With its “300 days of sunshine,” Colorado is one of the sunniest — and most desirable — places to live in America.
People are moving to Colorado from all across the country. According to the Colorado Department of Transportation, the population will increase by 47 percent by 2040. Whether you choose to live in the city or a small town, it’s easy to find the cheapest places to live in Colorado.
Colorado state average rent prices
While average rent prices are above the national average, you can expect to pay about $1,797 for a one-bedroom apartment. Rent has slightly increased in 2020, up 0.16 percent year-over-year.
The cheapest cities in Colorado for renters
Although many people want to live in the mountain resort towns or the communities with the closest access to them, the rent prices in many areas are constantly on the rise. Instead of paying too much for a tiny space, you can opt to live in one of these cities. You’ll still have beautiful mountain views and plenty of sunshine.
These are the cheapest places in Colorado for rent prices.
10. Loveland
- One-bedroom average rent price: $1,522
- Average rent change in the past year: 0.69%
Located 45 minutes from Denver and 35 minutes from Rocky Mountain National Park, Loveland is a great place for outdoor enthusiasts, art lovers, foodies and families. It’s a quieter town than many of the urban areas of the state and is one of the cheapest places to live in Colorado. Its main attraction, Boyd Lake State Park, is a water-sports haven with boating, fishing, camping, hiking and biking.
9. Aurora
- One-bedroom average rent price: $1,506
- Average rent change in the past year: 0.04%
The third-largest city in Colorado, Aurora is a family-friendly community with plenty of affordable housing. Located just east of Denver, residents enjoy thousands of acres of open space, gorgeous reservoirs, trails and mountain sunsets. There’s plenty to do here because Aurora’s cultural art district, locally-owned boutiques and Colorado’s largest indoor marketplace offer endless shopping opportunities.
8. Arvada
- One-bedroom average rent price: $1,477
- Average rent change in the past year: 7.16%
Conveniently located between Denver and Boulder, Arvada is the perfect suburban location with a small-town charm. Main attractions include the Arvada Center for Arts and Humanities, the Apex Center, the Cussler Museum and a historic shopping district. A highly educated workforce, low crime rate and access to outdoor adventures make this town a popular hometown for all ages.
7. Fort Collins
- One-bedroom average rent price: $1,448
- Average rent change in the past year: -2.05%
Situated at the base of the Rocky Mountain foothills of the northern Front Range, Fort Collins is a vibrant town with 19th-century homes, a vintage trolley, locally-run restaurants, pubs and boutiques.
West of the city, hiking and biking trails traverse Horsetooth Mountain Open Space, known for the peak’s distinctive rock formation and waterfalls. It’s a college town with Colorado State University located there, but it’s a quiet town with a low cost of living compared to larger cities in Colorado.
6. Thornton
- One-bedroom average rent price: $1,433
- Average rent change in the past year: -3.19%
Thornton is 10 miles northeast of downtown Denver and is one of the cheapest places to live in the heart of Colorado and welcomes new residents looking to live a simpler life. The town is one of the first fully-planned in the area and boasts about two dozen city parks. There’s great access to shopping, dining and outdoor recreation.
5. Longmont
- One-bedroom average rent price: $1,432
- Average rent change in the past year: -5.10%
Longmont sits just north of Boulder, with more than 1,500 acres of parks and open space and a spectacular vista of the Rocky Mountains. It’s a perfect home base for outdoor enthusiasts and just 30 miles from Rocky Mountain National Park.
With many major employers, miles of trails, a thriving dining and beverage scene, Longmont is a growing community with a distinctive character.
4. Colorado Springs
- One-bedroom average rent price: $1,368
- Average rent change in the past year: 12.47%
Colorado Springs is best known for its gorgeous scenery including Pikes Peak, Garden of the Gods Park and Cave Of The Winds Mountain Park. It’s also one of Colorado’s largest cities and home to the U.S. Air Force Academy and dozens of other attractions.
The city also frequently ranks on lists of cities with the cleanest air and residents who are healthy and happy. Surprisingly, the cost of living here is consistently below the national average.
3. Greeley
- One-bedroom average rent price: $1,349
- Average rent change in the past year: -9.81%
Located in the High Plains of northern Colorado, Greeley was initially a small agricultural community. Today, it’s grown to an affordable community and home to more than 100,000 people.
It’s centrally located about one hour north of Denver, less than an hour from Fort Collins, and half an hour from Loveland. The Colorado Model Railroad Museum, the Poudre River Trail and Weldwerks Brewery are among the most popular attractions.
2. Northglenn
- One-bedroom average rent price: $1,345
- Average rent change in the past year: -2.66%
Built as a master-planned community, Northglenn lies just north of Thornton and off of I-25 and is a suburb of Denver. Northglenn combines breathtaking landscapes and parks with commercial, educational and shopping areas. Because of these amenities, this affordable community tends to attract young families.
1. Brighton
- One-bedroom average rent price: $1,285
- Average rent change in the past year: 0.15%
The cheapest place to live in Colorado as a renter is Brighton, a small town located just north of the Denver International airport. Since it’s only located about 20 miles northeast of Denver, it has great access to urban amenities and outdoor adventures. Residents enjoy boating and fishing at Barr Lake State Park and viewing bison, prairie dogs and all kinds of birds at Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge.
The 25 cheapest places to live in Colorado
While many of the cheapest cities in Colorado center around the largest urban centers, there are also many smaller towns scattered throughout the state with affordable places to live. The following chart will give you an idea of the average rent in other communities.
Methodology
Rent prices are based on a rolling weighted average from Apartment Guide and Rent.com’s multifamily rental property inventory of one-bedroom apartments. We pulled our data in December 2020, and it goes back for one year. Our team uses a weighted average formula that more accurately represents price availability for each individual unit type and reduces the influence of seasonality on rent prices in specific markets.
We excluded cities with insufficient inventory from this report.
The rent information included in this article is used for illustrative purposes only. The data contained herein do not constitute financial advice or a pricing guarantee for any apartment.
Source: rent.com