Is Centennial, CO a Good Place to Live?
Centennial is a mid-sized city of 107,702 in Colorado, with a median household income of $124,617 and a 3.4% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 106 (US average = 100), which is 6% above the national average.
Strengths: Centennial stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A-), a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices. Whether Centennial is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Centennial city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 105.5Centennial's overall cost of living index is 105.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Centennial costs roughly 6% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Centennial, CO | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $586,500 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,949 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 82.3% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $124,617 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Safer than AverageCentennial's violent crime rate is 172.8 per 100,000 residents — 55% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Centennial is served primarily by Cherry Creek School District No. 5 in the county of Arapah. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16.2:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Centennial, CO | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Cherry Creek School District No. 5 in the county of Arapah | — |
| Elementary Schools | 46 | — |
| Middle Schools | 11 | — |
| High Schools | 9 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 16.2:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 61.3% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 97.4% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Centennial sees average highs of 44.6°F in January and 87.3°F in July, with 15.0 inches of annual precipitation and 64.0 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Centennial, CO |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 44.6°F |
| Average High — July | 87.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 64.0" |
Demographics
| Metric | Centennial, CO | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 107,702 | — |
| Median Age | 41.6 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 26.0 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 81.5% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 2.4% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 5.4% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 6.3% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 22.5% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 17.9% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Centennial
Centennial, CO is covered by 4 ZIP codes: