Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Centennial, CO
VS
Joliet, IL
🏆 Centennial leads 15 of 23 categories
Centennial
Colorado
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$124,617 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
45 ✓ Safer
Population
107,702
Joliet
Illinois
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$84,971
Violent Crime Index
92
Population
150,221 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Centennial, CO
Pros
51% less violent crime than Joliet
Households earn $39,646 more per year on average
More college-educated — 61.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.8 pts lower (3.4%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (172.8 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
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 3% higher than Joliet
Joliet, IL
Pros
Homes cost $353k less ($233,800 vs $586,500)
Rent averages $775/mo less ($1,174 vs $1,949)
Smaller class sizes — 14.2:1 student-teacher ratio
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Centennial
Cons
Median income trails Centennial by $39,646/yr
Higher unemployment (6.2% vs 3.4%)
Longer commutes — 29.6 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Centennial
Median Income
$39,646
$124,617 vs $84,971/yr
Centennial
Violent Crime
51% lower
172.8 vs 350.0 per 100k
Centennial
Unemployment
2.8 pp lower
3.4% vs 6.2% unemployment
Centennial
Summer Heat
3.7°F warmer
July avg high 87.3°F vs 83.6°F
Joliet
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 102.6 vs 105.5 (100 = US avg)
Joliet
Median Home Value
$353k less
$233,800 vs $586,500
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Centennial, CO | Joliet, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.5⚠ High | 102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $586,500⚠ High | $233,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,949⚠ High | $1,174 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $124,617 ✓ Higher | $84,971 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 6.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.0 min ✓ Shorter | 29.6 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 21.2% ✓ Higher | 6.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 ✓ Safer | 79 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 ✓ Safer | 92 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 81 | 59 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | B- (93) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.2:1 | 14.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 61.3% ✓ Higher | 24.9% |
| High School or Higher | 97.4% ✓ Higher | 84.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cherry Creek School District No. 5 in the county of Arapah | Joliet PSD 86 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.6°F ✓ Warmer | 31.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F ✓ Warmer | 83.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.0" ✓ Drier | 40.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 64.0" | 16.9" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 107,702 | 150,221 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.6 ✓ Older | 34.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 82.3% ✓ Higher | 72.4% |
| Under 18 | 22.5% | 26.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.9% ✓ More | 10.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Centennial's cost of living index is 105.5 vs Joliet's 102.6 (US average = 100).
Joliet is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Centennial leads 15 of 23 categories. Centennial wins 15 and Joliet wins 8. 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 Joliet or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($586,500 vs $233,800 median home), income ($124,617 vs $84,971), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Centennial, CO and Joliet, IL are about 886 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.