Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Centennial, CO
VS
Lansing, MI
🏆 Centennial leads 16 of 23 categories
Centennial
Colorado
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$124,617 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
45 ✓ Safer
Population
107,702
Lansing
Michigan
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$50,747
Violent Crime Index
354⚠ High
Population
112,986 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Centennial, CO
Pros
Households earn $73,870 more per year on average
87% less violent crime than Lansing
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.9 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)
Milder winters — January highs near 45°F vs 31°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $586,500
Higher rents — median is $1,949/mo
Cost of living runs 13% higher than Lansing
Snowy winters — about 64" of snow per year
Lansing, MI
Pros
Homes cost $474k less ($112,200 vs $586,500)
Rent averages $995/mo less ($954 vs $1,949)
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Centennial
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.8)
Cons
Median income trails Centennial by $73,870/yr
Violent crime (1345.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2499.0/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.3% vs 3.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Centennial
Median Income
$73,870
$124,617 vs $50,747/yr
Centennial
Violent Crime
87% lower
172.8 vs 1345.1 per 100k
Centennial
Unemployment
4.9 pp lower
3.4% vs 8.3% unemployment
Centennial
Summer Heat
4.5°F warmer
July avg high 87.3°F vs 82.8°F
Lansing
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 92.8 vs 105.5 (100 = US avg)
Lansing
Median Home Value
$474k less
$112,200 vs $586,500
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Centennial, CO | Lansing, MI |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.5⚠ High | 92.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $586,500⚠ High | $112,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,949⚠ High | $954 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $124,617 ✓ Higher | $50,747 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 8.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.0 min | 19.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 21.2% ✓ Higher | 10.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 ✓ Safer | 260⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 ✓ Safer | 354⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 81 ✓ Safer | 119⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | C+ (85) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.2:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 61.3% ✓ Higher | 29.3% |
| High School or Higher | 97.4% ✓ Higher | 90.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cherry Creek School District No. 5 in the county of Arapah | Lansing Public School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.6°F ✓ Warmer | 30.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F ✓ Warmer | 82.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.0" ✓ Drier | 33.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 64.0" | 50.2" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 107,702 | 112,986 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.6 ✓ Older | 32.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 82.3% ✓ Higher | 53.3% |
| Under 18 | 22.5% | 22.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.9% ✓ More | 12.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Centennial's cost of living index is 105.5 vs Lansing's 92.8 (US average = 100).
Lansing is 13% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Centennial leads 16 of 23 categories. Centennial wins 16 and Lansing wins 7. 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 Lansing or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($586,500 vs $112,200 median home), income ($124,617 vs $50,747), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Centennial, CO and Lansing, MI are about 1,076 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.