Denver received a B-plus from Apartment List’s annual Renter Satisfaction Survey. The grade puts the city at No. 11 out of the top 50 largest cities in the U.S.
The third annual survey drew responses from more than 45,000 renters nationwide. Renters rated their cities on 11 factors including affordability, public transit, and weather. The four factors that have the greatest influence on overall satisfaction are safety, job opportunities, social life, and recreational activities.
Denver’s top scores were in the recreational activities and social life categories, which rated A grades. Across categories concerning weather, commute times and public transit, job and career opportunities, and taxes, Denver’s scores fell in the B to A-minus range.
But with respect to affordability, Denver received a D. This comes as no surprise as average apartment rents in Denver continue to rise with the surrounding metro rents providing little to no relief.
“Denver renters expressed general satisfaction with the city overall,” Apartment List’s report said. “With expensive rents in tech hubs, it comes as no surprise that cost of living is a source of dissatisfaction in Denver.”
Taking age into consideration, millennial renters showed their extreme satisfaction by giving Denver an overall A rating. Renters who are parents, however, are less satisfied giving Denver a C.
Compared to Colorado’s other cities, Denver scored similar to Fort Collins and Colorado Springs–who earned an A and B-plus respectively — and earned higher marks than Aurora’s overall C grade.
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Boulder received an overall A-plus rating despite the fact the city scores an F for affordability.
“Cost of living is high in Boulder, but the access to nightlife, education, job opportunities, transportation and outdoor activities is unbeatable,” a Boulder renter told Apartment List.
On a national level, Denver ranked identically to other tech hubs including San Francisco and Seattle. Scottsdale, Ariz., and Irvine, Calif., are among the top rated cities for renter satisfaction.
Tallahassee, Fla., Stockton, Calif., Dayton, Ohio, Detroit, Mich., and Newark, N.J., make up some of the lowest rated cities.
