Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Highlands Ranch, CO
VS
Springfield, IL
🏆 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
Springfield
Illinois
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.5 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$62,419
Violent Crime Index
237⚠ High
Population
114,214 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Highlands Ranch, CO
Pros
Households earn $85,808 more per year on average
85% less violent crime than Springfield
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.2 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)
Milder winters — January highs near 45°F vs 36°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $637,400
Higher rents — median is $2,353/mo
Cost of living runs 15% higher than Springfield
Snowy winters — about 64" of snow per year
Springfield, IL
Pros
Homes cost $490k less ($147,700 vs $637,400)
Rent averages $1440/mo less ($913 vs $2,353)
15% cheaper overall cost of living than Highlands Ranch
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.5)
Smaller class sizes — 13.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Highlands Ranch by $85,808/yr
Violent crime (901.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4911.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.6% vs 3.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Highlands Ranch
Median Income
$85,808
$148,227 vs $62,419/yr
Highlands Ranch
Violent Crime
85% lower
138.1 vs 901.2 per 100k
Highlands Ranch
Unemployment
3.2 pp lower
3.4% vs 6.6% unemployment
Springfield
Cost of Living
15% cheaper
COL index 90.5 vs 105.5 (100 = US avg)
Springfield
Median Home Value
$490k less
$147,700 vs $637,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Highlands Ranch, CO | Springfield, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.5⚠ High | 90.5 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $637,400⚠ High | $147,700 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,353⚠ High | $913 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $148,227 ✓ Higher | $62,419 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 6.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.1 min | 17.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 26.2% ✓ Higher | 10.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 ✓ Safer | 236⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 237⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 ✓ Safer | 234⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (114) ✓ Better | A- (111) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.4:1 | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 65.7% ✓ Higher | 34.7% |
| High School or Higher | 98.8% ✓ Higher | 92.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Douglas County School District No. Re 1 | Springfield SD 186 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.6°F ✓ Warmer | 35.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F ✓ Warmer | 85.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 18.2" ✓ Drier | 40.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 64.0" | 21.8" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 101,514 | 114,214 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.0 ✓ Older | 40.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 79.4% ✓ Higher | 62.4% |
| Under 18 | 24.9% ✓ More | 21.6% |
| Over 65 | 13.4% | 18.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Highlands Ranch's cost of living index is 105.5 vs Springfield's 90.5 (US average = 100).
Springfield is 15% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Highlands Ranch leads 15 of 23 categories. Highlands Ranch wins 15 and Springfield 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 Springfield or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($637,400 vs $147,700 median home), income ($148,227 vs $62,419), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Highlands Ranch, CO and Springfield, IL are about 814 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.