A recent study found that renting is generally more affordable than buying in Colorado right now, including in the vast majority of the Denver metro area. But that doesn't mean the rent option is necessarily a bargain. As Todd Teta, the chief product officer for ATTOM Data Solutions, told us, "It's important to keep in mind that neither renting nor owning is a financial cakewalk for average wage earners in most parts of Colorado counties."
So how much will it cost to rent in Denver right now? Prices are less startling than they were a few years back, when locals faced some of the highest rising rents in the entire country — a situation that went on for the better part of a decade. But given reports that over half of the population in Denver proper rents (along with more than a third of those living in the metro area as a whole), it's still mighty pricey to secure a spot within the city limits — and those that are available tend to offer a very modest amount of space.
RENTCafe calculates the current average rent in Denver at $1,652 — a figure that includes everything from studios to apartments with multiple bedrooms. But since renters can find places for less than that without heading to outlying suburbs, we explored units available for $1,700 or less.
Most of the apartments we found at the lower end of this scale tend to be studios or one-bedrooms in the 500-square-foot range. Take Archer Tower, 901 Sherman Street, which is offering 443-square-foot, one-bath studios starting at $1,193 and 543-square-foot one-bedroom, one-baths from $1,305.
Several complexes in this range don't list square-footage figures at all. Examples include the 1300 Apartments, 1300 Monroe Street, which offers one-bath studios starting at $825 and one-bedroom, one-baths at $1,064 and up, as well as the Bellaire (Ko-Set) Apartments, 1181 Bellaire Street, where one-bedroom, one-baths can be had for between $1,047 and $2,211.
As for other facilities that divulge the size of the space, most of the studios or one-bedrooms often cost $1,200 or above for considerably under 1,000 square feet — and prices jump in trendier sections of the city. See what we mean below, with the roster in ascending order from the lowest starting price.
TAVA Waters
9099 East Mississippi Avenue
One-bedroom, one-baths available
Starting price: $1,248
Starting square footage: 650
The Seasons of Cherry Creek
3498 East Ellsworth Avenue
One-bath studios available
Starting price: $1,265
Starting square footage: 457
The York on City Park
1781 York Street
One-bath studios available
Starting price: $1,413
Starting square footage: 500
One Observatory Park
2360 East Evans Avenue
One-bath studios available
Starting price: $1,523
Starting square footage: 813
The Douglas Apartments
2300 Walnut Street, Denver
One-bath studios available
Starting price: $1,535
Starting square footage: 506
Gables Cherry Creek
360 South Monroe Street
One-bath studios available
Starting price: $1,579
Starting square footage: 545
Line 28 at LoHi
1560 Boulder Street
One-bath studios available
Starting price: $1,589
Starting square footage: 480
Alara Union Station
1975 19th Street
One-bath studios available
Starting price: $1,640
Starting square footage: 527
These tags will price out plenty of Denver renters. After all, the annual cost of renting a one-bath studio at $1,640 per month is a gasp-worthy $19,680. And 527 square feet is considerably smaller than the average handball court. Your serve.