Virginia to Colorado Moving Guide
Updated June 4, 2025

Planning a 1,671 mile interstate move from Virginia to Colorado? This moving guide will help you compare living in Virginia vs Colorado across 7 important categories. Compare the pros & cons (like high humidity vs dry climate), food & health (like Ham vs Rocky Mountain Oysters), real estate & housing (colonial, cape cod vs mountain, modern), weather & wardrobe, cost of living & taxes (it's more expensive in Colorado), politics & religion, and education.
Key Takeaways:
- Say goodbye to Ham and Barbecue, but get your taste buds ready for Rocky Mountain Oysters & Bison burgers
- Colorado housing costs are 42% more expensive than they are in Virginia
- Rent in Colorado is 10.72% more expensive than in Virginia
- Moving from Virginia to Colorado will cost on average between $2,000 - $7,500
- Our top recommended Virginia to Colorado movers is ARS Movers
Virginia to Colorado Moving Guide
Pros and Cons of Moving from Virginia to Colorado
- High humidity
- Hurricane risks
- Traffic congestion
- Pollen allergies
- Dry climate
- Mountain views
- Less crowded roads
- Clean mountain air
- Lack of historic sites
- Harsh winters
- Landlocked state
- Newer cities developing
- Rich history
- Mild winters
- Close to the coast
- Established communities
Pros of moving from Virginia to Colorado
- Say goodbye to high humidity and hello to dry climate
- Look forward to moving away from hurricane risks and moving to Colorado with mountain views
- Swap the traffic congestion of Virginia for less crowded roads in Colorado
- Get ready for clean mountain air in Colorado
Cons of moving from Virginia to Colorado
- Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from rich history in Virginia to live with a lack of historic sites in Colorado
- You'll lose out on the pro of mild winters and have to settle for the con of harsh winters
- Time to bid farewell to being close to the coast and get used to a landlocked state in Colorado
- Swap established communities for newer cities that are developing
Virginia vs. Colorado: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene
Comparison | Virginia | Colorado |
---|---|---|
Most iconic local food item | Ham | Rocky Mountain Oysters |
Most popular meat dish | Barbecue | Bison burgers |
Most popular street food item | Hot Dogs | Tacos |
Most popular vegan food | Avocado toast | Quinoa Salad |
Top 3 iconic restaurants that summarize the state |
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Fitness/Health Conscientiousness | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ |
Abundance of Food Trucks | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Foodie Scene | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ |
Vegan Friendly | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± |
If you're moving from Virginia to Colorado, you will be trading the iconic ham of Virginia for the equally delicious Rocky Mountain oysters of Colorado. And while the locals in Virginia rave about their flavorful barbecue and sumptuous hot dogs, Colorado residents know they have tasty bison burgers and tacos to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the avocado toast they've grown to love, they can get ready for the quinoa salad of Colorado. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic Virginia eateries like The Shed at Smokedown, The Inn at Little Washington, and Mama J's. After the boxes are unpacked in Colorado, don't wait too long before making your way to Colorado's acclaimed eateries like Buckhorn Exchange, Ophelia's Electric Soapbox, and Root Down.
When comparing lifestyles, Colorado shows a greater emphasis on fitness and health consciousness than Virginia. Food truck fans will discover a greater selection in Colorado, compared to what you are used to in Virginia. Also, the overall foodie scene is more bustling in Colorado.
Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between Virginia and Colorado
Comparison | Virginia | Colorado |
---|---|---|
Typical Architecture Style | Colonial, Cape Cod | Mountain, Modern |
Walkability | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Bikeability | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² |
Urban Lifestyle | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ |
Most popular items mentioned in real estate listing | Hardwood floors, Historical proximity | Mountain views, Eco-friendly features |
- The Colonial and Cape Cod architecture that Virginia is known for will be replaced with the Mountain and Modern architecture typical of Colorado.
- Compared to Virginia's real estate listings that commonly reference hardwood floors and historical proximity, Colorado real estate listings often highlight features like mountain views and eco-friendly aspects.
- Make sure you unpack those walking shoes. Colorado is more walkable than Virginia.
- Make sure the movers take care of your bike. Colorado is more bike-friendly than Virginia.
- Colorado has more of an urban feel than Virginia.
- Colorado housing costs are 42% more expensive than they are in Virginia, with a median home price of $549,126 compared to Virginiaβs $385,780.
- Over the prior 5 years, home prices in Colorado have increased by 40% compared to a 42% increase in Virginia.
- Rent in Colorado is 10.72% more expensive than in Virginia.
Your Move, Your Forecast: Key Weather Differences between Virginia and Colorado
Comparison | Virginia | Colorado |
---|---|---|
Days of Sunshine per Year | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ |
Avg. Annual Humidity | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ |
Avg. UV Index | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ |
Natural Disasters | Hurricanes, Floods | Wildfires, Blizzards |
Air Quality | Good to Moderate | Good to Poor (varies with altitude) |
Average Summer High/Low (Β°F) | 85Β°F / 66Β°F | 85Β°F / 56Β°F |
Average Winter High/Low (Β°F) | 48Β°F / 29Β°F | 45Β°F / 18Β°F |
Annual Rainfall (Inches) | 44" | 15.6" |
Annual Snowfall (Inches) | 10" | 60" |
- Break out the sunglasses for your move from Virginia to Colorado. Colorado gets 20% more sunshine days than Virginia.
- Colorado has lower humidity and a higher average UV index compared to Virginia.
- Say goodbye to the possible hurricanes and floods in Virginia, but be on the lookout for potential wildfires and blizzards in Colorado.
- The average summer high temperature in Colorado is the same as in Virginia.
- The average winter lows in Colorado are 11 degrees colder than those in Virginia.
- Your umbrella might be neglected in Colorado. Colorado receives 28.4 fewer inches of rain compared to Virginia.
Financial & Community Snapshot: Virginia and Colorado
Comparison | Virginia | Colorado |
---|---|---|
Avg. Household Income | $85,873 | $89,302 |
Cost of Living Index | 96.6 | 98.3 |
State Income Tax | 2% - 5.75% | 4.55% |
Avg. Property Tax | 0.80% | 0.51% |
Avg. Sales Tax | 5.73% | 7.65% |
Top 3 Industries | Technology, Government, Education | Aerospace, Agriculture, Technology |
Affluence | Moderate | High |
Poverty | Stable | Increasing |
Homelessness | Low | Moderate |
- When it comes to your monthly paycheck, residents in Colorado tend to earn about 4% more than those in Virginia
- The COLI in Colorado will be 2% higher than what you are used to living in Virginia
- The state income tax in Colorado is 4.55% compared to 2% to 5.75% in Virginia
- The affluence in Colorado is high compared to moderate affluence in Virginia
- The poverty level is increasing in Colorado compared to stable conditions in Virginia
- In terms of homelessness, it is low in Virginia and moderate in Colorado
Political and Religious Climate in Virginia vs. Colorado
Comparison | Virginia | Colorado |
---|---|---|
Political Make-up | Moderately liberal, increasingly Democratic in recent elections | Swing state, but trending towards Democratic in recent years |
Local Politics | Divided between urban (liberal) and rural (conservative) areas | Liberal in urban areas like Denver, more conservative in rural parts |
Religion | Christian majority, with a significant number of non-religious residents | Less religious overall, with a strong presence of non-religious and Christian communities |
- Virginia tends to lean moderately liberal and increasingly Democratic in its political climate
- Colorado, on the other hand, is often described as a swing state but is trending towards Democratic in recent years
- Colorado's religious environment can be described as less religious overall, with a strong presence of non-religious and Christian communities
- Virginia's residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as a Christian majority with a significant number of non-religious residents
Education Guide When Moving from Virginia to Colorado
Comparison | Virginia | Colorado |
---|---|---|
Where most Seniors go to college (top 3) | University of Virginia Virginia Tech James Madison University | University of Colorado Boulder Colorado State University University of Denver |
Top 3 Elementary Schools | Nuckols Farm Elementary - Henrico Arlington Science Focus School - Arlington Stenwood Elementary - Vienna | Bromwell Elementary - Denver Cory Elementary - Denver Parker Core Knowledge Charter School - Parker |
Top 3 Middle Schools | Longfellow Middle School - Falls Church Frost Middle School - Fairfax Henley Middle School - Crozet | Summit Middle Charter School - Boulder Campus Middle School - Greenwood Village Denver School of the Arts - Denver |
Top 3 High School Schools | Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology - Alexandria McLean High School - McLean Langley High School - McLean | Cherry Creek High School - Greenwood Village Fairview High School - Boulder Denver School of the Arts - Denver |
Top 3 private high schools | The Potomac School - McLean St. Christopher's School - Richmond Madeira School - McLean | Kent Denver School - Englewood Colorado Academy - Denver Fountain Valley School of Colorado - Colorado Springs |
Top 3 private K-12 schools | St. Stephen's & St. Agnes School - Alexandria Flint Hill School - Oakton The Potomac School - McLean | Colorado Academy - Denver Kent Denver School - Englewood Fountain Valley School of Colorado - Colorado Springs |
Top 3 School Districts | Fairfax County Public Schools Loudoun County Public Schools Arlington Public Schools | Cherry Creek School District Boulder Valley School District Douglas County School District |
How Much Do Virginia to Colorado Movers Cost?
Moving 1,671 miles from Virginia to Colorado will typically cost between $3,000 and $7,500 to hire full service movers. See the chart below for a detailed breakdown by home size.
- Expected Range: $3,000 - $7,500
- Expected Time To Complete: 2-8 days
- Most Affordable Recommended Movers: Estes SureMove
HOME SIZE | MOVING COST | VOLUME OF PACKED ITEMS (FT3) | $/FT3 |
---|---|---|---|
Studio | $2,150 | 300 ft3 | $7.17 |
1 Bedroom | $3,202 | 450 ft3 | $7.12 |
2 Bedrooms | $5,300 | 750 ft3 | $7.07 |
3 Bedrooms | $7,718 | 1100 ft3 | $7.02 |
4 Bedrooms | $11,146 | 1600 ft3 | $6.97 |
5+ Bedrooms | $12,449 | 1800 ft3 | $6.92 |
Top Virginia to Colorado Movers
Read our in-depth analysis of the best Virginia to Colorado movers with detailed rankings, cost breakdowns, and reviews.