Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Centennial, CO
VS
Waterbury, CT
🏆 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
Waterbury
Connecticut
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$51,451
Violent Crime Index
85
Population
114,480 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Centennial, CO
Pros
Households earn $73,166 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 6.4 pts lower (3.4%)
46% less violent crime than Waterbury
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 37°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $586,500
Higher rents — median is $1,949/mo
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Waterbury
Snowy winters — about 64" of snow per year
Waterbury, CT
Pros
Homes cost $424k less ($162,800 vs $586,500)
Rent averages $809/mo less ($1,140 vs $1,949)
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Centennial
Smaller class sizes — 12.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Centennial by $73,166/yr
Property crime (2918.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (9.8% vs 3.4%)
Snowy winters — about 47" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Centennial
Median Income
$73,166
$124,617 vs $51,451/yr
Centennial
Violent Crime
46% lower
172.8 vs 322.5 per 100k
Centennial
Unemployment
6.4 pp lower
3.4% vs 9.8% unemployment
Centennial
Summer Heat
3.3°F warmer
July avg high 87.3°F vs 84.0°F
Waterbury
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 95.1 vs 105.5 (100 = US avg)
Waterbury
Median Home Value
$424k less
$162,800 vs $586,500
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Centennial, CO | Waterbury, CT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.5⚠ High | 95.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $586,500⚠ High | $162,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,949⚠ High | $1,140 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $124,617 ✓ Higher | $51,451 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 9.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.0 min ✓ Shorter | 27.6 min |
| Work From Home % | 21.2% ✓ Higher | 6.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 ✓ Safer | 107⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 ✓ Safer | 85 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 81 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | B- (91) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.2:1 | 12.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 61.3% ✓ Higher | 16.7% |
| High School or Higher | 97.4% ✓ Higher | 81.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cherry Creek School District No. 5 in the county of Arapah | Waterbury School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.6°F ✓ Warmer | 37.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F ✓ Warmer | 84.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.0" ✓ Drier | 52.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 64.0" | 46.8" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 107,702 | 114,480 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.6 ✓ Older | 36.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 82.3% ✓ Higher | 43.8% |
| Under 18 | 22.5% | 22.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.9% ✓ More | 13.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Centennial's cost of living index is 105.5 vs Waterbury's 95.1 (US average = 100).
Waterbury is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Centennial leads 16 of 23 categories. Centennial wins 16 and Waterbury 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 Waterbury or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($586,500 vs $162,800 median home), income ($124,617 vs $51,451), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Centennial, CO and Waterbury, CT are about 1,667 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.