Denver's ATM fees highest in the nation: We're number 1!

Feel like you're getting jacked each time you use an automatic teller machine? There's a good reason for that. A new survey from Bankrate.com spotlights the five U.S. cities with the highest ATM transaction fees. And guess who won...

By Michael Roberts

September 27, 2011

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Feel like you're getting jacked each time you use an automatic teller machine? There's a good reason for that.

A new survey from Bankrate.com spotlights the five U.S. cities with the highest ATM transaction fees. And guess who won.

According to Bankrate.com, the average ATM fee is $2.40. But in Denver, according to info gleaned from the five largest banks and five largest thrifts in 25 of the country's largest markets during the first part of August, the typical charge is $2.75.

Denver's followed on the list by San Diego ($2.70), Houston ($2.69), Seattle ($2.63) and New York ($2.60). As for the cities with the lowest charges, the winner is Cleveland ($2.06), with Minneapolis ($2.15), Tampa ($2.19), Chicago ($2.20) and Cincinnati ($2.22) not far behind.

Why are Denverites paying nearly 70 cents more than folks in Cleveland? Is it revenge for John Elway leading The Drive against the Browns all those years ago -- something that didn't happen in Hot Tub Time Machine, but definitely did in real life? The Denver Post put that question to a couple of bank executives and received the equivalent of shrugs in response.

With luck, coverage of this discrepancy will cause local banks to adjust their ATM charges downward. But don't withdraw any cash to bet on it.

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

Contact: Michael Roberts

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