Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Highlands Ranch, CO
VS
Jacksonville, FL
🏆 Highlands Ranch leads 14 of 23 categories
Highlands Ranch
Colorado
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$148,227 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
36 ✓ Safer
Population
101,514
Jacksonville
Florida
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
99.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$64,138
Violent Crime Index
164⚠ High
Population
950,203 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Highlands Ranch, CO
Pros
Households earn $84,089 more per year on average
78% less violent crime than Jacksonville
More college-educated — 65.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (138.1 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.4 pts lower (3.4%)
Smaller class sizes — 17.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $637,400
Higher rents — median is $2,353/mo
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Jacksonville
Snowy winters — about 64" of snow per year
Jacksonville, FL
Pros
Homes cost $394k less ($243,000 vs $637,400)
Rent averages $1072/mo less ($1,281 vs $2,353)
Milder winters — January highs near 66°F vs 45°F
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Highlands Ranch
Cons
Median income trails Highlands Ranch by $84,089/yr
Violent crime (623.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2494.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (4.8% vs 3.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Highlands Ranch
Median Income
$84,089
$148,227 vs $64,138/yr
Highlands Ranch
Violent Crime
78% lower
138.1 vs 623.8 per 100k
Highlands Ranch
Unemployment
1.4 pp lower
3.4% vs 4.8% unemployment
Jacksonville
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 99.2 vs 105.5 (100 = US avg)
Jacksonville
Median Home Value
$394k less
$243,000 vs $637,400
Jacksonville
Summer Heat
4.5°F warmer
July avg high 91.8°F vs 87.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Highlands Ranch, CO | Jacksonville, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.5⚠ High | 99.2 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $637,400⚠ High | $243,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,353⚠ High | $1,281 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $148,227 ✓ Higher | $64,138 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 4.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.1 min | 24.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 26.2% ✓ Higher | 11.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 ✓ Safer | 146⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 164⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 ✓ Safer | 119⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (114) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 65.7% ✓ Higher | 31.0% |
| High School or Higher | 98.8% ✓ Higher | 90.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Douglas County School District No. Re 1 | DUVAL |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.6°F | 65.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F | 91.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 18.2" ✓ Drier | 53.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 64.0" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 101,514 | 950,203 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.0 ✓ Older | 36.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 79.4% ✓ Higher | 57.0% |
| Under 18 | 24.9% ✓ More | 22.6% |
| Over 65 | 13.4% | 14.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Highlands Ranch's cost of living index is 105.5 vs Jacksonville's 99.2 (US average = 100).
Jacksonville is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Highlands Ranch leads 14 of 23 categories. Highlands Ranch wins 14 and Jacksonville wins 9. 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 Highlands Ranch to Jacksonville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($637,400 vs $243,000 median home), income ($148,227 vs $64,138), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Highlands Ranch, CO and Jacksonville, FL are about 1,460 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.