Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Highlands Ranch, CO
VS
Paterson, NJ
🏆 Highlands Ranch leads 16 of 23 categories
Highlands Ranch
Colorado
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$148,227 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
36 ✓ Safer
Population
101,514
Paterson
New Jersey
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$52,092
Violent Crime Index
258⚠ High
Population
157,864 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Highlands Ranch, CO
Pros
Households earn $96,135 more per year on average
86% less violent crime than Paterson
Stronger job market — unemployment is 7.1 pts lower (3.4%)
More college-educated — 65.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (138.1 vs 380/100k)
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Paterson
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $637,400
Higher rents — median is $2,353/mo
Snowy winters — about 64" of snow per year
Paterson, NJ
Pros
Homes cost $323k less ($314,100 vs $637,400)
Rent averages $961/mo less ($1,392 vs $2,353)
Smaller class sizes — 14.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Highlands Ranch by $96,135/yr
Violent crime (978.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Higher unemployment (10.5% vs 3.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Highlands Ranch
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 105.5 vs 112.5 (100 = US avg)
Highlands Ranch
Median Income
$96,135
$148,227 vs $52,092/yr
Highlands Ranch
Violent Crime
86% lower
138.1 vs 978.6 per 100k
Highlands Ranch
Unemployment
7.1 pp lower
3.4% vs 10.5% unemployment
Paterson
Median Home Value
$323k less
$314,100 vs $637,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Highlands Ranch, CO | Paterson, NJ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 112.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $637,400⚠ High | $314,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,353⚠ High | $1,392⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $148,227 ✓ Higher | $52,092 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 10.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.1 min | 23.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 26.2% ✓ Higher | 3.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 ✓ Safer | 199⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 258⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 ✓ Safer | 112⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (114) ✓ Better | C+ (87) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.4:1 | 14.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 65.7% ✓ Higher | 12.6% |
| High School or Higher | 98.8% ✓ Higher | 76.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Douglas County School District No. Re 1 | Paterson Public School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.6°F ✓ Warmer | 39.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F ✓ Warmer | 86.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 18.2" ✓ Drier | 49.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 64.0" | 28.2" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 101,514 | 157,864 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.0 ✓ Older | 33.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 79.4% ✓ Higher | 26.3% |
| Under 18 | 24.9% | 27.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.4% ✓ More | 11.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Highlands Ranch's cost of living index is 105.5 vs Paterson's 112.5 (US average = 100).
Highlands Ranch is 7% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Highlands Ranch leads 16 of 23 categories. Highlands Ranch wins 16 and Paterson wins 7. 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 Paterson or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($637,400 vs $314,100 median home), income ($148,227 vs $52,092), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Highlands Ranch, CO and Paterson, NJ are about 1,620 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.