Harwood Heights, IL vs Denver, CO: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Denver, CO has a modeled overall cost index 16.3% higher than Harwood Heights, IL.

Harwood Heights, IL · modeled 2BR rent: $1,750 / month
Denver, CO · modeled 2BR rent: $2,190 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

Adjust your income and compare the budget ↓

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Harwood Heights, IL and Denver, CO using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Harwood Heights, IL

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $1,250/month in Denver, CO

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $165,003 in Denver, CO

Regional cost estimates: Harwood Heights, IL uses Chicago, IL. Denver, CO uses Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 16.3%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$1,250

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$15.0K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Harwood Heights, IL

Population:9K

Cost Index:

94.6

100 = national average

Typical Home:$359K

Denver, CO

Population:716K

Cost Index:

110.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$513K

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Harwood Heights, IL

The Prairie State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Illinois, this city has a population of 9K residents.

Denver, CO

The Centennial State

716K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Climate

Semi-arid

Notable Facts

•Mile-high city (5,280 ft)
•Outdoor recreation hub
•Major cannabis market

Major Industries

AerospaceTechnologyEnergyTourism

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Harwood Heights, IL vs Denver, CO

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Harwood Heights, IL	Denver, CO	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,438/mo	$3,280/mo	↑ $842more	34.5%
Other	$1,553/mo	$1,792/mo	↑ $239more	15.4%
Healthcare	$562/mo	$638/mo	↑ $76.38more	13.6%
Groceries	$972/mo	$1,039/mo	↑ $67.20more	6.9%
All Utilities	$490/mo	$524/mo	↑ $33.89more	6.9%
Transportation	$1,484/mo	$1,476/mo	↓ $8.40less	0.6%

Housing

↑ 34.5%

Harwood Heights, IL

$2,438

Denver, CO

$3,280

Difference

$842

Other

↑ 15.4%

Harwood Heights, IL

$1,553

Denver, CO

$1,792

Difference

$239

Healthcare

↑ 13.6%

Harwood Heights, IL

$562

Denver, CO

$638

Difference

$76.38

Groceries

↑ 6.9%

Harwood Heights, IL

$972

Denver, CO

$1,039

Difference

$67.20

All Utilities

↑ 6.9%

Harwood Heights, IL

$490

Denver, CO

$524

Difference

$33.89

Transportation

↓ 0.6%

Harwood Heights, IL

$1,484

Denver, CO

$1,476

Difference

$8.40

less

🏛️ Local Income Taxes

Denver, CO: Denver Head Tax ($5.75/mo, negligible)$69.00/yr (0.0%)

Harwood Heights, IL has no local income tax recorded in this dataset.

Local taxes are shown separately and are not included in the living-cost totals. Coverage is incomplete; an absent entry does not establish that no tax applies.

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,450

To$1,720

↑ $270

1 Bed

From$1,550

To$1,840

↑ $290

2 Bed

From$1,750

To$2,190

↑ $440

3 Bed

From$2,250

To$2,870

↑ $620

Harwood Heights, ILZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,550–$1,550/mo

Denver, COZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,620–$2,540/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Harwood Heights, IL

$8,750

Monthly in Denver, CO

$1,250

Difference

Home Values

Harwood Heights

Denver

$359K

Median Value

$513K

↑ +8.5%

YoY Change

↓ -4.2%

↑ +34.1%

5-Year Change

↑ +13%

$359K

Price Range

$352K - $933K

Homes in Denver are 43% more expensive than Harwood Heights

Calculate payment - Harwood Heights Calculate payment - Denver

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $825

Per year

Monthly Difference

$68.75

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.6%

Rate difference

Harwood Heights, IL

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Illinois State Tax

Effective: 5.0%

$7.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.6%

$44.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,797/month

$105.6K

Denver, CO

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Colorado State Tax

Effective: 4.4%

$6.6K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.1%

$43.6K

Take-Home Pay

$8,866/month

$106.4K

Additional Tax Information

Harwood Heights, IL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.8%

Property Tax:2.2%

Denver, CO Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.8%

Property Tax:0.5%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

🚶 Walkability

Modeled road attributes, not a safety assessment. Methodology and limitations

Harwood Heights, IL: No data yet

Denver, CO

32/100

1% sidewalk tags · 3.5% cycling tags

Environment

Harwood Heights

Denver

54 Moderate

Air Quality

55 Moderate

35.8%

Good Air Days

35.2%

100 Very High

Climate Risk

95 High

🌊🌡🫨

Top Hazards

🌊🌪💨

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

28 days

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.3°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

28 days

Before moving from Harwood Heights, IL to Denver, CO

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Denver, CO for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Harwood Heights, IL. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Harwood Heights to Denver moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Denver, CO by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Harwood Heights, IL vs Denver, CO

How do the cost estimates for Harwood Heights, IL and Denver, CO compare?

Denver, CO has a modeled overall cost index 16.3% higher than Harwood Heights, IL. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Harwood Heights, IL, the model estimates $165,003 in Denver, CO. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Harwood Heights, IL and Denver, CO?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,750/month in Harwood Heights, IL and $2,190/month in Denver, CO. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Illinois and Colorado on TaxTakeHome.com