Where the Assignments Are
Denver's travel demand concentrates at a handful of systems: HCA HealthONE (which includes Swedish), UCHealth, Denver Health, AdventHealth, and the specialty rehabilitation world at Craig Hospital.
| Hospital | Area | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Swedish Medical Center | Englewood | Level I trauma center, 504 beds, heavy travel nurse usage via HealthTrust |
| Craig Hospital | Englewood | World renowned spinal cord and brain injury rehabilitation |
| Porter Adventist Hospital | South Denver | Full service hospital, strong surgical programs |
| Denver Health | Downtown | Safety net hospital and Level I trauma center |
| UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital | Aurora (Anschutz) | Academic medical center, consistently high travel demand |
| Sky Ridge Medical Center | Lone Tree | Growing south metro hospital |
Rule One: Live Near Your Hospital
Denver looks compact on a map and drives like it is not. I-25 at 6:45 am is a parking lot, and shift change traffic can turn 12 miles into 50 minutes. The travelers who enjoy Denver assignments almost always live within 15 minutes of their unit.
For Swedish Medical Center and Craig Hospital, that means Englewood. We keep a full breakdown of commute times and night shift considerations on our travel nurse housing page, and a dedicated guide to housing near Craig Hospital for rehab assignments and patient families.
What Housing Really Costs
With a typical Denver housing stipend, you have three realistic tiers: a furnished room ($1,200 to $1,800), your own studio or 1 bedroom ($2,000 to $3,000), or a whole furnished house shared with other travelers, where $6,000 to $9,000 split two or three ways beats the studio on both price and space.
Whichever tier you pick, insist on a 30 day minimum with month to month extensions and all utilities in one payment. Our comparison of the best monthly rental sites in Denver covers where to find each tier and the platform fees to avoid.
Night Shift Survival
Ask three questions before booking anywhere: Is the bedroom street facing? Are there blackout curtains? Who lives on the other side of the wall? A detached house on a quiet residential street beats any apartment for day sleeping. Recovery amenities matter more than you expect around week eight of a contract; a hot tub or sauna goes a long way after three twelves in a row.
Days Off in Denver
Red Rocks concerts, 14ers within 90 minutes, skiing at Loveland or A Basin without the I-70 megaresort crowds, and one of the best brewery scenes in the country. Englewood specifically puts you on the RTD light rail, so downtown is 20 minutes away without parking stress. More local detail in our Englewood neighborhood guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where should travel nurses live in Denver?
Live close to your hospital. Denver traffic turns crosstown commutes into 40 to 60 minutes at shift change. For Swedish Medical Center or Craig Hospital assignments, Englewood puts you 5 to 10 minutes away. For Anschutz, look at Aurora or Central Park. For Denver Health, Baker or Capitol Hill.
How much is travel nurse housing in Denver?
Furnished rooms run $1,200 to $1,800 per month. Studios and 1 bedrooms run $2,000 to $3,000. Entire furnished homes run $6,000 to $9,000, which becomes affordable when two or three travelers share. Most include utilities and WiFi.
Do Denver rentals accommodate 13 week assignments?
The good ones do. Look for a 30 day minimum with month to month extensions rather than fixed 3 or 6 month leases, so a contract extension does not leave you renegotiating housing mid assignment.
Is Englewood a good area for travel nurses?
Yes, especially for Swedish and Craig assignments. It is a quiet, walkable suburb directly south of Denver with its own light rail stops, grocery stores, and restaurants, and it is significantly calmer than downtown for day sleeping after night shifts.