Castle Rock, CO vs Lakewood, CO

Lakewood is moderately more affordable than Castle Rock, with a 9% lower cost of living index. Castle Rock scores 147 compared to 135 for Lakewood, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Castle Rock can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Castle Rock is $1,946/month compared to $1,746/month in Lakewood — a 12% difference. Home values follow the same pattern: Lakewood is more affordable at $548,200 median vs $621,700.

Median household income in Castle Rock is $143,031 compared to $85,789 in Lakewood (+66.7%). While Castle Rock is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Castle Rock spend roughly 16.3% of their income on rent, less than the 24.4% in Lakewood.