Denver vs Highlands Ranch
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $616,000 in Denver and $712,700 in Highlands Ranch.
- Households earn more in Highlands Ranch ($159,307 vs $94,718 median).
- Denver is growing faster: +3.5% since 2020 vs +0%.
Side by side
| Denver, CO | Highlands Ranch, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 740,613 | 102,257 |
| Growth since 2020 | +3.5% | n/a |
| People per square mile | 4,838 | 4,214 |
| Median age | 35.3 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 57% | 68% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $94,718 | $159,307 |
| Median home value | $616,000 | $712,700 |
| Home value to income | 6.5× | 4.5× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,831 | $2,531 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 105.8 | 105.8 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 146.9 | 146.9 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $79,300 | $79,300 |
| Homeowners | 49% | 78% |
| Top state income tax | 4.4% | 4.4% |
| Combined sales tax | 7.89% | 7.89% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 24.9 | 24.2 |
| Work from home | 27% | 33% |
| Take public transit | 4% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 4.9% | 4% |
| Poverty rate | 11.2% | 2.9% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 47° / 18° | 47° / 18° |
| July high / low | 90° / 59° | 90° / 59° |
| Precipitation per year | 15 in | 15 in |
| Snowfall per year | 49 in | 49 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 42 | 42 |
| Nights below freezing | 156 | 156 |
| Comfortable months | 3 | 3 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 95.2 | 88.7 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 29% | 29% |
| Home prices, past year | -0.5% | -0.5% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +21.4% | +21.4% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Denver: May to June and September. Highlands Ranch: May to June and September.
Full monthly tables: Denver weather by month and Highlands Ranch weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $79,300 in Denver and $79,300 in Highlands Ranch. Moving from Denver to Highlands Ranch, you would need about $75,000 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Denver and Highlands Ranch
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Denver and Highlands Ranch.
Which would you pick?
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