Denver vs Seattle
A side-by-side comparison of Denver, Colorado and Seattle, Washington — population, climate, cost of living, demographics, and more.
| Place | Colorado, United States | Washington, United States |
|---|---|---|
| Location | ||
| State / region | Colorado | Washington |
| Country | 🇺🇸 United States | 🇺🇸 United States |
| Coordinates | 39.762, -104.881 | 47.619, -122.352 |
| Elevation | 1,613 m | 46 m |
| Size | ||
| Population | 729,019 | 780,992 |
| Land area | 153.1 mi² | 84.0 mi² |
| Water area | 1.7 mi² | 58.1 mi² |
| Density (per mi²) | 4,763 | 9,297 |
| Housing units | 372,123 | 411,671 |
| Demographics | ||
| Median age | 35.6 | 35.4 |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 57.3% | 58.6% |
| Black or African American | 9.6% | 6.9% |
| Asian | 3.8% | 17.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 28.3% | 9.1% |
| Economy & education | ||
| Median household income | $92,504 | $118,745 |
| Median home value | $636,400 | $950,800 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 58.6% | 70.1% |
| Poverty rate | 12.1% | 9.4% |
| Unemployment | 4.3% | 5.2% |
| Climate | ||
| Avg high temp | 66°F | 60°F |
| Avg low temp | 39°F | 47°F |
| Annual precipitation | 17.2 in | 46.0 in |
| Sunshine % of year | 69.0% | 49.0% |
| Annual solar (kWh/m²) | 1,770 | 1,247 |
| Air & environment | ||
| US AQI | 54 | 45 |
| Air quality category | Moderate | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 4.2 | 10.1 |
| PM10 (µg/m³) | 7.1 | 10.8 |
| Ozone (µg/m³) | 81.0 | 52.0 |
| NO₂ (µg/m³) | 4.5 | 20.1 |
| Wildlife species observed | 10 | 10 |
| Wildlife observations | 1,799,821 | 3,371,109 |
| Risk & hazards | ||
| Earthquakes (last 10y) | 11 | 395 |
| Largest earthquake (mag) | 3.2 | 4.8 |
| Active weather alerts | 1 | 1 |
| Health | ||
| Obesity | 21.8% | 22.5% |
| Diabetes | 8.0% | 6.8% |
| Smoking | 10.3% | 6.6% |
| Schools | ||
| Schools total | 190 | 200 |
| Elementary schools | 106 | 120 |
| Middle schools | 31 | 27 |
| High schools | 48 | 45 |
| Civic & interest | ||
| Notable people (Wikidata) | 16 | 16 |
| Books about this place | 8 | 8 |
| Wikipedia views (last 30d) | 5,081 | 4,908 |
| Overview | ||
| Summary | 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 | Seattle is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region of North America. It is the 18th-most populous city in the United States with a population of 784,777 in 2025, while the Seattle metropolitan area at over 4.15 million residents is the 15th-most populous metropolitan area in the nation. The city is the county seat of King County, the most populous county in Washington. Seattle's growth rate of 21.1% between 2010 and 2020 made it one of the country's fastest-growing large cities. Wikipedia |
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