Living Cost Compare
Denver

Colorado

$1,750/mo est.

vs
Wilmington

Delaware

$1,230/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,750 in Denver, CO versus $1,230 in Wilmington, DE. Overall, Wilmington, DE is roughly 30% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Denver, CO, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $91,681 in Denver, CO and $55,269 in Wilmington, DE — about 40% higher in Denver, CO. Colorado has a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax; Delaware has a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no state sales tax.

Denver, CO
Wilmington, DE

Rent

Studio
$1,497
$1,103
+26% in Denver, CO
1 Bedroom
$1,583
$1,024
+35% in Denver, CO
2 Bedroom
$1,958
$1,213
+38% in Denver, CO
3 Bedroom
$2,269
$1,394
+39% in Denver, CO

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$586,700
$224,500
+62% in Denver, CO

Income

Median Household Income
$91,681
$55,269
+40% in Denver, CO
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$62,320
$54,310
+13% in Denver, CO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.2 yr
37.0 yr
+1.8 yr in Wilmington, DE
Homeownership
49.1%
46.0%
+3.1 pp in Denver, CO
Bachelor's+ (25+)
55.6%
33.1%
+22.5 pp in Denver, CO
Avg Commute
25.4 min
23.0 min
+2.4 min in Denver, CO

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
999.3
1,138.2
+14% in Wilmington, DE
Property Crime
4,781.1
3,182.4
+33% in Denver, CO

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
50.2°F
54.9°F
+4.7°F in Wilmington, DE
Annual Precipitation
15.6 in
43.1 in
+27.5 in in Wilmington, DE

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.27/gal
$3.86/gal
+10% in Denver, CO

Area: Denver vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.75
—

Adult base one-way fare — RTD vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.2
19.4
+20% in Wilmington, DE
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$11.92
$22.51
+89% in Wilmington, DE

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.00
+17% in Denver, CO
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$1.75
+14% in Denver, CO
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.21
+1% in Wilmington, DE
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$6.45
+12% in Denver, CO
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$1.90
+6% in Denver, CO
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.62
+12% in Denver, CO

Average prices — West vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (CO / DE)
2.9%
None
+2.9 pp in CO
Income Tax (top rate)
4.40%
6.60%
+2.2 pp in DE

Denver vs Wilmington — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Denver or Wilmington?
Wilmington, DE is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,230 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 30% below Denver, CO's $1,750, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Denver than in Wilmington?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Denver versus $41,000 in Wilmington.
Which has lower taxes, Denver or Wilmington?
Denver is taxed under Colorado's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax); Wilmington under Delaware's (a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).