Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Centennial, CO
VS
Longmont, CO
🏆 Centennial leads 16 of 22 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 ✓ Larger
Longmont
Colorado
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$89,720
Violent Crime Index
124⚠ High
Population
98,282
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Centennial, CO
Pros
63% less violent crime than Longmont
Households earn $34,897 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (172.8 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (3.4%)
More college-educated — 61.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
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 2% higher than Longmont
Longmont, CO
Pros
Homes cost $98k less ($488,100 vs $586,500)
Rent averages $260/mo less ($1,689 vs $1,949)
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Centennial
Cons
Median income trails Centennial by $34,897/yr
Violent crime (469.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2618.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Snowy winters — about 47" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Centennial
Median Income
$34,897
$124,617 vs $89,720/yr
Centennial
Violent Crime
63% lower
172.8 vs 469.3 per 100k
Centennial
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
3.4% vs 4.1% unemployment
Longmont
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 103.4 vs 105.5 (100 = US avg)
Longmont
Median Home Value
$98k less
$488,100 vs $586,500
Longmont
Summer Heat
3.5°F warmer
July avg high 90.8°F vs 87.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Centennial, CO | Longmont, CO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.5⚠ High | 103.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $586,500⚠ High | $488,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,949⚠ High | $1,689⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $124,617 ✓ Higher | $89,720 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 4.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.0 min | 25.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 21.2% ✓ Higher | 17.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 ✓ Safer | 124⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 ✓ Safer | 124⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 81 ✓ Safer | 125⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | B+ (109) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.2:1 | 16.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 61.3% ✓ Higher | 46.0% |
| High School or Higher | 97.4% ✓ Higher | 92.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cherry Creek School District No. 5 in the county of Arapah | St. Vrain Valley School District No. Re1J |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.6°F ✓ Warmer | 44.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F | 90.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.0" ✓ Drier | 16.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 64.0" | 47.4" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 107,702 ✓ Larger | 98,282 |
| Median Age | 41.6 ✓ Older | 39.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 82.3% ✓ Higher | 63.3% |
| Under 18 | 22.5% ✓ More | 20.4% |
| Over 65 | 17.9% ✓ More | 17.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Centennial's cost of living index is 105.5 vs Longmont's 103.4 (US average = 100).
Longmont is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Centennial leads 16 of 22 categories. Centennial wins 16 and Longmont wins 6. 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 Longmont or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($586,500 vs $488,100 median home), income ($124,617 vs $89,720), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Centennial, CO and Longmont, CO are about 42 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.