Columbine vs Highlands Ranch
Columbine, Colorado versus Highlands Ranch, Colorado: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Columbine and Highlands Ranch score about the same overall (52 vs 53 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Columbine | Highlands Ranch |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $122k | $148k |
| Cost of Living | $63k | $72k |
| Home Value | $551k | $637k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.50% | 0.52% |
| Income Tax | 4.40% | 4.40% |
| Sales Tax | 7.81% | 7.81% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.22% | 9.22% |
| Unemployment | 3.6% | 3.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 32°F | 32°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 18.9 in | 18.2 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 34.1 in | 64.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 283 days | 283 days |
| Summer Humidity | 48°F | 48°F |
| Comfortable Days | 47 days | 50 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 34.0 | 24.7 |
| Air Quality | 43 AQI | 45 AQI |
| School Quality | 56.1 | 45.5 |
| Violent Crime | 1173/100k | 472/100k |
| Property Crime | 3492/100k | 1355/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 25,940 | 101,514 |
| Median Age | 41.0 | 41.0 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.21 | 0.27 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.97 | 1.00 |
| Political Leaning | D+19 | Even |
| White (%) | 83.3% | 80.0% |
| Black (%) | 2.1% | 1.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 10.4% | 9.0% |
| Asian (%) | 1.3% | 6.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.0% | 3.8% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 27 min | 25 min |
| Walkability | 8.2/20 | 10.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 28 mi | 27 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 95.3% | 97.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 172.71 | 34.87 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | 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 Columbine or Highlands Ranch more affordable?
- Columbine has the lower cost of living: its index is $63k, compared with Columbine's $63k and Highlands Ranch's $72k. Median rent is $2k in Columbine versus $2k in Highlands Ranch.
- Is Columbine or Highlands Ranch safer?
- Highlands Ranch has the lower violent crime rate. Columbine reports 1173/100k and Highlands Ranch reports 472/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Columbine or Highlands Ranch?
- The median home value is $551k in Columbine and $637k in Highlands Ranch, so homes are more affordable in Columbine.