CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

39.86° N · 105.02° W · GEOID 0826270

Federal Heights

Adams County, Colorado · part of the Denver, CO metro

ColoradoFederal Heights, COFederal HeightsFederal Heights

The short answer

Federal Heights is home to 14,125 people. Median household income is $56,597 a year and median rent is $1,687 a month, 35.8% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). That is above the usual 30% line for cost burden. The median home is valued at $95,300, about 1.7x annual median household income.

What sets Federal Heights apart is how tight household budgets are. After the median rent, with other prices set to the US average, the median household keeps about $37,300 a year, less than in 94% of places its size. It is the lowest of 86 Colorado places we track. Also notable: Home values run 66% below what its fundamentals predict in the same metro area.

5OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Weak

Federal Heights scores better than 5% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 109th of 111 in Colorado.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%50
Economy 20%21
Safety 20%13
Amenities 15%46
Education 10%7
Commute 10%14
Growth 5%18
Median gross rent
$1,687
24% above the median place
Median household income
$56,597
30% below the median place
Median home value
$95,300
70% below the median place
Unemployment
6.5%
33% above the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about Federal Heights

  • HousingThe median home costs 1.7 years of the median household's income, fewer than in 99% of the 2,301 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 111 Colorado places we track.
01

Moving to Federal Heights

Adams County gains about 2.8 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in37,973
Moved out36,752
Net+1,221

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Denver County, CO8,4685,734+2,734
Arapahoe County, CO5,5404,662+878
Jefferson County, CO5,2654,360+905
Weld County, CO1,9643,846−1,882
Broomfield County, CO1,6711,543+128
Boulder County, CO1,3961,143+253
Douglas County, CO735897−162

Within Colorado, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within ColoradoOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$64K
Leavers$70K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Adams County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
9.4% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 3.4% from another state.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Adams County report $64,000 a year in income on average; those leaving, $69,700, so leavers earn more than newcomers.
Income you would need
$67,500 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,687 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $1,992 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $95,300.
Getting to work
32 minutes each way on average; 7.9% work from home; 1.8% take transit.
If it is close but not quite
Garden City, KS matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Moved here in the past year1
9.4%
64% above the median place
Moved from another state1
3.4%
69% above the median place
Net movers per 1,000 people8
2.8
above the median place (median -0.6)
All 5 moving measures
MeasureFederal HeightsAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year19.4%64% above
Moved from another state13.4%69% above
Net movers per 1,000 people8County figure2.8above (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in8County figure$64,0129% below
Income of households moving out8County figure$69,7321% below
02

What it costs to live here

The median rent takes 35.8% of the median household's income, a bigger share than in 98% of the 2,301 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track. It is the highest of 111 Colorado places we track.

Federal Heights35.8%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$67,480
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
35.8%
75% above the median place
Home price to income
1.7x
56% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
36%
over the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$37,800
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Federal Heights, $1,687 a month, and local prices for everything else (97.4 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Federal Heights, but easier on the budget

Places that match Federal Heights on character (size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, remote work and climate) but where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income. Cost was left out of the match on purpose.

PlaceMatchRent to incomeMore left a year
Garden City, KS9217.3% vs 35.8%n/aCompare
Justice, IL9026.2% vs 35.8%$4,100Compare
Dalton, GA8918.8% vs 35.8%$16,800Compare
Dalhart, TX8917.9% vs 35.8%n/aCompare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Federal Heights.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Federal Heights? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Property tax paid (median)1
$509
84% below the median place
Median home value1
$95,300
70% below the median place
Renters paying 30%+1
67.3%
33% above the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureFederal HeightsAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,68724% above
Rent to income135.8%75% above
Property tax rate10.5%42% below
Home price to income11.7x56% below
Prices vs US average2Metro figure105.85% above
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$2,16934% above
HUD area median income4County figure$144,00034% above
Property tax paid (median)1$50984% below
Median home value1$95,30070% below
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure-1.1%below (median 3.2%)
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure35.1%32% below
Homeownership159.4%11% below
Renters paying 30%+167.3%33% above
Owner costs with a mortgage1$1,9926% above
Vacant homes1County figure3.6%49% below
Median year built119891% above
03

Work and pay

Counting remote workers as zero, the average worker spends about 225 hours a year commuting, more than in 92% of the 2,241 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track.

Poverty rate1
24.2%
125% above the median place
Income per person1
$26,077
35% below the median place
Mean commute1
32 min
29% above the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Median household income$56,597 −30%
Unemployment6.5% +33%
Works from home7.9% −37%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureFederal HeightsAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$56,59730% below
Income per person1$26,07735% below
Unemployment16.5%33% above
Average annual pay6County figure$75,43114% above
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure2.2%41% below
Jobs6County figure249,73466% above
Poverty rate124.2%125% above
Mean commute132 min29% above
Works from home17.9%37% below
Commutes by transit1County figure1.8%107% above
04

Who lives here

High school or higher is 69.6%, 25% below the median place.

High school or higher1
69.6%
25% below the median place
No health insurance1
18.6%
191% above the median place
Bachelor's or higher1
14.2%
56% below the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Born abroad28.6% 3.2×
Median age32.8 −16%
Household size2.7 +8%
Homes with broadband90.8% −2%
All 9 people measures
MeasureFederal HeightsAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population114,1253141st largest
Population change since 20207-2.3%below (median 1.1%)
Median age132.816% below
Bachelor's or higher114.2%56% below
High school or higher169.6%25% below
Household size12.78% above
Born abroad128.6%224% above
No health insurance118.6%191% above
Homes with broadband190.8%2% below
05

Life in Federal Heights

The nearest National Park Service site is Cache La Poudre River Corridor National Heritage Area, about 44 miles away.

20 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places. Its history on Wikipedia

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents5.7 −44%
Playgrounds per 10k11.3 +20%
Grocery stores per 10k3.5 +67%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k11.3 +2%
Libraries per 10k0.0 −100%
Named paths and bike trails1 km −75%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi7.9 37.6×

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

National Park Service sites nearby

  • Cache La Poudre River Corridor National Heritage Area 44 miles
  • Rocky Mountain National Park 49 miles
  • Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument 67 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars16.5 −21%
Shops23.5 −22%
Arts, recreation and fitness2.7 −34%
Doctors' offices and clinics13.4 −34%
Child care centers1.4 −39%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Public schools14
1
89% below the median place
Public school students14
1,905
61% below the median place
Students per teacher14
17.3
12% above the median place
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureFederal HeightsAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools14189% below
Public school students141,90561% below
Students per teacher1417.312% above
Restaurants and bars per 10k9County figure16.521% below
Shops per 10k9County figure23.522% below
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k9County figure2.734% below
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k9County figure13.434% below
Child care centers per 10k9County figure1.439% below
Parks per 10k105.744% below
Playgrounds per 10k1011.320% above
Grocery stores per 10k103.567% above
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k1011.32% above
Libraries per 10k100.0below (median 0.9)
Named paths and bike trails100.575% below
Transit stops per sq mi107.9above (median 0.2)
Nearest National Park Service site1144.043% above
National Park Service sites within 60 miles1120% above
National Register listings12County figure2054% above
06

Safety, weather and risk

Violent crime per 100k is 591, 208% above the median place.

Violent crime per 100k
591
208% above the median place
Property crime per 100k
2,279
88% above the median place
Months reported
12 of 12
by the city police department to the FBI

Counts only offenses reported by the city police department. Sheriff, state and campus police are not included, and some departments do not report to the FBI at all, so compare with care.

Annual precipitation15
15.6 in
64% below the median place
January average low15
16°F
38% below the median place
Average temperature15
50°F
9% below the median place
All 10 weather and risk measures
MeasureFederal HeightsAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high15County figure90°F3% above
January average low15County figure16°F38% below
Average temperature15County figure50°F9% below
Annual precipitation15County figure15.6 in64% below
Natural hazard risk16County figure91.21% below
Tornado risk16County figure93.515% above
Wildfire risk16County figure81.032% above
Heat wave risk16County figure76.915% below
Median air quality index17County figure4914% above
Good air days17County figure55.1%20% below
08

Federal Heights in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 37% of the median income in 2030, up from 36% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases. On projected 2030 affordability, Federal Heights does better than 50% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 49%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,687/mo (2024)$2,180/mo$1,790 to $2,660/mo+4.4%
Median household income$56,597 (2024)$71,500$60,500 to $85,000+4.0%
Median home value$95,300 (2024)$137,000$99,000 to $188,000+6.2%
Population14,075 (2025)14,05013,470 to 14,640−0.0%

The median home would be worth 1.9 years of the median income in 2030, against 1.7 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Federal Heights

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Markham, IL$1,621$57,302Compare
Horn Lake, MS$1,435$53,311Compare
Waggaman, LA$1,510$68,374Compare
Sauk Village, IL$1,502$69,973Compare
Sauk Village, ILWaggaman, LAHorn Lake, MSMarkham, ILFederal Heights, COFederal HeightsMarkhamHorn LakeWaggamanSauk VillageFederal HeightsMarkhamHorn LakeWaggamanSauk Village

Places built like Federal Heights

Its statistical peers: the closest matches on size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, origin and remote work, in the same part of the country. Cost and outcomes are left out of the match, so the table shows how Federal Heights performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
Federal Heights, CO35.8%4.5%/yr-2.3%
Anthony, NM17.7%9.7%/yr2.1%Compare
Rifle, CO19.6%3.8%/yr3.9%Compare
Douglas, AZ22.0%3.4%/yr-3.0%Compare
Welby, CO24.8%7.1%/yrn/aCompare
Somerton, AZ14.5%14.1%/yr5.1%Compare
Berkley, CO25.2%6.5%/yrn/aCompare

Common questions

Is Federal Heights a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 5 out of 100, better than 5% of the places we rate and 109th of 111 in Colorado. The median home costs 1.7 years of the median household's income, fewer than in 99% of the 2,301 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 111 Colorado places we track. On cost, space and class size it scores 29 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Federal Heights expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 35.8% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a heavier load here than usual. The median home is valued at $95,300.

What salary do you need to live in Federal Heights?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $67,480 a year. Work it out from your current city.

Is Federal Heights safe?

There were 591 reported violent crimes per 100,000 residents, against 192 in the typical place.

What places are similar to Federal Heights?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Markham, IL, Horn Lake, MS, Waggaman, LA and Sauk Village, IL.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. Population Estimates · US Census Bureau · Vintage 2025
  8. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  9. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  10. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  11. National Park Service sites · Wikidata (CC0), units operated by the National Park Service · Retrieved 2026-11
  12. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  13. Crime Data Explorer · Federal Bureau of Investigation · 2025 data
  14. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  15. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  16. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  17. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Federal Heights with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Federal Heights itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/federal-heights-colorado

Citytistics. “Federal Heights, Colorado.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/federal-heights-colorado/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.