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Mead vs Severance

20 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+102.3 pts in Severance) and jobs per worker (6.7× in Mead).

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Mead, COHomes around $552KColorado · 5,919 people

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Severance, COKnown for its schoolsColorado · 10,130 people

Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

MeadHomes around $552K

Housing$552K typical home4% above the CO typical home HealthHealthier than 90%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Schools#45 for schools in COof 142 towns All about Mead →

SeveranceKnown for its schools

Schools#55 for schools in COof 142 towns Housing$494K typical home7% below the CO typical home HealthHealthier than 91%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Severance →

The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Growth since 2010+102.3 pts

Severance has grown faster since 2010

Severance +142.7%Mead +40.4%

Jobs per worker6.7×

Mead is more of a job hub

Mead 0.67Severance 0.10

Severance has more miles of trail

Severance 16.9 miMead 3.4 mi

Street grid+45%

Severance has the more walkable street grid

Severance 31.7Mead 21.8

★ What stands out · Report cards

Severance places higher on 12 of 22 CO lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Colorado ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety

BMeadSafer than 58% of U.S. towns A−SeveranceSafer than 84% of U.S. towns

Schools

A−MeadBetter than 77% of districts in the state A−SeveranceBetter than 84% of districts in the state

Health

AMeadHealthier than 90% of U.S. towns ASeveranceHealthier than 91% of U.S. towns

7Mead

12Severance

Lists won, of 22 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Cheapest rentCost of living · 153 towns #33#144 Lowest depressionHealth · 160 towns #37#112 Most trailsOutdoors · 143 towns #141#82 Highest graduation rateSchools · 142 towns #58#10 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 160 towns #60#99 SafestSafety · 83 towns #25#6 Most activeHealth · 160 towns #70#34 Shortest commuteGetting around · 160 towns #138#110

Left end = #1 in Colorado. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Mead’s rankings →

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $310 more a month in Mead

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Down paymentRate%

Mead$3,220/mo

Typical home $552K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.71% · or rent about $1,275/mo · Housing →

Severance$2,910/mo

Typical home $494K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.77% · or rent about $2,569/mo · Housing →

The difference: $310 a month, about $3,800 a year, between Mead and Severance.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons

MeadSeverance

Snow a year47″33″

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)26th 52nd

Outdoors & history

MeadSeverance

Trails3 mi 17 mi

Conserved land0.7%0.3%

Settled1906 —

National Register places1 —

Archive photos5 4

Famous people born here2 —

Community

MeadSeverance

Library hours a week—48 hrs

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

20 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

MeadSeverance

Mead ↔ Severance20 miles apart

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Only big differences vs Colorado average

MeadSeverance

People

Population 5,919Lowest 10,130Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +40.4%Lowest CO: +14.8% +142.7%Highest CO: +14.8%

Median age 36.8±4Highest about the CO average 32.4±1.7Lowest 14% below CO

Mead and Severance are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 30.8%±6.6Highest CO: 21% 30.2%±5.1Lowest CO: 21%

Mead and Severance are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 9.9%±3.8Highest CO: 15.6% 6.6%±2Lowest CO: 15.6%

Mead and Severance are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 50.3%Highest CO: 45.7% 47.7%Lowest CO: 45.7%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6%±3.4Lowest CO: 6.4% 9.2%±3.2Highest CO: 6.4%

Severance and Mead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $125,357±$18kHighest 31% above CO $124,572±$12kLowest 30% above CO

Mead and Severance are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $585,100±$38kHighest 8% above CO $528,500±$43kLowest about the CO average

Mead and Severance are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,275±$1kLowest 28% below CO $2,569±$306Highest 46% above CO

Severance and Mead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $4,134Highest 59% above CO $4,092Lowest 57% above CO

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 34.4%±31.4Highest CO: 52.9% 20.3%±21.5Lowest CO: 52.9%

Mead and Severance are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 1.4%Lowest CO: 9.4% 5.2%Highest CO: 9.4%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 93.7%Highest CO: 66.2% 91.6%Lowest CO: 66.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 2006Lowest 18 yrs newer than CO 2014Highest 26 yrs newer than CO

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 31 minHighest 21% above CO 27 minLowest 8% above CO

Work from home 18.2%±6.9Lowest CO: 21% 20%±5.9Highest CO: 21%

Severance and Mead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 3.8%Highest 1.9%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 19.8 miHighest 12.3 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.67Highest 0.10Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Longmont (19%)Fort Collins (23%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in SeveranceFew work in Mead

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0.7%Highest 0.3%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 3.4 miLowest 16.9 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miLowest 1.3 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 5Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 21.8Lowest 31.7Highest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #45 of 142 in CO #55 of 142 in CO

School district St. Vrain Valley School District No. Re1JWeld County Reorganized School District No. Re-4

High school in town Mead High SchoolSeverance High School

Students per teacherat that high school 21.1Highest 17.9Lowest

Colorado average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024

Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Mead neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Mead’s Town Square.

Severance neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Severance’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Mead and Severance

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Mead

Firestone18,049 people · $560K homes

Towns like Mead

Eaton5,867 people · $476K homes

Berthoud12,411 people · $534K homes

Silverthorne4,815 people · $701K homes

Wellington11,798 people · $464K homes

Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Colorado towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.