Aurora vs Centennial
Aurora, Colorado versus Centennial, Colorado: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Centennial edges out Aurora on overall objective livability (52 vs 43 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Aurora | Centennial |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $79k | $125k |
| Cost of Living | $60k | $60k |
| Home Value | $410k | $587k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.53% | 0.55% |
| Income Tax | 4.90% | 4.40% |
| Sales Tax | 7.81% | 7.81% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.22% | 9.55% |
| Unemployment | 5.5% | 3.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 32°F | 32°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 17.5 in | 15.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.0 in | 64.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 217 days | 283 days |
| Summer Humidity | 48°F | 48°F |
| Comfortable Days | 45 days | 53 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 27.2 | 47.0 |
| Air Quality | 47 AQI | 43 AQI |
| School Quality | 70.6 | 61.1 |
| Violent Crime | 2174/100k | 715/100k |
| Property Crime | 4253/100k | 2293/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 387,349 | 107,702 |
| Median Age | 35.1 | 41.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.67 | 0.33 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.01 | 1.01 |
| Political Leaning | D+63 | D+63 |
| White (%) | 42.8% | 76.9% |
| Black (%) | 16.1% | 2.3% |
| Hispanic (%) | 29.7% | 9.1% |
| Asian (%) | 5.9% | 6.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.5% | 5.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 29 min | 26 min |
| Walkability | 10.8/20 | 10.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 12 mi | 20 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 92.8% | 96.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 1.86 | 65.37 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Aurora or Centennial more affordable?
- Centennial has the lower cost of living: its index is $60k, compared with Aurora's $60k and Centennial's $60k. Median rent is $2k in Aurora versus $2k in Centennial.
- Is Aurora or Centennial safer?
- Centennial has the lower violent crime rate. Aurora reports 2174/100k and Centennial reports 715/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Aurora or Centennial?
- The median home value is $410k in Aurora and $587k in Centennial, so homes are more affordable in Aurora.