Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Colorado instead of California, you would:
Health
be 26.9% less likely to have diabetes
In California, 10.8% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Colorado, that number is 7.9% as of 2022.
Economy
be 29.4% less likely to be unemployed
In California, 5.1% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Colorado, that number is 3.6% as of 2025.
be 23.9% less likely to live below the poverty line
In California, 11.7% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Colorado, however, that number is 8.9% as of 2023.
make 11.2% less money
California has a GDP per capita of $84,028 as of 2024, while in Colorado, the GDP per capita is $74,650 as of 2024.
Safety
be 22.2% more likely to be a victim of property crime
California has a property crime rate of 2,303 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Colorado, that number is 2,814 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 27.8% less for a home
The median home value in California is $695,400 as of 2023, compared to $502,200 in Colorado as of 2023.
pay 13.4% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in California is $1,956 as of 2023, while in Colorado, it is $1,693 as of 2023.
be 18.8% more likely to own your home
In California, 55.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied as of 2023. In Colorado, that number is 66.3% as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 3.5 minutes less
The average one-way commute in California takes 29.0 minutes as of 2023. In Colorado, it takes 25.5 minutes as of 2023.
be 21.0% less likely to be physically inactive
In California, 22.4% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Colorado, that number is 17.7% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 77.3% less densely populated
California has a population density of 97.0 people per sq km as of 2023. In Colorado, that number is 22.0 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 20.0% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In California, 25.0% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In Colorado, that number is 30.0% as of 2023.
be 14.4% less likely to be food insecure
In California, 10.4% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Colorado, that number is 8.9% as of 2021.
be 60.7% less likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In California, 12.2% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Colorado, that number is 4.8% as of 2023.
The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: Feeding America, OECD Regional Demography, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
