Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Highlands Ranch, CO
VS
New Orleans, LA
🏆 Highlands Ranch leads 13 of 23 categories
Highlands Ranch
Colorado
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$148,227 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
36 ✓ Safer
Population
101,514
New Orleans
Louisiana
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$51,116
Violent Crime Index
380⚠ High
Population
380,408 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Highlands Ranch, CO
Pros
Households earn $97,111 more per year on average
90% less violent crime than New Orleans
Stronger job market — unemployment is 5.0 pts lower (3.4%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (138.1 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 65.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $637,400
Higher rents — median is $2,353/mo
Cost of living runs 14% higher than New Orleans
Snowy winters — about 64" of snow per year
New Orleans, LA
Pros
Homes cost $356k less ($281,500 vs $637,400)
Rent averages $1191/mo less ($1,162 vs $2,353)
14% cheaper overall cost of living than Highlands Ranch
Milder winters — January highs near 61°F vs 45°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.1)
Smaller class sizes — 14.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Highlands Ranch by $97,111/yr
Violent crime (1444.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4640.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.4% vs 3.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Highlands Ranch
Median Income
$97,111
$148,227 vs $51,116/yr
Highlands Ranch
Violent Crime
90% lower
138.1 vs 1444.1 per 100k
Highlands Ranch
Unemployment
5.0 pp lower
3.4% vs 8.4% unemployment
New Orleans
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 91.1 vs 105.5 (100 = US avg)
New Orleans
Median Home Value
$356k less
$281,500 vs $637,400
New Orleans
Summer Heat
3.3°F warmer
July avg high 90.6°F vs 87.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Highlands Ranch, CO | New Orleans, LA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.5⚠ High | 91.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $637,400⚠ High | $281,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,353⚠ High | $1,162 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $148,227 ✓ Higher | $51,116 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 8.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.1 min | 23.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 26.2% ✓ Higher | 11.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 ✓ Safer | 316⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 380⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 ✓ Safer | 221⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (114) ✓ Better | A- (112) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.4:1 | 14.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 65.7% ✓ Higher | 40.7% |
| High School or Higher | 98.8% ✓ Higher | 88.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Douglas County School District No. Re 1 | Einstein Charter Middle Sch at Sarah Towles Reed |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.6°F | 61.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F | 90.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 18.2" ✓ Drier | 60.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 64.0" | 0.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 101,514 | 380,408 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.0 ✓ Older | 37.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 79.4% ✓ Higher | 49.3% |
| Under 18 | 24.9% ✓ More | 19.6% |
| Over 65 | 13.4% | 15.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Highlands Ranch's cost of living index is 105.5 vs New Orleans's 91.1 (US average = 100).
New Orleans is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Highlands Ranch leads 13 of 23 categories. Highlands Ranch wins 13 and New Orleans wins 10. 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 New Orleans or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($637,400 vs $281,500 median home), income ($148,227 vs $51,116), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Highlands Ranch, CO and New Orleans, LA are about 1,073 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.