Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Highlands Ranch, CO
VS
Pompano Beach, FL
🏆 Highlands Ranch leads 12 of 20 categories
Highlands Ranch
Colorado
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$148,227 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
36
Population
101,514
Pompano Beach
Florida
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$61,155
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
111,790 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Highlands Ranch, CO
Pros
Households earn $87,072 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 5.3 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)
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Pompano Beach
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
Pompano Beach, FL
Pros
Homes cost $344k less ($293,300 vs $637,400)
Rent averages $826/mo less ($1,527 vs $2,353)
Milder winters — January highs near 76°F vs 45°F
Cons
Median income trails Highlands Ranch by $87,072/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Higher unemployment (8.7% vs 3.4%)
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Highlands Ranch
Key Differences at a Glance
Highlands Ranch
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 105.5 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
Highlands Ranch
Median Income
$87,072
$148,227 vs $61,155/yr
Highlands Ranch
Unemployment
5.3 pp lower
3.4% vs 8.7% unemployment
Pompano Beach
Median Home Value
$344k less
$293,300 vs $637,400
Pompano Beach
Summer Heat
3.2°F warmer
July avg high 90.5°F vs 87.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Highlands Ranch, CO | Pompano Beach, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 111.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $637,400⚠ High | $293,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,353⚠ High | $1,527⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $148,227 ✓ Higher | $61,155 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 8.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.1 min ✓ Shorter | 27.0 min |
| Work From Home % | 26.2% ✓ Higher | 9.9% |
| 🔒 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 | B- (91) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 65.7% ✓ Higher | 30.1% |
| High School or Higher | 98.8% ✓ Higher | 85.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Douglas County School District No. Re 1 | BROWARD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.6°F | 76.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F | 90.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 18.2" ✓ Drier | 55.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 64.0" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 101,514 | 111,790 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.0 | 41.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 79.4% ✓ Higher | 53.1% |
| Under 18 | 24.9% ✓ More | 18.7% |
| Over 65 | 13.4% | 18.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Highlands Ranch's cost of living index is 105.5 vs Pompano Beach's 111.8 (US average = 100).
Highlands Ranch is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Highlands Ranch leads 12 of 20 categories. Highlands Ranch wins 12 and Pompano Beach 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 Pompano Beach or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($637,400 vs $293,300 median home), income ($148,227 vs $61,155), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Highlands Ranch, CO and Pompano Beach, FL are about 1,700 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.