platte River valley on the western edge of the High Plains, and is just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains (Rockies). Denver is the 19th-most populous city in the United States and the fifth-most populous state capital, with a population of 715,522 at the 2020 census. The ten-county Denver metropolitan area, with 3.1 million residents, is the 19th-largest metropolitan area in the country and functions as the economic and cultural center of the broader Front Range Urban Corridor.

Wikipedia

Want a deeper comparison or to add a third city?

Open in interactive compare