Confession: I am a second-generation Colorado native and wildly proud of that fact. In fact, my grandpa used to take my mom out to Powers when it was a dirt road and tell her that one day it would all be filled in. At the time, she thought he was nuts.

Fast-forward to today, and Powers Boulevard is a bustling corridor lined with shops, housing, and entertainment venues. And it is not just Powers. The entire Front Range is filling in, driven by an influx of businesses and people moving to Colorado. Indeed, according to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau data, from 2010 to 2020, Colorado’s population increased by 14.8 percent. In comparison, the national population only increased 7.4 percent.

While an increasing population often brings economic benefits and things to do, it also has drawbacks — namely, increased crime. Unfortunately, Colorado is no exception. So, is Colorado still a great place to live?

Crime stats

Consider the above chart: In 2010, Colorado reported 2,893 offenses per 100,000 people, according to the latest data from the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice. Conversely, the national average was 3,351 offenses per 100,000 people. This means Colorado’s crime rate was lower than the national average. This continued through 2014.

However, starting in 2015, Colorado’s crime rate began exceeding the national average — in 2015, Colorado reported 2,923 offenses per 100,000 people, while the national average was 2,885.

2020 will live in infamy as the year of lockdowns, but these lockdowns did not hamper crime. Indeed, in 2020 Colorado saw a 3.9 percent increase in overall crime, according to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. And, while we’ll have to wait until the end of 2021 for the FBI to release official crime data for 2020, preliminary data shows that the national murder rate increased by 25 percent in 2020 — the most significant single-year increase since 1960, when the FBI began publishing uniform data, according to USA Today. In Colorado, it increased by 28.63 percent. To put that increase into perspective, in 2019, there were 227 homicides in Colorado. In 2020, that number rose to 293.  

Further, from 2010 to 2020, Colorado’s population increased year-over-year: in 2010, the population was 5,029,196, and by 2020, it was 5,773,714, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau data.

Factors that increase crime

What causes crime how to prevent it has been the subject of numerous investigations. But some “known” factors that increase crime, according to the FBI, include:

• Population density and degree of urbanization.
• Economic conditions, including median income, job availability and poverty level.
• Cultural factors like educational, recreational, and religious characteristics.
• Family conditions concerning divorce and family cohesiveness.

With that said, let’s look at what factors may be influencing Colorado’s crime rate.

As you can see in the above table, the latest U.S Census data found that the national average for homeownership is 64.1 percent, with an average housing value of $240,500 and a median gross rent of $1,097. The median household income is $65,712, and the poverty rate is 12.3 percent. 33.1 percent of people have a Bachelors’ degree or higher, and the employment rate is 60.2 percent.

In comparison, homeownership in Colorado is 65.9 percent, with an average housing value of $394,600 and a median gross rent of $1,369. The median household income in Colorado is $77,127, and the poverty rate is 9.3 percent. 42.7 percent of Coloradans have a Bachelors’ degree or higher, and the employment rate is 65.3 percent.

When you compare the above, you can see that, in general, Colorado is doing slightly better than average when it comes to factors that influence crime. Where things start to change, however, is when you look at Denver in particular, which is the 19^th largest city by population in the U.S.

According to Neighborhood Scout, Denver is safer than only 6 percent of U.S. cities and has a crime rate of 45 per 1,000 residents. Your chances of becoming a victim of property or violent crime are one in 22. In fact, Denver has one of the highest crime rates for all U.S. cities.

Unfortunately, Colorado Springs, the 39^th largest city by population in the U.S., isn’t much better. Colorado Springs’ crime rate is 43 per 1,000 residents, and the chances of becoming a victim of either property or violent crime are one in 23. Like Denver, this means Colorado Springs has one of the highest crime rates for all U.S. cities.

Furthermore, when it comes to the cost of living, Colorado is rated as more expensive than average due to higher housing, grocery and transportation prices, according to BestPlaces.

Still great, but not going in the right direction

Colorado has many things going for it, not the least of which is our gorgeous mountain scenery and our average of 300 days of sunshine per year. Undoubtedly, these charms lead to Colorado’s increase in population.

Then again, this population growth, namely in Denver and Colorado Springs, is leading to increased density and urbanization — both of which are factors that the FBI says increase crime. As such, while in general Colorado is beautiful and has several benefits, because of the increased level of crime, living in Denver or Colorado Springs is probably best avoided.

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The Maverick Observer, or “The Moe” as we affectionately call it, is an online free-thinking publication interested in the happenings in our town. We launched in February 2020 to hold our politicians and businesses accountable. We hope to educate, inform, entertain, and infuse you with a sense of community.

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