Median Income
$148,227
household / year
Median Home Value
$637,400
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$2,353
gross / month
Cost of Living
106
national avg = 100

Is Highlands Ranch, CO a Good Place to Live?

Highlands Ranch is a mid-sized city of 101,514 in Colorado, with a median household income of $148,227 and a 3.4% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 106 (US average = 100), which is 6% above the national average.

Strengths: Highlands Ranch stands out for solid school ratings (A-), a well-educated population, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices. Whether Highlands Ranch is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Highlands Ranch 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: 105.5

Highlands Ranch's overall cost of living index is 105.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Highlands Ranch costs roughly 6% more than the average American city.

Metric Highlands Ranch, CO National Avg
Median Home Value $637,400 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $2,353 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 79.4% 65.9%
Median Household Income $148,227 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Highlands Ranch's violent crime rate is 138.1 per 100,000 residents — 64% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
138.1 /100k
Property Crime
1367.2 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Highlands Ranch is served primarily by Douglas County School District No. Re 1. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.4:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Highlands Ranch, CO National Avg
School District Douglas County School District No. Re 1 —
Elementary Schools 61 —
Middle Schools 9 —
High Schools 15 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 17.4:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 65.7% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 98.8% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Highlands Ranch sees average highs of 44.6°F in January and 87.3°F in July, with 18.2 inches of annual precipitation and 64.0 inches of snow per year.

MetricHighlands Ranch, CO
Average High — January44.6°F
Average High — July87.3°F
Annual Precipitation18.2"
Annual Snowfall64.0"

Demographics

MetricHighlands Ranch, CONational Avg
Population101,514—
Median Age41.038.9
Unemployment Rate3.4%3.7%
Avg Commute Time25.1 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)85.2%59.3%
Black or African American1.1%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino4.4%18.9%
Asian6.1%6.3%
Under 1824.9%22.2%
65 and over13.4%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Acres Green, CO 4 mi Littleton, CO 4 mi Louviers, CO 5 mi Columbine Valley, CO 5 mi Sterling Ranch, CO 5 mi

ZIP Codes in Highlands Ranch

Highlands Ranch, CO is covered by 3 ZIP codes:

80126 80129 80130

Highlands Ranch vs Other Cities

Highlands Ranch, CO vs Acres Green, CO Highlands Ranch, CO vs Littleton, CO Highlands Ranch, CO vs Louviers, CO Highlands Ranch, CO vs Columbine Valley, CO Highlands Ranch, CO vs Sterling Ranch, CO

Frequently Asked Questions

Highlands Ranch's cost of living index is 106, where 100 is the national average. That puts Highlands Ranch roughly 6% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $637,400 and median rent is $2,353/month.
Highlands Ranch's violent crime rate is 138.1 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1367.2 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Highlands Ranch are operated by Douglas County School District No. Re 1. The district has 61 elementary, 9 middle, and 15 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.4:1. 65.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Highlands Ranch, CO has a population of 101,514, a median household income of $148,227, and an unemployment rate of 3.4%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Highlands Ranch averages 44.6°F in January and 87.3°F in July. Annual rainfall is 18.2 inches with about 64.0 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Highlands Ranch, CO is covered by 3 ZIP codes: 80126, 80129, 80130.
The population of Highlands Ranch, Colorado is 101,514 with a median age of 41.0. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Highlands Ranch: cost of living index 106 (100 = US average), median home $637,400, median household income $148,227, crime index 48 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Highlands Ranch side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.