Residential comparison · 13 facts
Boulder, CO vs Highlands Ranch, CO
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Boulder needs about $89,000 in Highlands Ranch to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Highlands Ranch, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $81,000 in Boulder.
A few differences
- Highlands Ranch is higher on median household income ($159,307 vs $87,493).
- Highlands Ranch is lower on cost of living index (135 vs 150).
- Boulder is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($2,139/mo vs $2,389/mo).
Boulder vs Highlands Ranch · facet by facet
| Facet | Boulder, CO | Highlands Ranch, CO |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $1,039,500 | $712,700 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $2,139/mo | $2,389/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.5% | 0.5% |
| State & local income tax | 2.89% | 2.89% |
| Sales tax | 7.8% | 7.8% |
| Cost of living index | 150 | 135 |
| Groceries index | 100 | 100 |
| Utilities | $160/mo | $160/mo |
| Median household income | $87,493 | $159,307 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 3.7% |
| Crime index | 52/100 | 52/100 |
| School rating | 6.5/10 | 6.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 245 days | 245 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Boulder, CO · Highlands Ranch, CO
Questions & answers
- Is Boulder cheaper than Highlands Ranch?
- Highlands Ranch has the lower day-to-day cost index (135 vs 150 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Highlands Ranch equals $85,000 in Boulder?
- A household earning $85,000 in Boulder needs about $89,000 in Highlands Ranch to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Highlands Ranch lifestyle costs about $81,000 in Boulder.