Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Centennial, CO
VS
Highlands Ranch, CO
🏆 It's a dead heat — 9 categories each
Centennial
Colorado
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$124,617
Violent Crime Index
45
Population
107,702 ✓ Larger
Highlands Ranch
Colorado
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
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.
Centennial, CO
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (172.8 vs 380/100k)
Rent averages $404/mo less ($1,949 vs $2,353)
Homes cost $51k less ($586,500 vs $637,400)
Cons
Median income trails Highlands Ranch by $23,610/yr
Snowy winters — about 64" of snow per year
Highlands Ranch, CO
Pros
20% less violent crime than Centennial
Violent crime is well below the national average (138.1 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $23,610 more per year on average
More college-educated — 65.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Higher rents — median is $2,353/mo
Pricier housing — median home is $637,400
Snowy winters — about 64" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Centennial
Median Home Value
$51k less
$586,500 vs $637,400
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 105.5 on the COL index
Highlands Ranch
Median Income
$23,610
$148,227 vs $124,617/yr
Highlands Ranch
Violent Crime
20% lower
138.1 vs 172.8 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Centennial, CO | Highlands Ranch, CO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.5⚠ High | 105.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $586,500⚠ High ✓ Lower | $637,400⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,949⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,353⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $124,617 | $148,227 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% | 3.4% |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.0 min | 25.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 21.2% | 26.2% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 | 48 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 | 36 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 81 | 65 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | A- (114) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.2:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 61.3% | 65.7% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 97.4% | 98.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cherry Creek School District No. 5 in the county of Arapah | Douglas County School District No. Re 1 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.6°F | 44.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F | 87.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.0" ✓ Drier | 18.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 64.0" | 64.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 107,702 ✓ Larger | 101,514 |
| Median Age | 41.6 ✓ Older | 41.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 82.3% ✓ Higher | 79.4% |
| Under 18 | 22.5% | 24.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.9% ✓ More | 13.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Centennial's cost of living index is 105.5 vs Highlands Ranch's 105.5 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 18 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 9 categories each. Centennial wins 9 and Highlands Ranch wins 9. 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 Highlands Ranch or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($586,500 vs $637,400 median home), income ($124,617 vs $148,227), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Centennial, CO and Highlands Ranch, CO are about 6 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.