Doesn't Boulder have similar high expense issues? I considered that area for all the tech opportunities, but found myself realizing I'd need to live 30+ miles away in Longmont for a house with a decent sized yard.
I also have been considering south of Denver but it has similar expense issues.
It's expensive for Colorado but I don't think it compares to SF or SV.
Houses with decent size yards are 450-600k in Boulder, depending on location and square footage (7000 SF lots). Low property taxes (CO has a counterpart to prop 13, TABOR, where every tax increase needs to be voted on by the public), a flat 4% state income tax, and great schools (in Boulder) add to the attraction, IMHO.
I haven't looked at the rental market for housing in depth, but I think you can get a 4br 2br ranch w basement for about 2000-2500/month.
Lived most of my adult life in Boulder so can't really speak to the real estate situation in south Denver.
The numbers I quoted are definitely anecdata, based on homes for rent over the past year in my south Boulder neighborhood, which is probably one of the more affordable.
Don't forget that Zillow will have the asking rent price, which is not always the same as the final rent.
But thanks for injecting some hard data into the discussion!
I also have been considering south of Denver but it has similar expense issues.