Highlands Ranch, Colorado, known as "The Community Connected by Nature," is a picturesque and family-friendly suburb located near Denver. With its excellent schools, abundant parks, and strong community spirit, Highlands Ranch offers a high quality of life for its residents. The city's blend of suburban tranquility and modern amenities makes living in Highlands Ranch an attractive option for families and professionals.
Residents of Highlands Ranch enjoy a variety of recreational activities and community events. The city's numerous parks, trails, and recreational facilities provide ample opportunities for outdoor activities. The Highlands Ranch Mansion and the Backcountry Wilderness Area are popular destinations that celebrate the city's natural beauty and rich history. The annual Highlands Ranch Music Arts Festival and the 4th of July Parade are events that showcase the vibrant community spirit of Highlands Ranch.
Highlands Ranch's strong economy is supported by a diverse range of industries, including healthcare, technology, and education. The city's strategic location near Denver provides residents with easy access to job opportunities and cultural amenities in the greater metropolitan area. Major employers in the area include UCHealth Highlands Ranch Hospital and the Douglas County School District.
Highlands Ranch is known for its commitment to family life and community engagement, with numerous programs and initiatives aimed at enhancing the quality of life for its residents. The city's focus on education, public safety, and recreational opportunities makes it a great place to raise a family.
Public transportation in Highlands Ranch is well-developed, with access to RTD (Regional Transportation District) buses and light rail, facilitating easy commutes within the city and to neighboring areas. Highlands Ranch's climate features mild winters and warm summers, allowing for year-round outdoor activities. Overall, Highlands Ranch offers a blend of suburban tranquility, economic opportunity, and community spirit, making it a desirable place to live.
Employment
This area excels in the employment category with a score well above average, primarily due to the higher median home income, per capita income and low unemployment rates.
Housing
High scores in the housing category are attributed to this area, possibly pointing to a favorable home affordability ratio, robust appreciation rates or elevated home values.
Schools
The schools category boasts a high score thanks to factors like excellent test scores, impressive graduation rates and the convenient placement of elementary and high schools in this area.
Ratings
Locals express favorable opinions about the proximity of everyday local amenities, parks, public transit, neighborly atmosphere, strong sense of community and the general safety of the area.
Amenities
A large portion of amenities are not ideally situated within walking distance, potentially requiring residents to utilize a vehicle or public transportation.
Commute
Access to public transportation in this particular area may be limited, which can result in longer-than-average commute times to reach workplaces.
Cost Of Living
The cost of living in this area is notably high, making it a more expensive place to live. You'll find higher expenses for everyday goods and services, housing and groceries.
Health & Safety
A low health and safety score may be attributed to factors such as subpar air quality and the unavailability of certain health-related facilities like hospitals, clinics, doctors and pharmacies.
Highlands Ranch, Colorado is a moderately-sized city with a population of 107,017 residents. In Highlands Ranch, there are 4,410 people per square mile, which is well above the national population density average. At 87%, the majority of the Highlands Ranch population is White; this is followed by 6% Asian and 1% Black. On a daily basis, the typical American spends approximately 26 minutes on their one-way work commute. Reduced travel times not only contributes to increased overall happiness, but also affords more opportunities to cherish moments with family and friends. If you're living in Highlands Ranch, your commute time will align closely with the national average, spanning a one-way duration of approximately 26 minutes.
Are you trying to decide if living in Highlands Ranch is the right fit for your lifestyle? To ensure a fulfilling experience before relocating to any new city in Colorado, you will probably want to make sure that you check all of the most important boxes. Several key factors deserve attention. For one, safety is paramount, ensuring that your new area is low in crime is key. Proximity to workplaces or schools minimizes commute times and fosters convenience. Access to essential amenities like parks, grocery stores, food, fitness, shops and healthcare facilities enhances daily life. Efficient public transportation options provide mobility and connectivity. The sense of community creates a welcoming and supportive environment. Lastly, the overall atmosphere, encompassing the vibe, aesthetics, and lifestyle offerings, contributes to a fulfilling living experience. Considering these elements helps identify the ideal neighborhood for your needs and preferences. To help you find the best places to live in and around Highlands Ranch, AreaVibes has created a livability score using key metrics like cost of living, employment, housing and more.
Highlands Ranch, CO receives 68/100 for its livability score; this results in a ranking of #128 in Colorado and #8,264 in the USA. For each of the livability categories, we see that Highlands Ranch ranks very well for education (B-) and housing (A+). Highlands Ranch does not rank well for the following: amenities (F) and cost of living (F). It might be a smart idea to take a closer look at each category to find out why.
Unemployment rates can vary significantly among cities, impacting job prospects, wage levels and the overall economic health of an area. In Highlands Ranch, the unemployment rate stands at 2.61%, suggesting increased job opportunities and a heightened demand for workers. This scenario can lead to higher wages, as the demand for employees outpaces job availability. Importantly, a low unemployment rate often signifies a robust and flourishing local economy.
A healthy real estate market serves as a key economic indicator. It could signify overall local economic strength, stability and reflects consumer confidence in the area. Based on multiple factors including: median home and rental prices, appreciation rates and home affordability, Highlands Ranch has received high marks in the housing category. Based on these calculations, the apartment rental and real estate market appears to be very healthy.
Highlands Ranch real estate prices and overall affordability will play a huge role in determining if the area is the right fit for you. Of course there are probably some other items on your “wish list”, but even before they are considered, let’s take a look at the home prices and affordability in Highlands Ranch. The median home price for Highlands Ranch homes is $493,600, which is 86.5% higher than the Colorado average. If we take a closer look at the affordability of homes in Highlands Ranch, we’ll see that the home price to income ratio is 3.9, which is 7.1% lower than the Colorado average.
| Statistic | Highlands Ranch | Colorado | National |
| Average one way commute | 26min | 25min | 26min |
| Workers who drive to work | 73.8% | 75.2% | 76.4% |
| Workers who carpool | 5.4% | 9.3% | 9.3% |
| Workers who take public transit | 2.7% | 3.1% | 5.1% |
| Workers who bicycle | 0.5% | 1.3% | 0.6% |
| Workers who walk | 0.7% | 3.0% | 2.8% |
| Working from home | 16.1% | 7.0% | 4.6% |
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