By D.J. Summers
in the past five years, Colorado’s largest cities have had very different experiences of crime.
Colorado’s violent and property crime rates rose sharply in the early 2020s, prompting varying responses from leaders at state and local levels. Some have been more successful than others, according to the most recently available Colorado Bureau of Investigation data.
CSI analyzed the violent and property crime trends of Colorado’s ten largest cities: Denver, Colorado Springs, Aurora, Fort Collins, Lakewood, Thornton, Arvada, Westminster, Pueblo, and Centennial. These ten cities represent just under half the state’s total population, with a combined population of roughly 2.3 million residents. CSI analyzed the average violent and property crime rates per 100,000 people through the first two quarters of each year between 2016 and 2025. Pueblo’s police data is not current and could not be included in the analysis.
Property and violent crime cost the state $27 billion in economic losses in 2022 between the tangible and intangible effects of reported and unreported crime. It is imperative that public leaders continually examine and understand which policies best address crime rates.
Key Findings
Denver’s violent crime rate is the highest among Colorado’s largest cities, with 235 violent crimes per 100,000 people.
Aurora’s is second highest, with 203 violent crimes per 100,000 people.
Aurora’s violent crime has remained beneath Denver’s for three years, breaking the trend of the late 2010s and early 2020s in which Aurora’s rates were higher.
Only Colorado Springs saw an increase in the violent crime rate between 2022 and 2025.
Among the largest cities, Aurora saw the sharpest decrease in violent crime rate.
Aurora saw the second highest decrease in violent crime rate, with a 36% decrease.
Denver has the highest property crime rate of Colorado’s largest cities, with 1,122 property crimes per 100,000 people.
Lakewood has the second highest rate, with 1,099 per 100,000 people.
Aurora and Centennial had the sharpest decreases in property crime rate since 2021, at 56%, 49%, and 44%, respectively.