Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Centennial, CO
VS
Yakima, WA
🏆 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 ✓ Larger
Yakima
Washington
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$55,734
Violent Crime Index
143⚠ High
Population
96,764
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Centennial, CO
Pros
Households earn $68,883 more per year on average
68% less violent crime than Yakima
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.7 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 40°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 4% higher than Yakima
Yakima, WA
Pros
Homes cost $343k less ($243,300 vs $586,500)
Rent averages $935/mo less ($1,014 vs $1,949)
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
4% cheaper overall cost of living than Centennial
Cons
Median income trails Centennial by $68,883/yr
Violent crime (544.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (8.1% vs 3.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Centennial
Median Income
$68,883
$124,617 vs $55,734/yr
Centennial
Violent Crime
68% lower
172.8 vs 544.3 per 100k
Centennial
Unemployment
4.7 pp lower
3.4% vs 8.1% unemployment
Yakima
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 101.6 vs 105.5 (100 = US avg)
Yakima
Median Home Value
$343k less
$243,300 vs $586,500
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Centennial, CO | Yakima, WA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.5⚠ High | 101.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $586,500⚠ High | $243,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,949⚠ High | $1,014 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $124,617 ✓ Higher | $55,734 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 8.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.0 min | 17.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 21.2% ✓ Higher | 5.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 ✓ Safer | 125⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 ✓ Safer | 143⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 81 ✓ Safer | 97 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | C (79) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.2:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 61.3% ✓ Higher | 19.3% |
| High School or Higher | 97.4% ✓ Higher | 77.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cherry Creek School District No. 5 in the county of Arapah | Yakima School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.6°F ✓ Warmer | 39.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F | 88.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.0" | 8.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 64.0" | 20.3" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 107,702 ✓ Larger | 96,764 |
| Median Age | 41.6 ✓ Older | 33.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 82.3% ✓ Higher | 53.1% |
| Under 18 | 22.5% | 27.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.9% ✓ More | 15.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Centennial's cost of living index is 105.5 vs Yakima's 101.6 (US average = 100).
Yakima is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Centennial leads 15 of 23 categories. Centennial wins 15 and Yakima 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 Yakima or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($586,500 vs $243,300 median home), income ($124,617 vs $55,734), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Centennial, CO and Yakima, WA are about 925 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.