Novarly Parcel · Denver, CO

Is your Denver home sinking?

Satellites have measured Denver's ground to the millimetre: across 22,918 grid cells, the fastest-sinking spot moves 6 mm/yr. Check any Denver-area address for free.

Measured grid cells22,918
Median ground motion1.6 mm/yr downward
Fastest-sinking cell6 mm/yr
Cells at notable rates (≤ −3 mm/yr)4.3%

Satellite InSAR measurements on a ~100 m screening grid (negative = sinking). Sources: Ohenhen et al. InSAR VLM datasets (CC0/CC-BY); contains modified Copernicus Sentinel-1 data. Data updated 2026-07-23.

Screening only — not a structural guarantee. For any decision, consult a licensed geotechnical engineer.

Is Denver sinking?

Parts of it, measurably. Across 22,918 satellite-measured grid cells in the Denver metro, the median ground motion is 1.6 mm/yr downward, the fastest-sinking cell measures 6 mm/yr, and 4.3% of measured cells exceed the 3 mm/yr "notable" threshold. Motion varies block by block — check your specific address.

How do you measure ground motion in Denver?

InSAR: radar satellites (Copernicus Sentinel-1) compare the phase of millions of radar returns across years of passes, revealing millimetre-scale vertical land motion. The data comes from peer-reviewed research (Ohenhen et al., Nature Cities 2025 and related datasets) and is screened on a ~100 m grid.

What should Denver buyers and owners do with this?

Use the free screening for the measured rates around any address. An amber or red result is context for a professional conversation — share the report with a licensed geotechnical engineer or structural surveyor. A green result means no notable motion was measured nearby; it is not a guarantee.

Other cities:

Detroit, MILos Angeles, CASan Antonio, TXNew Orleans, LADallas, TXLas Vegas, NVPortland, ORMiami, FLColumbus, OHJacksonville, FL

Sea-level + sinking, combined · Explore the measurements live · Methodology