Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Highlands Ranch, CO
VS
West Valley City, UT
🏆 Highlands Ranch leads 14 of 23 categories
Highlands Ranch
Colorado
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
105.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$148,227 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
36 ✓ Safer
Population
101,514
West Valley City
Utah
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$81,719
Violent Crime Index
124⚠ High
Population
138,868 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Highlands Ranch, CO
Pros
Households earn $66,508 more per year on average
71% less violent crime than West Valley City
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 0.6 pts lower (3.4%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 87°F vs 94°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $637,400
Higher rents — median is $2,353/mo
Cost of living runs 9% higher than West Valley City
Snowy winters — about 64" of snow per year
West Valley City, UT
Pros
Homes cost $304k less ($333,600 vs $637,400)
Rent averages $993/mo less ($1,360 vs $2,353)
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Highlands Ranch
Cons
Median income trails Highlands Ranch by $66,508/yr
Violent crime (469.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Snowy winters — about 52" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Highlands Ranch
Median Income
$66,508
$148,227 vs $81,719/yr
Highlands Ranch
Violent Crime
71% lower
138.1 vs 469.5 per 100k
Highlands Ranch
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
3.4% vs 4.0% unemployment
West Valley City
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 96.7 vs 105.5 (100 = US avg)
West Valley City
Median Home Value
$304k less
$333,600 vs $637,400
West Valley City
Summer Heat
6.7°F warmer
July avg high 94.0°F vs 87.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Highlands Ranch, CO | West Valley City, UT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.5⚠ High | 96.7 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $637,400⚠ High | $333,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,353⚠ High | $1,360⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $148,227 ✓ Higher | $81,719 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 4.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.1 min | 21.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 26.2% ✓ Higher | 8.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 ✓ Safer | 109⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 124⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 ✓ Safer | 88 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (114) ✓ Better | C- (73) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 22.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 65.7% ✓ Higher | 15.8% |
| High School or Higher | 98.8% ✓ Higher | 83.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Douglas County School District No. Re 1 | Granite District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.6°F ✓ Warmer | 38.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F | 94.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 18.2" | 17.7" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 64.0" | 51.9" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 101,514 | 138,868 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.0 ✓ Older | 30.2 |
| Homeownership Rate | 79.4% ✓ Higher | 71.1% |
| Under 18 | 24.9% | 31.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.4% ✓ More | 9.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Highlands Ranch's cost of living index is 105.5 vs West Valley City's 96.7 (US average = 100).
West Valley City is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Highlands Ranch leads 14 of 23 categories. Highlands Ranch wins 14 and West Valley City 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 West Valley City or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($637,400 vs $333,600 median home), income ($148,227 vs $81,719), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Highlands Ranch, CO and West Valley City, UT are about 380 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.