Denver ranks ninth among state capitals in the U.S. for livability, according to a new study by WalletHub, a personal finance website.
“In order to determine which state capitals make the best homes, WalletHub compared all 50 across 48 key indicators of affordability, economic well-being, and quality of life, education and health care,” according to the report. “Our data set ranges from the cost of living to the quality of K–12 school systems to the crime rate.”
According to the report, Denver ranked:
- 8th – Median household income (adjusted for cost of living)
- 29th – Unemployment rate
- 8th – % of state, local, and federal-government employees
- 10th – % of population in poverty
- 5th – % of adults with bachelor’s degree or higher
- 18th – Health conditions
- 1st – % of millennial newcomers
- 13th – K–12 school system quality
High cost of living comes with territory
“Capital cities tend to be economically stable and provide concentrations of employment and networking opportunities,” according to Victoria Morckel, senior academic specialist in Urban and Regional Planning at Michigan State University. “They often attract diverse populations, resulting in cultural and entertainment options that are unique to their regions. There may be a variety of historical sites and cultural institutions to visit as well. There are drawbacks, however, including the potential for a high cost of living, congestion, long commutes, and needing to navigate political demonstrations or protests.”
Does capital living make you more politically savvy?
Are residents of capital cities more politically engaged? That depends, says Morckel. “Residents of capital cities have greater access to political information, political events, and governmental offices and institutions, which can contribute to engagement. Plus, many people who work for the government presumably have an interest in politics and live in or near the city. Nonetheless, the degree of political engagement varies by demographics (e.g., income, race, age) and other factors, so it is difficult to determine the unique effect of living in a capital city. It may be a self-selection bias where more engaged people live near the capital.”
The states ranking as the top five state capitals to live in included Austin, Texas, Madison, Wis., Raleigh, N.C., Boise, Idaho and Atlanta, Ga. The worst state capitals? The bottom five included Trenton, N.J., Augusta, Maine, Jackson, Miss., Baton Rouge, La. and Hartford, Conn.