The Denver Case · Income · Updated October 2026

Denver incomes, compared

Denver's median household income is $107,733, well above the U.S. median of $84,780 and 5th among the 13 metros here.

$107,733
Household income
#5 of 13 metros · U.S. $84,780
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
50.6%
Bachelor's degree+
#5 of 13 metros · U.S. 37.4%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
$108,167
GDP per capita
#5 of 13 metros · U.S. $86,143
Source: BEA county GDP and population

Household income

Median household income

Metro · 2025
Denver: #5 of 13 · higher is better
SF Bay Area
$136,020
Seattle
$120,018
Boston
$118,759
San Diego
$110,941
Denver
$107,733
Austin
$102,427
Minneapolis
$102,351
Raleigh
$101,695
Salt Lake City
$101,152
Portland
$99,767
Nashville
$92,066
Phoenix
$91,093
Charlotte
$89,067
U.S.
$84,780
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 (table S1901)

What drives it: education and output

50.6% of Denver adults have at least a bachelor's degree, against 37.4% nationally.

Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher

% of adults 25+ · Metro · 2025
Denver: #5 of 13 · higher is better
SF Bay Area
54.6%
Raleigh
54.3%
Boston
54.0%
Austin
53.5%
Denver
50.6%
Seattle
49.3%
Minneapolis
47.0%
San Diego
45.9%
Nashville
43.5%
Portland
43.2%
Charlotte
41.9%
Salt Lake City
39.7%
U.S.
37.4%
Phoenix
36.4%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 (table S1501)

Economic output per resident

GDP per capita, current dollars · Metro (sum of counties) · 2024
Denver: #5 of 13 · higher is better
SF Bay Area
$172,381
Seattle
$145,716
Boston
$128,308
Salt Lake City
$120,772
Denver
$108,167
Austin
$105,246
Nashville
$104,341
San Diego
$100,603
Minneapolis
$98,263
Charlotte
$96,105
Raleigh
$91,475
Portland
$88,789
U.S.
$86,143
Phoenix
$83,965
Source: BEA county GDP and population, summed to metro areas for this site

What that income buys

Every metro here that out-earns Denver also costs more to live in. Here are prices on a scale where the U.S. is 100.

Overall cost of living

BEA Regional Price Parity, U.S. = 100 · Metro · 2024 (final metro release)
Denver: #9 of 13 · lower is better
Nashville
96.3
Charlotte
97.3
Austin
98.1
Raleigh
98.2
U.S.
100.0
Salt Lake City
100.9
Phoenix
103.3
Minneapolis
104.8
Portland
105.4
Denver
105.8
Boston
108.3
Seattle
111.1
San Diego
111.9
SF Bay Area
115.6
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities
Why Denver comes out on top

Other cities have a best stat. Denver has the best record.

Every metro here has a standout stat. Denver's advantage is that it rarely trails: it finishes in the top nine of 13 on 38 of 42 measures (90%), more than any other metro, and near the bottom on just 4.

This page is one stat in that record. The full scorecard has all 42.

Denver
90%
Other 12, average
68%
Top fourMiddleBottom four

Share of all 42 scored measures in each band, among the 13 metros. The number is the top-nine share. See every metro →

Where Denver stands alone

#1 in the U.S.
For domestic nonstop destinations in 2025. DEN added a record 34 international destinations in 19 countries.
Source: Denver International Airport, 2025 milestones (2025)
3,880 sq mi
Of land above 10,000 feet within 100 miles of downtown, more than the other 12 metros combined.
Source: AWS Terrain Tiles (USGS 3DEP elevation), calculated for this site (USGS elevation, calculated Oct 2026)
1.75M
Concertgoers at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in 2025, the most of any amphitheater according to Pollstar.
Source: Denver Arts & Venues (2025)

Related

See it in the full Denver case →
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Denver vs. other metros

All 12 matchups in one table →

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