Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Highlands Ranch, CO
VS
Longmont, CO
🏆 Highlands Ranch leads 15 of 23 categories
Highlands Ranch
Colorado
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$148,227 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
36 ✓ Safer
Population
101,514 ✓ Larger
Longmont
Colorado
8
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.
Highlands Ranch, CO
Pros
Households earn $58,507 more per year on average
71% less violent crime than Longmont
Violent crime is well below the national average (138.1 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 65.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (3.4%)
Cons
Higher rents — median is $2,353/mo
Pricier housing — median home is $637,400
Snowy winters — about 64" of snow per year
Cost of living runs 2% higher than Longmont
Longmont, CO
Pros
Rent averages $664/mo less ($1,689 vs $2,353)
Homes cost $149k less ($488,100 vs $637,400)
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Highlands Ranch
Cons
Median income trails Highlands Ranch by $58,507/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
Highlands Ranch
Median Income
$58,507
$148,227 vs $89,720/yr
Highlands Ranch
Violent Crime
71% lower
138.1 vs 469.3 per 100k
Highlands Ranch
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
$149k less
$488,100 vs $637,400
Longmont
Summer Heat
3.5°F warmer
July avg high 90.8°F vs 87.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Highlands Ranch, 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 | $637,400⚠ High | $488,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,353⚠ High | $1,689⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $148,227 ✓ Higher | $89,720 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 4.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.1 min ✓ Shorter | 25.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 26.2% ✓ Higher | 17.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 ✓ Safer | 124⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 124⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 ✓ Safer | 125⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (114) ✓ Better | B+ (109) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.4:1 | 16.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 65.7% ✓ Higher | 46.0% |
| High School or Higher | 98.8% ✓ Higher | 92.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Douglas County School District No. Re 1 | 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 | 18.2" | 16.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 64.0" | 47.4" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 101,514 ✓ Larger | 98,282 |
| Median Age | 41.0 ✓ Older | 39.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 79.4% ✓ Higher | 63.3% |
| Under 18 | 24.9% ✓ More | 20.4% |
| Over 65 | 13.4% | 17.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Highlands Ranch'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 23 decided categories above, Highlands Ranch leads 15 of 23 categories. Highlands Ranch wins 15 and Longmont 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 Longmont or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($637,400 vs $488,100 median home), income ($148,227 vs $89,720), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Highlands Ranch, CO and Longmont, CO are about 44 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.