Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Highlands Ranch, CO
VS
Lehigh Acres, FL
🏆 Highlands Ranch leads 12 of 20 categories
Highlands Ranch
Colorado
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$148,227 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
36
Population
101,514
Lehigh Acres
Florida
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,733
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
124,440 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Highlands Ranch, CO
Pros
Households earn $88,494 more per year on average
More college-educated — 65.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.1 pts lower (3.4%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (138.1 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 11 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 17.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $637,400
Higher rents — median is $2,353/mo
Snowy winters — about 64" of snow per year
Cost of living runs 3% higher than Lehigh Acres
Lehigh Acres, FL
Pros
Homes cost $406k less ($231,500 vs $637,400)
Rent averages $955/mo less ($1,398 vs $2,353)
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 45°F
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Highlands Ranch
Cons
Median income trails Highlands Ranch by $88,494/yr
Higher unemployment (5.5% vs 3.4%)
Longer commutes — 36.3 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Highlands Ranch
Median Income
$88,494
$148,227 vs $59,733/yr
Highlands Ranch
Unemployment
2.1 pp lower
3.4% vs 5.5% unemployment
Lehigh Acres
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 102.3 vs 105.5 (100 = US avg)
Lehigh Acres
Median Home Value
$406k less
$231,500 vs $637,400
Lehigh Acres
Summer Heat
3.3°F warmer
July avg high 90.6°F vs 87.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Highlands Ranch, CO | Lehigh Acres, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.5⚠ High | 102.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $637,400⚠ High | $231,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,353⚠ High | $1,398⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $148,227 ✓ Higher | $59,733 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 5.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.1 min ✓ Shorter | 36.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 26.2% ✓ Higher | 6.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (114) ✓ Better | C (81) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 65.7% ✓ Higher | 15.8% |
| High School or Higher | 98.8% ✓ Higher | 81.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Douglas County School District No. Re 1 | LEE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.6°F | 74.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F | 90.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 18.2" ✓ Drier | 62.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 64.0" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 101,514 | 124,440 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.0 ✓ Older | 34.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 79.4% ✓ Higher | 67.0% |
| Under 18 | 24.9% | 27.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.4% ✓ More | 13.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Highlands Ranch's cost of living index is 105.5 vs Lehigh Acres's 102.3 (US average = 100).
Lehigh Acres is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Highlands Ranch leads 12 of 20 categories. Highlands Ranch wins 12 and Lehigh Acres 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 Highlands Ranch to Lehigh Acres or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($637,400 vs $231,500 median home), income ($148,227 vs $59,733), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Highlands Ranch, CO and Lehigh Acres, FL are about 1,612 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.