Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Arlington, VA
VS
Highlands Ranch, CO
🏆 Highlands Ranch leads 13 of 23 categories
Arlington
Virginia
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$137,387
Violent Crime Index
67
Population
235,845 ✓ Larger
Highlands Ranch
Colorado
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$148,227 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
36 ✓ Safer
Population
101,514
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Arlington, VA
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (254.4 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (2.8%)
More college-educated — 76.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Rent averages $126/mo less ($2,227 vs $2,353)
Smaller class sizes — 12.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $833,300
Median income trails Highlands Ranch by $10,840/yr
Cost of living runs 3% higher than Highlands Ranch
Highlands Ranch, CO
Pros
46% less violent crime than Arlington
Homes cost $196k less ($637,400 vs $833,300)
Violent crime is well below the national average (138.1 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $10,840 more per year on average
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Arlington
Cons
Snowy winters — about 64" of snow per year
Higher rents — median is $2,353/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Arlington
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
2.8% vs 3.4% unemployment
Highlands Ranch
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 105.5 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Highlands Ranch
Median Income
$10,840
$148,227 vs $137,387/yr
Highlands Ranch
Violent Crime
46% lower
138.1 vs 254.4 per 100k
Highlands Ranch
Median Home Value
$196k less
$637,400 vs $833,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Arlington, VA | Highlands Ranch, CO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 105.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $833,300⚠ High | $637,400⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,227⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,353⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $137,387 | $148,227 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.8% ✓ Lower | 3.4% |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.7 min⚠ High | 25.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 27.0% ✓ Higher | 26.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 73 | 48 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 | 36 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 | 65 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | A- (114) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.8% ✓ Higher | 65.7% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% | 98.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Arlington County Public Schools | Douglas County School District No. Re 1 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F ✓ Warmer | 44.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer | 87.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.2" | 18.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" ✓ Less | 64.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 235,845 ✓ Larger | 101,514 |
| Median Age | 35.3 | 41.0 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.2% | 79.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 24.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% | 13.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Arlington's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Highlands Ranch's 105.5 (US average = 100).
Highlands Ranch is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Highlands Ranch leads 13 of 23 categories. Arlington wins 10 and Highlands Ranch wins 13. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Arlington to Highlands Ranch or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($833,300 vs $637,400 median home), income ($137,387 vs $148,227), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Arlington, VA and Highlands Ranch, CO are about 1,487 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.