How Denver Ranks

OVERALL

  • Denver is the best city to live in the West, according to a new list by Money magazine, calling the Denver a “mecca for millennials.” (2015)
  • Denver is on a list of a different kind — it’s among The 16 US Cities That Top EVERY Internet List for Being Awesome “best of the best” according to a new Thrillist ranking. Here is the full ranking list: 1.San Francisco, 2. Washington D.C., 3. Seattle, 4. New York, 5. Dallas, 6. Boston, 7. Portland (tie), 7. Los Angeles (tie), 7. Houson (tie), 10. Austin, 11. Raleigh, 12. Chicago, 13. Philadelphia, 14. Denver, 15. Miami, 16. Provo (2015)

REAL ESTATE

  • Denver ranked No. 2 in the nation when it comes providing the best returns on residential real estate investment, according to a new study by online real estate company BiggerPockets (2015)
  • Denver ranks 7th on Forbes list of Best Buy Cities: Where To Invest In Housing (2015)
  • Denver ranks as the 3rd hottest housing market in August 2015. (2nd hottest in July 2015) (3rd hottest in June 2015) (Hottest housing market in May 2015)
  • According to FindTheHome data, Denver has the 10th most valuable real estate in the United States ranked by median sale price. Denver’s median sale price = $310,250 (2015)
  • Denver is at the top of the list for investing in residential rental properties, according to a new ranking by Dallas-based HomeVestors of America Inc (2015)
  • According to the Denver Business Journal, every year, the commercial real estate arm of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC ranks the best markets in the country for commercial real estate, and this year Denver came out on top (2015)
  • Denver ranks on the list of Eight Cities Where U.S. Home Prices Are Setting New Records, according to The Wall Street Journal (2015)
  • Forbes recently spotlighted the top places to invest in the new year, whether for investors looking for rental properties or young professionals looking to make their first home purchase. Denver ranked 7th on the list (Average home price: $278,130, Annual price growth: 10%, Population growth (2010-2013): 5.6%, Annual job growth: 2.6%) (2015)
  • Forbes ranked Denver as the 6th Fastest Growing Cities in America with a population growth in 2014 of 1.74%. The top 10 cities on the list included: Houston, Austin, Dallas, Raleigh, Seattle, Denver, San Francisco, Fort Worth, Charlotte, and San Antonio (2015)
  • The Mile High City ranked No. 7 in Penske’s report of the top moving destinations in the United States for 2014 (2015)
  • According to a recent report by Clear Capital, the Denver metro is fourth on the “10 Metros Poised for Highest Price Gains” list (2015)
  • Denver is one of the top 10 best markets in the country for millennial homebuyers by the National Association of Realtors (2014)
  • Denver is ranked ninth in the Top 10 Cites People are Moving To list according to CNN Money (2014) and also ranked #6 in the Top 10 Fastest Growing Cities by CNN Money (2014)
  • Denver ranks 12th on Fortune’s 13 Hottest Real Estate Markets in America with a year-over-year home price appreciation of 9.4% (2014)
  • Denver ranks no. 1 in a Pew Research Center poll on where Americans would most like to move (2014)
  • According to SNL Real Estate Denver ranks sixth on the Toughest Markets for Renters to Become Home Owners
  • Denver is named the #1 place to invest in real estate by Greg Rand of OwnAmerica.com (2012)
  • The Denver area ranked 21st out of 146 markets nationwide in online searches for real estate listings at Realtor.com in December (2012)
  • Denver ranks eighth in the nation as a destination for movers, according to a new ranking from the American Moving & Storage Association (2012)
  • Ranked 10th in the nation for apartment rent growth according to a study by RealPage Inc. as reported by the Denver Business Journal (2011)
  • Metro Denver was ranked 20th in the nation for new housing construction projects out of 366 metro areas, based on an analysis of the U.S. Census Bureau data as reported by the Denver Business Journal (2011)
  • Denver is named the #1 Reemerging market according to the Today show
  • Denver is ranked #8 on the list of Best Cities for Borrowers according to Forbes.com
  • Denver is ranked #5 on a list of U.S. Cities Where Renters Should Buy according to Forbes.com Denver ranks #6 for the U.S. Best Housing Markets according to Forbes.com (Index score: 125.74 – Prices were last this low: June 2003 – Month-to-month drop: -1.5% – Year-over-year drop: -4%). The top 5 were accordingly: New York, Washington, D.C., Charlotte, N.C., Portland, Ore., San Diego. This is very good news for sellers in Denver as it proves our market is starting to return to some normalcy.
  • Denver Ranks #7 in Best Cities for Sellers according to Forbes.com (Overbuilding and a high foreclosure rate stymie Denver’s housing market, which last year saw a 6.3% drop in prices. Still, area homes are selling, and the vacancy rate, while still at a pro-buyer 3%, last year shrunk by 20%. The 49% drop in construction starts, the 12th largest cut in the country, and 2% rise in new jobs, the ninth highest rate in the country, are good news for sellers.)
  • The Urban Land Institute names Denver in the top 10 Markets to Watch in 2009. It is the only non-coastal city to top the list. Denver Ranks #9 in America’s Best Bang For The Buck Cities according to Forbes.com
  • Between 2000 and 2009, Denver grew by more than 10 percent, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates. If the math is correct, the city and county of Denver gained 56,654 people in those years, making Denver the nation’s 24th largest city as reported by the Denver Business Journal.

BUSINESS/EMPLOYMENT/ECONOMY

  • Denver is America’s best place for business and careers out of 200 cities, Forbes magazine declares in its latest annual ranking (2015)
  • An annual ranking by Area Development magazine rates Denver the best metro area in the nation for economic development and jobs (2015)
  • Denver is the No. 12 best city among 374 cities across the U.S. for lawyers in a new report by ValuePenguin (2015)
  • The Mile High City landed the No. 3 spot in Rent.com’s 2015 “Best Cities for College Grads” ranking (2015)
  • Metro Denver tops a new list of “the top 10 towns for summer jobs” (2015)
  • MarketWatch ranks Denver as the 10th most business-friendly city in the nation (2015)
  • WalletHub recently ranked Denver as the fourth best city to start a career (2015)
  • Denver and three other Colorado metro areas are among the nation’s top 20 “best-performing cities” of 2014, according to an annual report released by the Milken Institute. The report aims to identify “where America’s jobs are created and sustained.” (2015)
  • Denver ranks No. 4 on the latest Forbes list of the nation’s best places for business (2014)
  • The Mile High City ranks as the fifth-best place for millennial-aged entrepreneurs in a new study by NerdWallet that compares cities based on their friendliness to startups (2014)
  • Denver ranked first in the nation in employment and earning opportunities in a WalletHub.com survey (2014)
  • Forbes recently named Denver the second best city in the country to launch a start-up business (2014)
  • Realtor.com’s National Housing Trend Report for May named Denver as the #1 Fast-Moving Housing Markets with the lowest median age of housing inventory at 20 days.
  • Time ranks Denver in the Top 10 Best Cities to Start a New Career (2014)
  • Denver ranks #9 on America’s Best Cities For Young Professionals according to Forbes.com
  • According to Forbes.com Denver ranks at #6 out of the list of 200 on the list of Best Places for Business & Careers (2013)
  • Under30CEO.com ranks Denver as the 9th best city for young entrepreneurs in the US (2013). According to the Denver Business Journal, the website had this to say about Denver: “A great location in the Rocky Mountains makes Denver a unique place to live. Young people seek out the great outdoor lifestyle and unlimited winter activities. Denver has been the starting point for many companies we all know of today like Chipotle Mexican Grill, Quizno’s and MapQuest and the vibrant startup scene in Boulder is just a short drive away.” (2013)
  • NerdWallet ranks Denver as the 7th best city for women entrepreneurs in the US (2013)
  • Denver ranks as the 5th best city in the US to hold a convention according to the Denver Business Journal (2012)
  • Ranked 2nd in the West for small business as reported by the Denver Business Journal (2012)
  • Apartments.com and CareerRookie.com named Denver the fourth best city for recent college graduates as reported by the Denver Business Journal (2011)
  • Colorado ranks #17 in the number of millionaires per state according to The Denver Business Journal
  • Denver ranks #7 In Best Cities For Young Adults (Young Professionals) according to Forbes.com (2011)
  • Denver is tied with New York City for eighth-best place for finding a managerial job during June, according to the latest CareerCast.com/JobSerf Index as reported by the Denver Business Journal (2011)

GREEN TECHNOLOGY

  • The Siemens’ U.S. and Canada Green City Index ranks Denver as the #5 greenest city in the U.S. (2011)
  • Denver makes the top 5 in Travel + Leisure’s roundup of the Greenest Cities in America (2012)

HEALTH/LIFESTYLE

  • Denver is ranked as the #1 city for retirement if you love winter sports according to msn.com (2015)
  • The Children’s Museum of Denver and the WOW Children’s Museum in Lafayette have been named to a list of “the 25 Best Children’s Museums in America” (2015)
  • Denver ranks as the 6th best city for kids to play outside according to Fatherly.com (2015)
  • According to Business Insider, Denver is the 4th best place to live in your 20s (2015)
  • Denver ranks as the No. 7 as the best U.S. city to live, according to a WalletHub report (2015)
  • Denver is ranked as the 9th most frugal city in the U.S. according to Coupons.com (2015)
  • Denver’s the third-best city in the U.S. for retirees by Bankers Life Center for a Secure Retirement (2015)
  • Denver ranks #14 on the Top Markets for Married New Home Buyers list (2015)
  • Denver was ranked No. 9 in the country by readers of Travel + Leisure, who ranked U.S. 38 cities for their locally crafted beer (2015)
  • The Mile High City is the tenth best city for recreation out of the 100 largest U.S. cities, based on 27 metrics (2015)
  • Mile High City is considered the sixth best cities for foodies — ranking high across a number of metrics such as restaurants and breweries — in NerdWallet’s new ranking, “Best Cities for Foodies” (2015)
  • According to travel guide FodorsTravel.com, the Denver Zoo is one of the top 10 zoos in the country (2015)
  • WalletHub ranks the Mile High City No. 18  on the list of Best and Worst Cities for Staycations (2015)
  • Denver ranks No. 9 on Amazon’s latest list of the “Most Well-Read Cities in America (2015)
  • Denver has been named the No. 3 best beer city in the nation in a new Thrillist ranking (2015)
  • World Wide Learn ranks Denver on the list of Most Inspiring Cities for Young Artists (2105)
  • Time lists Denver on The 10 Healthiest Places to Live in America (2015)
  • Redfin recently ranked Denver as the 4th best bikable cities in the US (2015)
  • According to HomeownersInsurance.com, Denver ranks fourth on the list of safest cities from natural disasters (2015)
  • The Mile High City ranked among the 20 best cities for singles in the country, according to NerdWallet’s most recent ranking titled, “Best Cities for Singles.” (2015)
  • Denver ranks as the 22nd-worst U.S. city for traffic according to TomTom (2015)
  • The National Association of Realtors (NAR) named Denver 6th on the list of Best Purchase Markets for Millennial Homebuyers. They analyzed 100 metro areas that have a large millennial presence, solid local job market conditions and strong migration patterns of young adults moving to that particular area to determine the best purchase prospects for young buyers. Housing affordability and inventory availability were also considered (2014)
  • BOO! Denver ranks 8th on the 2014’s Best and Worst Cities for Halloween according to Wallethub (2014)
  • Denver ranks third on the list of Where Young College Graduates Are Choosing to Live, according to the Upshot (2014)
  • According to RealSelf, an online community that consolidates and shares information about cosmetic surgery, dermatology, dentistry and other elective treatments, the Mile High City is the No. 5 best city to thwart those pesky wrinkles and other effects of aging (2014)
  • Livability named Denver to its 2014 “10 Best Beer Cities” ranking, which looked at both production and consumption to compile the ranking. “Denver offers innovative and award-winning breweries, residents who consume beer at higher rates than the average American, sophisticated beer tastes and a high-quality of life for beer lovers (2014)
  • Time lists Denver on The 10 Healthiest Places to Live in America (2014)
  • Denver ranks as the 7th coolest cities in America according to Forbes (2014)
  • Denver ranks as the 6th fastest growing cities in America with a 1.75% population growth in 2013 according to Forbes.com (2014)
  • EliteDaily name Denver as the 8th Best US City For Millennials To Live And Thrive In
  • Travel + Leisure ranks Denver as one of America’s Favorite Cities based on several different rankings. First on the list of best public parks and outdoor access, athletic/active and easy-going. Second on the list for best microbrew beer and professional sports (2013)
  • American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and MoveForwardPT.com partnered with Huff/Post50 to determine the “Top 10 Fittest Baby Boomer Cities in America” and named Denver as the 4th fittest baby boomer city in the us (2013)
  • According to the Denver Business Journal, Denver ranks as no.9 out of 102 large U.S. metro areas in a ranking of the nation’s best places for young adults (2013)
  • CBS Money Watch ranks Denver as the 7th top 10 moving destinations in the US. Cited as the perfect blend of big city and mountain living (2013)
  • According to 24/7 Wall Street, Denver ranks as the 6th most literate city in the United States. Boasting the 7th highest weekday newspaper circulation per 100 of 66.56 (2013)
  • Denver ranks as the 16th fastest growing cities in America with a 1.3% population growth in 2012 and a forecasted growth of 1.3% growth in 2013 according to Forbes.com (2013)
  • Denver is the third most-searched city among U.S. Google Map users, behind San Francisco and Chicago and ahead of Los Angeles and New York according to the Denver Business Journal (2012)
  • Denver Ranks as the sith best place to live in America according to Bloomberg Businessweek (2012)
  • Denver is the fifth best place in the U.S. for young adults to live, according to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance (2012)
  • Denver and Portland, Ore., are tied as the top microbrew markets in the nation, according to a report from Scarborough Research (2012)
  • Denver is 9th in nation’s 10 most vegetarian-friendly cities, online food-ordering company GrubHub says (2012)
  • Denver is ranked #8 of “America’s Fastest Growing Cities” (with a population of over 100,000 during April 1, 2010 – July 1, 2011) with a percentage of growth at 3.3% according to the U.S. Census Bureau (2012)
  • Denver is ranked 5th on MoneyWatch’s “10 Best Cities to Stay Young” list (2012)
  • Children’s Museum of Denver, was ranked by Forbes.com as the 6th Best Children’s Museum (2012)
  • Ranked in the top 10 metros for newlyweds according to Inman News (2012)
  • Denver was named the most active city for healthy women by SELF Magazine (2011)
  • On the list of America’s Healthiest cities to visit by FoodandWine.com (2012)
  • Denver ranks #4 on Yahoo Travel’s “Top 10 Destinations for Holiday Lights.” The top three places were: New York City – NY, Newport Beach – CA, Walt Disney World – FL (2011).
  • Denver ranks #3 for the fittest cities in America according to Forbes
  • Denver – Boulder Ranks #1 in Best Cities for Singles according to Forbes.com
  • The Children’s Hospital won a fourth-place spot in U.S. News & World reports “America’s Best Children’s Hospitals” ranking. Part of the September 2007 issue, the magazine’s ranking is based on criteria including patient volume and survival rates.
  • Denver has the highest rates of health club membership in the nation with 25.1% of residents enrolled as reported by the Health Club Industry Review (2007)
  • Colorado is the nation’s thinnest state, with an adult obesity rate of 19.1%. Colorado is the only state with an obesity rate under 20% as reported by the Trust for America’s Health
  • Recently, Forbes.com named Denver #8 on their list of “America’s Biggest Brain Magnets”. Stating that “[Denver is] A perennial magnet for college graduates, and one of the ‘hip and cool’ cities to make the top of our list, Denver was one of the darlings of the information age, and its suburbs have long incubated tech companies,” Forbes says of the Denver-Aurora-Broomfield metro area.
  • The first annual “Cities on the Edge” study by PR Newswire finds Denver as the #3 city on the edge of greatness. Denver, CO – Sporting heavy interest in alternative sports such as the X Games, snowboarding and skateboarding, Denver also features a high percentage of young, well-educated residents and a heavy focus on green building. Its art and music scenes are not to be underestimated, coming in the top 20 with potential to rise to the top in future studies.

TRANSPORTATION/TRAVEL

  • Denver International Airport is regarded as the second-best airport in the United States, according to the research firm Skytrax (2015)
  • The Huffington Post ranked Denver on the list of 5 American Cities You Should Visit (2015)
  • USNews.com ranks Denver as the overall “Best City for Public Transportation.” (2013)
  • Travel + Leisure Magazine ranks Denver as the top city for microbrew beer; most pet-friendly vacation spot; and athletic/active city (2011)
  • Denver is the fourth-most popular Labor Day vacation destination in the United States and features the lowest hotel rates of any city in the top 10, according to travel site Orbitz.com (2011)
  • U.S. News recently released the top 10 U.S. cities with the best combination of public transportation investment, ridership, and safety ranking Denver #1 on the list (2011)
  • Travel + Leisure Magazine named Denver the second best place for summer travel because of the family appeal and great parks. Check out the City Face-Off on their website where you can compare Denver vs another city and see how it ranks on several different factors.
  • Metro Denver’s FasTracks mass transit project is the largest build out of a U.S. mass transit system since the Washington D.C. Metro as reported by the American Public Transportation Association
  • DIA (Denver International Airport) was named the “Best Airport in North America” for the seventh consecutive year by Business Traveler magazine. Denver International Airport is the 10th-busiest airport in the world, and the fifth busiest airport in the United States. With 50 million passengers traveling through the airport each year, DIA is one of the busiest airline hubs in the world’s largest aviation market. DIA is the primary economic engine of the state of Colorado, generating more than $22 billion for the region annually.
  • Travel + Leisure Magazine named two hotels in Denver (Hotel Teatro #7 in Colorado and Ritz-Carlton Denver #9 in Colorado) on their top list of 500 best hotels in the world.
  • DIA is the nation’s second favorite airport, according to the most recent Zagat U.S. Airlines Survey. The 7,500 survey respondents ranked U.S. airlines and airports on a variety of criteria, and DIA was voted second best behind Tampa International. Denver-based Frontier Airlines also scored winning marks for comfort, service, and its website.
  • Denver ranks in the top five cities for walkability according to a study by the Brookings Institute
  • Denver is ranked #10 on a list of U.S. cities with the most walkable neighborhoods according to walkscore.com
  • Bing Travel named DIA #12 on their list of 13 unusual airports across the world. Denver International Airport at 53 square miles, is the largest airport in North America. The airport also follows many green initiatives including the solar farm harvesting energy used to reduce carbon emissions created from the airport.
  • Travelocity dubbed Denver one of the nation’s top 10 favorite travel destinations for the Fourth of July weekend as reported by the Denver Business Journal (2011)

SPORTS

  • Denver ranks as the number two city for sports fans according to wallet hub (2015)
  • The Denver Broncos ranks as the 26th most valuable sports franchises according to Forbes.com (2015)
  • The Mile High City is among the best cities in the nation for sports travel, according to a new study from Hotels.com and SeatGeek. Denver ranked 7th based on factors including sports popularity, average ticket price and destination popularity (2015)
  • According to 24/7 Wall Street, Denver ranks 6th in the “10 Cities Paying the Most for Sports Teams”. With 5 major league teams (the most of any city ranked) the public per capita stadium cost is $446 (2014)
  • The Denver Broncos ranks as the thirteenth most valuable NFL team franchise according to Forbes.com (2012)
  • The Denver Broncos ranks as the 22nd most valuable sports franchises according to Forbes.com (2013)
  • The Denver Nuggets ranks #20 in NBA team valuations according to Forbes.com.
  • Denver is one of only a few cities to offer eight professional sports teams

Updated: December 26, 2015