Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Centennial, CO
VS
Houston, TX
🏆 Centennial leads 14 of 23 categories
Centennial
Colorado
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$124,617 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
45 ✓ Safer
Population
107,702
Houston
Texas
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$60,440
Violent Crime Index
302⚠ High
Population
2,296,253 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Centennial, CO
Pros
Households earn $64,177 more per year on average
85% less violent crime than Houston
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.2 pts lower (3.4%)
More college-educated — 61.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (172.8 vs 380/100k)
Cooler summers — July highs near 87°F vs 93°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $586,500
Higher rents — median is $1,949/mo
Snowy winters — about 64" of snow per year
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Houston
Houston, TX
Pros
Homes cost $352k less ($235,000 vs $586,500)
Rent averages $714/mo less ($1,235 vs $1,949)
Milder winters — January highs near 63°F vs 45°F
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Centennial
Cons
Median income trails Centennial by $64,177/yr
Violent crime (1148.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4293.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.6% vs 3.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Centennial
Median Income
$64,177
$124,617 vs $60,440/yr
Centennial
Violent Crime
85% lower
172.8 vs 1148.2 per 100k
Centennial
Unemployment
3.2 pp lower
3.4% vs 6.6% unemployment
Houston
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 100.2 vs 105.5 (100 = US avg)
Houston
Median Home Value
$352k less
$235,000 vs $586,500
Houston
Summer Heat
5.9°F warmer
July avg high 93.2°F vs 87.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Centennial, CO | Houston, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.5⚠ High | 100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $586,500⚠ High | $235,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,949⚠ High | $1,235 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $124,617 ✓ Higher | $60,440 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 6.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.0 min ✓ Shorter | 27.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 21.2% ✓ Higher | 9.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 ✓ Safer | 263⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 ✓ Safer | 302⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 81 ✓ Safer | 204⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | B (100) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.2:1 | 16.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 61.3% ✓ Higher | 35.2% |
| High School or Higher | 97.4% ✓ Higher | 79.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cherry Creek School District No. 5 in the county of Arapah | HOUSTON ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.6°F | 62.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F | 93.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.0" ✓ Drier | 55.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 64.0" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 107,702 | 2,296,253 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.6 ✓ Older | 33.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 82.3% ✓ Higher | 42.0% |
| Under 18 | 22.5% | 23.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.9% ✓ More | 11.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Centennial's cost of living index is 105.5 vs Houston's 100.2 (US average = 100).
Houston is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Centennial leads 14 of 23 categories. Centennial wins 14 and Houston 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 Houston or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($586,500 vs $235,000 median home), income ($124,617 vs $60,440), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Centennial, CO and Houston, TX are about 864 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.