Population: 2,703,972
Average annual salary: $54,450
Quality of life: 6.8
Value: 7.2
While Denver sits at the base of the Rocky Mountains, it’s not considered a mountain town since it takes at least an hour to get to the Rockies for snowboarding and ski activities, a local expert explained. At 5,279 feet, the Mile High City lives up to its name in more ways than one: In 2012, Colorado legalized recreational marijuana, paving the way for a flourishing and lucrative cannabis industry.