Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Highlands Ranch, CO
VS
Thornton, CO
🏆 Highlands Ranch leads 13 of 22 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
Thornton
Colorado
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$95,064
Violent Crime Index
72
Population
141,799 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Highlands Ranch, CO
Pros
Households earn $53,163 more per year on average
50% less violent crime than Thornton
More college-educated — 65.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (138.1 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.2 pts lower (3.4%)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $637,400
Higher rents — median is $2,353/mo
Snowy winters — about 64" of snow per year
Thornton, CO
Pros
Homes cost $192k less ($445,200 vs $637,400)
Rent averages $595/mo less ($1,758 vs $2,353)
Cons
Median income trails Highlands Ranch by $53,163/yr
Property crime (2835.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (4.6% vs 3.4%)
Longer commutes — 30.9 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Highlands Ranch
Median Income
$53,163
$148,227 vs $95,064/yr
Highlands Ranch
Violent Crime
50% lower
138.1 vs 273.6 per 100k
Highlands Ranch
Unemployment
1.2 pp lower
3.4% vs 4.6% unemployment
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 105.5 on the COL index
Thornton
Median Home Value
$192k less
$445,200 vs $637,400
Thornton
Summer Heat
3.8°F warmer
July avg high 91.1°F vs 87.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Highlands Ranch, CO | Thornton, CO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.5⚠ High | 105.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $637,400⚠ High | $445,200⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,353⚠ High | $1,758⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $148,227 ✓ Higher | $95,064 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 4.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.1 min ✓ Shorter | 30.9 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 26.2% ✓ Higher | 12.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 ✓ Safer | 97 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 72 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 ✓ Safer | 135⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (114) ✓ Better | B- (93) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.4:1 | 17.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 65.7% ✓ Higher | 30.7% |
| High School or Higher | 98.8% ✓ Higher | 87.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Douglas County School District No. Re 1 | Adams 12 Five Star Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.6°F | 48.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F | 91.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 18.2" | 16.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 64.0" | 44.8" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 101,514 | 141,799 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.0 ✓ Older | 33.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 79.4% ✓ Higher | 72.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.9% | 26.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.4% ✓ More | 10.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Highlands Ranch's cost of living index is 105.5 vs Thornton's 105.5 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Highlands Ranch leads 13 of 22 categories. Highlands Ranch wins 13 and Thornton wins 9. 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 Thornton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($637,400 vs $445,200 median home), income ($148,227 vs $95,064), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Highlands Ranch, CO and Thornton, CO are about 26 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.