Cost of Living

The Mile High price tag: Denver now among worst in U.S. for inflation

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Denver has a highly ranked park system and was recently named one of the coolest cities in the country, but living around the Mile High City isn’t cheap.

According to a new study by WalletHub, the Denver metro has the fifth-worst inflation problem in the United States, with costs rising on a monthly and yearly basis.

WalletHub analyzed inflation impacts in 23 major metropolitan areas for the study, lumping together Denver, Aurora and Lakewood. In metro Denver, the change in Consumer Price Index compared to two months ago is 1 percent and the change over the last year is 2.2 percent, WalletHub research shows.

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Colorado ranks 5th in nation for work hours—high cost of living a key factor

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DENVER (KDVR) — Coloradans spend more time on the clock than people in most states in the U.S., according to a new report.

Qualtrics XM, a data tool for businesses, released a report in March analyzing what percentage of the past year people spent working. The study used data from the American Time Use Survey, conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, for all 50 states.

A handful of states had fewer than 10 survey responses and were excluded from the main story, but were included in a separate list.

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Gazette editorial board: Colorado’s green agenda is pricing out homeowners

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Colorado’s governor and Legislature may claim they want more affordable housing — but they aren’t about to let it stand in the way of their headlong rush toward green energy. Their zero-emissions-at-any-cost dogma seems to trump all other policy priorities.

Which helps explain why the state’s Energy Code Board is poised to impose extreme energy standards — even more stringent than those already in effect — on new home construction. The pending rules would turn the screws on wide-ranging aspects of the building code — and are projected to add tens of thousands of dollars to the cost of a new home in Colorado.

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Denver’s not just going to the dogs—it’s leaving children behind

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Denver is no longer a cowtown. It’s a dog city.

Long known as a hub for livestock, Denver has corraled several more amenities over the years. Outdoor sports, craft beer, legal weed, live music and a wave of tech jobs have attracted travelers and transplants alike. But those who stay in this city must acknowledge its four-legged rulers, whether you own one or not.

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Cole: Illegal driving, rising costs, and scarce patrols—welcome to Denver’s roads

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Each afternoon, my three-mile commute home in Denver’s metro area is a nerve-wrecking ordeal. Drivers speed through stop signs, ignore red lights, or stop inexplicably at unmarked intersections. Cars swerve across lanes, straddle the center line, or disrupt four-way stops. 

Vehicles without plates, with expired tags, or overdue permits are all too common. 

As a single-income earner with only liability insurance, I dread a crash with an uninsured driver. 

One accident could destroy my car—my lifeline to work and rent.

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O’Donnell: It’s costly to live in Colorado—and now we top the charts in personal debt

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Since 2021, inflation has been higher in Colorado than in any other state, mostly because of the cost of owning or renting a home. But this is also because the state legislature enjoys imposing new fees (you aren’t allowed to call them taxes) on seemingly anything they can think of.

Colorado residents may not, however, realize that because it is now so expensive to live in the state, Coloradans owe more money in mortgages, auto loans, credit cards, student loans and other consumer obligations than residents of ANY other state.

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More than one-third of Colorado households endure financial hardship, report shows

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A new report being released Wednesday from United Way Colorado and Ent Credit Union shows 37% of residents statewide and 34% in El Paso County are not earning enough to cover basic expenses such as housing, health care, transportation, food, child care and a rudimentary smartphone plan.

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