Which city is safer, Overland Park or Denver?

Overland Park is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 32 versus 137 in Denver — 77% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.

Which city has better schools, Overland Park or Denver?

School composites are close: A- in Overland Park and A- in Denver. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

New search

City comparison

Overland Park, KS vs Denver, CO

Overland Park, KS versus Denver, CO is a real move, not a trivia matchup. This comparison uses the same 2026 neighborhood report data we publish on each city page — typical rent, median household income, crime indexes, school composites, and typical weather — so you can see which city actually fits how you live, work, and spend. Typical rents sit near $1,515 a month in Overland Park and $1,831 in Denver, and median household income lands at $104,834 versus $94,718. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

Overland Park takes affordability, job market, safety, and weather. The widest gap is crime index, where Overland Park leads by 77% — the kind of spread you feel in a monthly budget or a nightly walk, not just on a chart. Read the category rows as a filter: if cheaper housing would change your life more than a stronger job market, weight rent first. If you are moving with kids, weight schools and crime. If you picked a city after one good weekend, use the weather and income rows to test whether that weekend survives a full year.

Numbers below are citywide, not a guarantee about the street you will actually live on. Two ZIP codes in Overland Park can feel further apart than Overland Park and Denver do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Overland Park and Denver reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Full Overland Park report Full Denver report

Overland Park, KS

Rent: $1,515/mo
Median income: $104,834
Crime index: 32
Schools: A-
Weather: 76°F

Denver, CO

Rent: $1,831/mo
Median income: $94,718
Crime index: 137
Schools: A-
Weather: 78°F

Rent

17% cheaper

Overland Park rent is 17% cheaper than Denver

Overland Park

Winner

$1,515/mo

Denver

$1,831/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $1,515 a month in Overland Park versus $1,831 in Denver, so Overland Park is 17% cheaper. A meaningful but not dramatic gap. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets. Over a year the spread is about $3,792 — enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. Overland Park still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in Denver.

Median income

11% higher

Overland Park's median income is 11% higher than Denver

Overland Park

Winner

$104,834

Denver

$94,718

What this means for your life

Median household income is $104,834 in Overland Park versus $94,718 in Denver, so typical pay runs 11% higher in Overland Park — about $10,116 more household income a year. Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Overland Park is the stronger labor market on paper. Denver can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.

Crime index

77% lower crime

Overland Park's crime index is 77% lower than Denver

Overland Park

Winner

32 (100 = avg)

Denver

137 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

Overland Park's crime index is 32 versus 137 in Denver (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 77% lower in Overland Park. That gap is meaningful day-to-day — it affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Overland Park is the easier city. Denver can still work if you pick the right pocket — just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.

School scores

Neck and neck

Overland Park and Denver are about even on school scores.

Overland Park

A- · 84/100

Denver

A- · 84/100

What this means for your life

School composites are effectively even (A- in Overland Park, A- in Denver). For families with kids this is a warning if you assumed one city was obviously better — at this range the campus, not the city name, decides it. Tour the zoned elementary you would actually use.

Typical weather

6% more comfortable

Overland Park weather is 6% more comfortable than Denver

Overland Park

Winner

76°F typical

Denver

78°F typical

What this means for your life

Overland Park scores 6% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 76°F in Overland Park and 78°F in Denver. Overland Park reads as warm weather most of the year; Denver reads as warm weather most of the year. The comfort edge is real but not a personality transplant. If you already know you want Denver's season, a modest index lead should not talk you out of it. If you are undecided, Overland Park is the city where the forecast fights you less.

Fit check

Who should choose Overland Park

Career-focused movers who want salary upside plus year-round outdoor access

Overland Park is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 17% cheaper here at about $1,515 a month. Choose Overland Park if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.

It is also a match for career-focused movers who want salary upside and year-round outdoor access. Median household income runs 11% higher ($104,834), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two — around 76°F. That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.

Overland Park is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 77% lower than Denver (32 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.

Open the Overland Park report →

Fit check

Who should choose Denver

People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Denver

On these five categories Overland Park takes the scoreboard, so you should not choose Denver because the stats are kinder — they are not. Choose Denver only if a job offer, family, a specific neighborhood, or a life you already started there outweighs the box score. Plenty of good moves ignore the aggregate; just do it on purpose.

Open the Denver report →

Bottom line

Overland Park vs Denver, called

If safety is your priority, Overland Park is the clear choice.

If cost of living matters more to you, Overland Park pulls ahead.

For most movers comparing these two cities, Overland Park offers the better overall package.

Common questions

Overland Park vs Denver FAQ

Is Overland Park cheaper than Denver?: Yes. Typical rent in Overland Park is $1,515 a month versus $1,831 in Denver — 17% cheaper. Median household income is $104,834 in Overland Park compared with $94,718 in Denver, so Overland Park has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, Overland Park or Denver?: Overland Park is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 32 versus 137 in Denver — 77% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.
Which city has better schools, Overland Park or Denver?: School composites are close: A- in Overland Park and A- in Denver. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

Ready to move to Overland Park?

Find apartments →Get a mortgage rate →

Next steps