| Measure | BoulderColorado, United States Remove Boulder | ThorntonColorado, United States Remove Thornton |
|---|---|---|
| Scores (out of 10) | ||
| Overall score | 5.9 | 5.1 |
| Connector Score | 7.1 | 7.5 |
| Safety | 7.4 | 6.7 |
| Affordability | 2.4 | 5.7 |
| Transportation | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Car-free friendliness | 5.0 | 2.5 |
| Walkability | 7.8 | 3.8 |
| Things to do | 5.8 | 4.3 |
| Food & dining | 4.7 | 4.6 |
| Places to stay | 5.7 | 6.1 |
| Nature & outdoors | 7.5 | 2.0 |
| Scenic value | 6.3 | 3.0 |
| Family friendliness | 5.5 | 4.3 |
| Solo-traveler friendliness | 6.4 | 4.9 |
| Nightlife | 3.5 | 4.3 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 4.3 | 5.7 |
| Road-trip convenience | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| Train-trip convenience | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| Bus-trip convenience | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Cost (per person per day, USD) | ||
| Budget | $160 | $130 |
| Mid-range | $255 | $188 |
| Luxury | $483 | $325 |
| Living there | ||
| Cost of living index (national = 100) | 145 | 108 |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent | $2,100 | $1,650 |
| Population | 106K | 148K |
| Getting there | ||
| Accessible by | Drive | Drive Airport |
| Car recommended | — | — |
| Travel time from Boulder | — | 35 min details |
| Character | ||
| Best for | Outdoors, National parks | — |
| Known for | Mountains & hiking, National & state parks, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Wineries & breweries, Shopping | Live music, Shopping |
| When to go | Peak: Summer through early fall and CU gradua… | Peak: June to September |
Scores and costs are estimates from public data and our own research; check the city pages for sources and dates.