Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Centennial, CO
VS
Charlotte, NC
🏆 Centennial leads 13 of 23 categories
Centennial
Colorado
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$124,617 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
45 ✓ Safer
Population
107,702
Charlotte
North Carolina
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$74,070
Violent Crime Index
193⚠ High
Population
875,045 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Centennial, CO
Pros
Households earn $50,547 more per year on average
76% less violent crime than Charlotte
Violent crime is well below the national average (172.8 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.3 pts lower (3.4%)
More college-educated — 61.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $586,500
Higher rents — median is $1,949/mo
Cost of living runs 9% higher than Charlotte
Snowy winters — about 64" of snow per year
Charlotte, NC
Pros
Homes cost $274k less ($312,800 vs $586,500)
Rent averages $550/mo less ($1,399 vs $1,949)
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Centennial
Milder winters — January highs near 52°F vs 45°F
Cons
Median income trails Centennial by $50,547/yr
Violent crime (733.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3705.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (4.7% vs 3.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Centennial
Median Income
$50,547
$124,617 vs $74,070/yr
Centennial
Violent Crime
76% lower
172.8 vs 733.2 per 100k
Centennial
Unemployment
1.3 pp lower
3.4% vs 4.7% unemployment
Charlotte
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 97.0 vs 105.5 (100 = US avg)
Charlotte
Median Home Value
$274k less
$312,800 vs $586,500
Charlotte
Summer Heat
3.0°F warmer
July avg high 90.3°F vs 87.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Centennial, CO | Charlotte, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.5⚠ High | 97.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $586,500⚠ High | $312,800⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,949⚠ High | $1,399⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $124,617 ✓ Higher | $74,070 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 4.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.0 min | 25.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 21.2% | 21.3% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 ✓ Safer | 186⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 ✓ Safer | 193⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 81 ✓ Safer | 176⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | B+ (108) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.2:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 61.3% ✓ Higher | 46.6% |
| High School or Higher | 97.4% ✓ Higher | 89.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cherry Creek School District No. 5 in the county of Arapah | Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.6°F | 52.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F | 90.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.0" ✓ Drier | 43.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 64.0" | 3.5" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 107,702 | 875,045 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.6 ✓ Older | 34.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 82.3% ✓ Higher | 52.1% |
| Under 18 | 22.5% | 22.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.9% ✓ More | 10.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Centennial's cost of living index is 105.5 vs Charlotte's 97.0 (US average = 100).
Charlotte is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Centennial leads 13 of 23 categories. Centennial wins 13 and Charlotte wins 10. 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 Centennial to Charlotte or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($586,500 vs $312,800 median home), income ($124,617 vs $74,070), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Centennial, CO and Charlotte, NC are about 1,349 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.