The Town FilesAurora, Colorado
City in Arapahoe County · population 386,261 (2020 Census) · spans 3 counties
- Median home
- $469,100
- Household income
- $88,368
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 49 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 64
- Median age
- 35.3
Aurora is a city of 386,261 people in Arapahoe County, Colorado. The median home is worth $469,100, close to the typical Colorado town ($471,100). It ranks more vibrant than 94% of Colorado towns, more walkable than 93% of Colorado towns, better transit than 93% of Colorado towns.
How Aurora ranks
Percentile among Colorado towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Colorado towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Aurora is worth $469,100, close to the typical Colorado town ($471,100). Homes cost about 5.3 times the median household income of $88,368, which is more affordable than 47% of Colorado towns. Median rent is $1,835 a month. 62.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Aurora | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $469,100 | $471,100 |
| Median rent | $1,835 | $1,582 |
| Median household income | $88,368 | $86,246 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.3× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 62.4% | 72.7% |
| Median year built | 1985 | 1982 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.4% | — |
Who lives in Aurora
| People | Aurora | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.3 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.4% | 16.9% |
| Under 18 | 23.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.6% | 37.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.9% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 7.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 22.4% | — |
| Work from home | 16.5% | 15.3% |
| Average commute | 28.6 min | 24.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.6% | 92.9% |
Weather in Aurora
July highs average 90.2°F and January lows 17.6°F. About 15.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 49.0 inches of snow (typical Colorado town: 47.4 in). Expect about 42 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 156 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
64 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Aurora since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Colorado town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 18, 1975 about 6.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 18, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 276 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on July 13, 2011.
Severe weather in Arapahoe County since 1996
Arapahoe County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 25, 2023 | Flood | DR-4731: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| March 28, 2020 | Biological | DR-4498: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3436: Covid-19 |
| September 14, 2013 | Flood | DR-4145: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| September 12, 2013 | Flood | EM-3365: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Arapahoe County
Arapahoe County had 339,996 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $85,628 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Aurora itself the ACS puts it at 5.9%.
Public schools in Aurora
104 public schools with 71,705 students, about 17.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cherokee Trail High School | 9-12 | 3,059 | 19.4 |
| Grandview High School | 9-12 | 2,762 | 18.4 |
| Smoky Hill High School | 9-12 | 2,281 | 19.7 |
| Aurora Central Campus | PK-12 | 2,256 | 17.8 |
| Overland High School | 9-12 | 2,161 | 17.2 |
| Rangeview High School | 9-12 | 2,117 | 21.2 |
| Vista Peak 9-12 Preparatory | 9-12 | 1,966 | 21.1 |
| Gateway High School | 9-12 | 1,641 | 22.5 |
| Hinkley High School | 9-12 | 1,584 | 20.3 |
| Prairie Middle School | 6-8 | 1,362 | 15.3 |
| Thunder Ridge Middle School | 6-8 | 1,151 | 16.9 |
| Fox Ridge Middle School | 6-8 | 998 | 17.2 |
Towns near Aurora
- Four Square Mile, CO9.1 mi · 22,872 people · home $474,200
- Denver, CO9.3 mi · 715,522 people · home $616,000
- Cherry Creek, CO10.3 mi · 11,488 people · home $888,900
- Dove Valley, CO11.0 mi · 5,640 people · home $455,600
- Holly Hills, CO11.1 mi · 2,683 people · home $702,000
- Centennial, CO11.2 mi · 108,418 people · home $658,100
- Glendale, CO11.5 mi · 4,613 people · home $413,500
- Greenwood Village, CO12.1 mi · 15,691 people · home $1,237,800
Aurora questions
Is Aurora, Colorado a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Aurora scores better for retirees than 9% of Colorado towns and quieter than 4%. 12.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.3).
How much does a house cost in Aurora?
The median owner-occupied home in Aurora is valued at $469,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $88,368, so homes cost about 5.3 times income. Median rent is $1,835 a month.
What is the weather like in Aurora?
July highs average 90.2°F and January lows 17.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 15.4 inches of precipitation a year and 49.0 inches of snow.
Does Aurora get tornadoes?
64 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Aurora since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 18, 1975. The typical Colorado town has had 11.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)