Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Centennial, CO
VS
Erie, PA
🏆 Centennial leads 18 of 23 categories
Centennial
Colorado
18
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$124,617 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
45 ✓ Safer
Population
107,702 ✓ Larger
Erie
Pennsylvania
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.5 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$43,135
Violent Crime Index
99
Population
94,826
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Centennial, CO
Pros
Households earn $81,482 more per year on average
54% less violent crime than Erie
More college-educated — 61.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.4 pts lower (3.4%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (172.8 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 45°F vs 35°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $586,500
Higher rents — median is $1,949/mo
Cost of living runs 14% higher than Erie
Snowy winters — about 64" of snow per year
Erie, PA
Pros
Homes cost $485k less ($101,500 vs $586,500)
Rent averages $1140/mo less ($809 vs $1,949)
14% cheaper overall cost of living than Centennial
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.5)
Cooler summers — July highs near 81°F vs 87°F
Cons
Median income trails Centennial by $81,482/yr
Higher unemployment (6.8% vs 3.4%)
Snowy winters — about 104" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Centennial
Median Income
$81,482
$124,617 vs $43,135/yr
Centennial
Violent Crime
54% lower
172.8 vs 375.6 per 100k
Centennial
Unemployment
3.4 pp lower
3.4% vs 6.8% unemployment
Centennial
Summer Heat
6.2°F warmer
July avg high 87.3°F vs 81.1°F
Erie
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 91.5 vs 105.5 (100 = US avg)
Erie
Median Home Value
$485k less
$101,500 vs $586,500
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Centennial, CO | Erie, PA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.5⚠ High | 91.5 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $586,500⚠ High | $101,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,949⚠ High | $809 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $124,617 ✓ Higher | $43,135 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 6.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.0 min | 18.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 21.2% ✓ Higher | 5.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 ✓ Safer | 96 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 ✓ Safer | 99 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 81 ✓ Safer | 92 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | B- (90) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.2:1 | 12.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 61.3% ✓ Higher | 22.4% |
| High School or Higher | 97.4% ✓ Higher | 88.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cherry Creek School District No. 5 in the county of Arapah | Erie City SD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.6°F ✓ Warmer | 35.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F ✓ Warmer | 81.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.0" ✓ Drier | 43.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 64.0" ✓ Less | 104.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 107,702 ✓ Larger | 94,826 |
| Median Age | 41.6 ✓ Older | 35.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 82.3% ✓ Higher | 52.6% |
| Under 18 | 22.5% ✓ More | 21.4% |
| Over 65 | 17.9% ✓ More | 15.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Centennial's cost of living index is 105.5 vs Erie's 91.5 (US average = 100).
Erie is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Centennial leads 18 of 23 categories. Centennial wins 18 and Erie wins 5. 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 Erie or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($586,500 vs $101,500 median home), income ($124,617 vs $43,135), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Centennial, CO and Erie, PA are about 1,303 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.