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

AMillikenSafer than 93% of U.S. towns BDaconoSafer than 62% of U.S. towns

Schools

B−MillikenBetter than 53% of districts in the state A−DaconoBetter than 75% of districts in the state

Health

A−MillikenHealthier than 79% of U.S. towns B+DaconoHealthier than 75% of U.S. towns

12Milliken

7Dacono

Lists won, of 21 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Best schoolsSchools · 142 towns #128#35 Lowest depressionHealth · 160 towns #112#37 SafestSafety · 83 towns #1#22 Cheapest rentCost of living · 153 towns #116#83 Most affordableCost of living · 158 towns #45#67 Lowest property taxCost of living · 158 towns #77#95 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 160 towns #102#119 Most activeHealth · 160 towns #91#107

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

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $290 more a month in Dacono

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%

Milliken$2,570/mo

Typical home $446K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.63% · or rent about $2,102/mo · Housing →

Dacono$2,860/mo

Typical home $496K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.63% · or rent about $1,827/mo · Housing →

The difference: $290 a month, about $3,500 a year, between Dacono and Milliken.

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

MillikenDacono

Snow a year35″35″

January low18°F 16°F

July high92°F 90°F

Growing season (days)159d 155d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)60th 32nd

Outdoors & history

MillikenDacono

Trails8 mi 5 mi

Conserved land0.9%0.3%

Settled—1901

National Register places1 —

Archive photos2 3

Community

MillikenDacono

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

18 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

MillikenDacono

Milliken ↔ Dacono18 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

MillikenDacono

People

Population 8,871Highest 6,530Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +49.5%Lowest CO: +14.8% +51.7%Highest CO: +14.8%

Median age 32.4±2.7Lowest 14% below CO 33.8±2.8Highest 10% below CO

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

Kids under 18 24.4%±7.6Lowest CO: 21% 27.2%±4.3Highest CO: 21%

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

Age 65+ 10.6%±4.4Highest CO: 15.6% 10.5%±2.2Lowest CO: 15.6%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 24.5%Lowest CO: 45.7% 27.9%Highest CO: 45.7%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.1%±2Lowest CO: 6.4% 3.8%±1.8Highest CO: 6.4%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $107,500±$34kHighest 13% above CO $104,559±$7kLowest 10% above CO

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $406,700±$35kLowest 25% below CO $482,800±$32kHighest 10% below CO

Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,102±$922Highest 19% above CO $1,827±$580Lowest 4% above CO

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $2,570Lowest about the CO average $3,041Highest 17% above CO

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 57.7%±37.7Highest CO: 52.9% 48.5%±25.6Lowest CO: 52.9%

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

Below poverty line 2.4%Lowest CO: 9.4% 3.9%Highest CO: 9.4%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 92.1%Highest CO: 66.2% 85.1%Lowest CO: 66.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 2004Lowest 16 yrs newer than CO 2009Highest 21 yrs newer than CO

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 32 minLowest 27% above CO 32 minHighest 28% above CO

Work from home 14.3%±7.9Lowest CO: 21% 16.2%±6.2Highest CO: 21%

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

Work in townworking residents 2.1%Highest 1.7%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 18.3 miHighest 17.3 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.24Lowest 0.27Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Greeley (16%)Denver (14%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in DaconoFew work in Milliken

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0.9%Highest 0.3%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 8.3 miHighest 4.9 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.6 miHighest 0.5 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 7Highest 2Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 21.0Lowest 27.8Highest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #128 of 142 in CO #35 of 142 in CO

School district Weld County School District No. Re-5JWeld re-8 schools

High school in town CIVICA ColoradoNone in town

Students per teacherat that high school 19.1 —

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.

Milliken neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Milliken’s Town Square.

Dacono neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Dacono’s Town Square.

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Bordering Milliken

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Evans22,396 people · $351K homes

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Johnstown18,883 people · $540K homes

Towns like Milliken

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Lochbuie8,609 people · $423K homes

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Bennett3,663 people · $444K homes

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Eaton5,867 people · $476K homes

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Frederick16,651 people · $568K 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.

Milliken vs Dacono

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

Milliken places higher on 12 of 21 CO lists

A typical home costs $290 more a month in Dacono

What daily life feels like in each

18 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Milliken and Dacono

Bordering Milliken

Towns like Milliken

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