on $100k a year, leaving Anchorage

change
Denver, CO cityscape

if you left anchorage

Denver

co · metro 3.0M

photo: Noel Aph / pexels

a dispatch from

denver

CO

39.74°N

104.98°W

Denver is a mile above sea level, an hour from a dozen ski resorts, and surrounded by mountains that make every west-facing window feel like a vacation. The air is dry, the sun shows up roughly 300 days a year, and craft beer is taken seriously enough to have its own annual pilgrimage (the Great American Beer Festival). Green chile is a hill people will die on. The patio season is essentially eternal.

metro3.0M

in our guides

#4

of 10

Best cities for remote workers

read the guide
#7

of 10

Cheap cities with serious airports

read the guide
#7

of 10

Best cities for food and nightlife

read the guide
#4

of 10

Affordable cities near national parks and wilderness

read the guide
#1

of 10

Best cities for young professionals

read the guide
#9

of 10

Most walkable cities in America

read the guide
#6

of 10

Best affordable cities to live car-free

read the guide
#5

of 10

Best cities for families who love the outdoors

read the guide
#7

of 10

Best cities for couples

read the guide
#8

of 10

Best cities for live music and arts

read the guide
#8

of 10

Best cities for health and wellness

read the guide
#3

of 10

Most livable cities in America

read the guide
#10

of 10

Best cities for mild four-season weather

read the guide
#3

of 10

Biggest cities you can actually afford

read the guide
#3

of 10

Best places to move in 2026

read the guide
#8

of 10

Best cities for parks and green space

read the guide
#4

of 10

Best cities for work-life balance

read the guide
#3

of 10

Best affordable cities in the Mountain West

read the guide
#5

of 10

Best cities for a $150k salary

read the guide
#3

of 10

Best cities for digital nomads

read the guide
#8

of 10

Best cities to live in your 30s

read the guide

01 · the verdict

the verdict

$516

more each month than Anchorage ran you

Denver costs meaningfully more. Whether it earns that back in the day-to-day is the actual question.
landable, recorded on the denver entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,863/mo

9% more expensive than Anchorage(vs $1,713/mo)

02state income tax

4.4%

$367/mo more in state tax than Anchorage

vs 0% in Anchorage

03after rent

$6,104/mo

$516 less than Anchorage

gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.

04a house here

$599k

37% more expensive than Anchorage

vs $438k in Anchorage

05metro size

3.0M

vs 401k in Anchorage

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

174

pleasant days a year, in denver.

Anchorage only manages 93 of those.

·outdoorscore

85/100

25% higher than Anchorage

vs 68/100 in Anchorage

Closest outdoor draw: Rocky Mountain National Park, 47.3 mi.

·walk score®

97/100

23% higher than Anchorage

vs 79/100 in Anchorage

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

169

397% more than Anchorage

vs 34 nonstops in Anchorage

04 · see also

if denver appeals, also worth a look:

see also

boulder

better weather

turn the page

see also

las vegas

$498/mo cheaper

turn the page

see also

washington

better weather

turn the page

compare denver with:

BoulderLas VegasWashington