Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Highlands Ranch, CO
VS
Wichita, KS
🏆 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
Wichita
Kansas
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.5 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$60,712
Violent Crime Index
142⚠ High
Population
395,951 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Highlands Ranch, CO
Pros
Households earn $87,515 more per year on average
74% less violent crime than Wichita
More college-educated — 65.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.3 pts lower (3.4%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (138.1 vs 380/100k)
Cooler summers — July highs near 87°F vs 93°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $637,400
Higher rents — median is $2,353/mo
Cost of living runs 16% higher than Wichita
Snowy winters — about 64" of snow per year
Wichita, KS
Pros
Homes cost $471k less ($166,400 vs $637,400)
Rent averages $1438/mo less ($915 vs $2,353)
16% cheaper overall cost of living than Highlands Ranch
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.5)
Smaller class sizes — 14.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Highlands Ranch by $87,515/yr
Violent crime (538.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (5.7% vs 3.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Highlands Ranch
Median Income
$87,515
$148,227 vs $60,712/yr
Highlands Ranch
Violent Crime
74% lower
138.1 vs 538.6 per 100k
Highlands Ranch
Unemployment
2.3 pp lower
3.4% vs 5.7% unemployment
Wichita
Cost of Living
16% cheaper
COL index 89.5 vs 105.5 (100 = US avg)
Wichita
Median Home Value
$471k less
$166,400 vs $637,400
Wichita
Summer Heat
5.3°F warmer
July avg high 92.6°F vs 87.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Highlands Ranch, CO | Wichita, KS |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 105.5⚠ High | 89.5 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $637,400⚠ High | $166,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,353⚠ High | $915 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $148,227 ✓ Higher | $60,712 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.1 min | 18.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 26.2% ✓ Higher | 6.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 ✓ Safer | 129⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 142⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 ✓ Safer | 110⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (114) ✓ Better | B (98) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.4:1 | 14.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 65.7% ✓ Higher | 31.0% |
| High School or Higher | 98.8% ✓ Higher | 88.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Douglas County School District No. Re 1 | Wichita |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.6°F ✓ Warmer | 43.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F | 92.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 18.2" ✓ Drier | 35.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 64.0" | 12.7" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 101,514 | 395,951 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 41.0 ✓ Older | 35.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 79.4% ✓ Higher | 58.5% |
| Under 18 | 24.9% ✓ More | 24.6% |
| Over 65 | 13.4% | 15.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Highlands Ranch's cost of living index is 105.5 vs Wichita's 89.5 (US average = 100).
Wichita is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Highlands Ranch leads 14 of 23 categories. Highlands Ranch wins 14 and Wichita 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 Wichita or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($637,400 vs $166,400 median home), income ($148,227 vs $60,712), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Highlands Ranch, CO and Wichita, KS are about 431 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.