01 · the cities
Denver
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.
full dispatch→Las Vegas
Las Vegas is the Strip's neon dream, the desert's quiet edges, and a food scene that has quietly become world-class on the back of all those visiting chefs. Red Rock Canyon is 20 minutes from the Bellagio fountains, which is a useful reset button. Pools open in April and parties go until sunrise. Locals know the best restaurants are always one block off the Strip.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,863/mo
$1,731/mo
$132/mo less than Denver (8%)
Median home price
Median home price
$599k
$451k
$149k less than Denver
State income tax
State income tax
4.4%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,104/mo
$6,602/mo
Las Vegas has $498/mo more gross after rent at $100k
Gross left after rent reflects state income tax but not federal, based on $100k salary. Enter your salary to find your ideal city.
03 · the weather
Pleasant days/yr
Pleasant days/yr
174 days
210 days
36 more than Denver
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
8 days
104 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
66 days
0 days
days below 20°F per year
Las Vegas has 96 more days above 95°F each year than Denver. Denver drops below 20°F on 66 more days per year than Las Vegas.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
85 / 100
80 / 100
5.0 pts behind Denver
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
169 routes
133 routes
36 fewer direct routes than Denver
Metro size
Metro size
3.0M metro
2.3M metro
Denver has 7.7x fewer events per month than Las Vegas.
the verdict
3
Denver
categories won
6
Las Vegas
categories won
Las Vegas wins on money and weather. Denver has the edge on lifestyle.
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