City Comparison
Lakewood vs Centennial
Cost of living, salaries, climate and quality of life compared side by side.
VS
Centennial scores higher overall
Performance
Score Breakdown
Lakewood
Centennial
Livability
Affordability
Business
Growth
Expenses
Cost of Living
Centennial is the more affordable option overall — monthly living expenses run about
24% lower than in Lakewood.
Housing costs are a major driver: Lakewood's average rent is
13% lower than Centennial's.
| Metric | Lakewood | Centennial | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Rent | $1,795 | $2,063 | -13% |
| Groceries | $410 | $0 | 0% |
| Utilities | $180 | $0 | 0% |
| Transport | $115 | $0 | 0% |
| Healthcare | $230 | $0 | 0% |
| Monthly Total | $2,730 | $2,063 | +32% |
| Cost Index | 106 | out of 100 |
Income
Salary & Income
Centennial offers 57% lower average salaries.
| Metric | Lakewood | Centennial |
|---|---|---|
| Average Salary | $72,000 | $167,169 |
| Salary Needed | $60,000 | $0 |
| Household Income | $89,792 | $131,928 |
Weather
Climate Comparison
Lakewood runs warmer on average — a 51.5°F difference year-round.
For sunshine, Lakewood comes out ahead with 277 more sunny days per year,
which can meaningfully impact mood and outdoor lifestyle.
Winter severity differs too — Lakewood sees 29.4 more inches of snowfall annually.
| Metric | Lakewood | Centennial |
|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 51.50°F | °F |
| Summer High | 84.90°F | °F |
| Winter Low | 19.30°F | °F |
| Rainfall | 18.40 in | in |
| Snowfall | 29.40 in | in |
| Sunny Days | 277 | |
| Humidity | 52.00% | 51.00% |
Mobility
Commute & Transport
Both cities have comparable commute times, within 0 minutes of each other.
Lakewood scores higher for public transit, making it the better choice for car-free living.
For walkability, Lakewood leads — a better score here means more amenities reachable on foot.
| Metric | Lakewood | Centennial |
|---|---|---|
| Commute Time | 26 min | 26 min |
| Transit Score | 54.0/100 | — |
| Walkability | 58.0/100 | — |
| Traffic Index | 48.00 | |
| Car Dependency | Medium | Medium |
Population
Economy & Demographics
Lakewood is the larger city
— approximately 1.4x the population of Centennial.
From a growth perspective, Centennial is expanding faster, signaling stronger demand for housing, jobs, and services.
On the employment side, Lakewood has a lower unemployment rate, reflecting a tighter and more competitive job market.
| Metric | Lakewood | Centennial |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 156,927 | 109,178 |
| Pop. Growth | 0.18% | 0.48% |
| Median Age | 38.2 | 42.0 |
| Unemployment | 4.00% | 4.20% |
| GDP | — | — |
At a Glance
Pros & Cons
Lakewood
Advantages
Median household income stands at $89,792, reflecting a strong local economy that outperforms the national average per U.S. Census data.
Exceptional geographic proximity to the Rocky Mountain foothills and Red Rocks Amphitheatre provides unmatched outdoor recreation access.
The RTD W Line light rail system offers fast, direct commuter rail transit into downtown Denver.
Home to major economic anchors like the Denver Federal Center and St. Anthony Level I Trauma Center.
Abundant green spaces featuring over 80 public parks and extensive multi-use trail networks.
Drawbacks
Typical monthly apartment rents average around $1,800, placing financial pressure on lower-income renters.
Property crime rates remain a challenge, reflecting broader metropolitan trends across the Denver area.
Car dependency is high in outer residential neighborhoods despite light rail availability along central corridors.
Traffic congestion peaks heavily along major commuter arteries like U.S. 6 and Interstate 70 during rush hours.
Housing affordability has tightened significantly due to intense regional population growth and high real estate demand.
Centennial
Advantages
Centennial has a very low crime rate, 50% below the national average, making it one of the safest major U.S. cities.
The city boasts a high quality of life, ranked #1 in Colorado by U.S. News & World Report in 2025–2026.
Centennial has a strong job market and a high median household income of $131,928 as of 2024.
The public schools in Centennial are highly rated.
Residents benefit from a shorter average commute time (25.9 minutes) compared to the national average.
Drawbacks
The cost of living in Centennial is higher than the national average, particularly for housing.
Average rent in Centennial is higher than the national average.
While public transit exists, the city still exhibits a medium car dependency.
The overall crime grade, while still good, is slightly higher than the average US city according to one source.
Some areas of Centennial have higher violent crime rates than others, particularly the northeast.
Explore
Dive Deeper
Key figures side by side — see which city wins each category at a glance.
Lakewood
#372Colorado, USA
59.4 / 100 overall
Avg Rent
$1,795
Avg Salary
$72,000
Cost Index
106
Commute
26 min
Transit Score
54.0/100
Walkability
58.0/100
Sunny Days
277/yr
Avg Temp
51.50°F
Pop. Growth
0.18%
Unemployment
4.00%
Livability
80
Business
72
Centennial
#110Colorado, USA
66.9 / 100 overall
Avg Rent
$2,063
Avg Salary
$167,169
Cost Index
Commute
26 min
Transit Score
—
Walkability
—
Sunny Days
/yr
Avg Temp
°F
Pop. Growth
0.48%
Unemployment
4.20%
Livability
80
Business
0
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