The Town FilesCentennial, Colorado
City in Arapahoe County · population 108,418 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $658,100
- Household income
- $131,928
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 64 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 49
- Median age
- 42.0
Centennial is a city of 108,418 people in Arapahoe County, Colorado. The median home is worth $658,100, above the typical Colorado town ($471,100). It ranks more vibrant than 93% of Colorado towns, better transit than 87% of Colorado towns, more walkable than 86% of Colorado towns.
How Centennial ranks
Percentile among Colorado towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Colorado towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Centennial is worth $658,100, above the typical Colorado town ($471,100). Homes cost about 5.0 times the median household income of $131,928, which is more affordable than 54% of Colorado towns. Median rent is $2,148 a month. 80.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Centennial | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $658,100 | $471,100 |
| Median rent | $2,148 | $1,582 |
| Median household income | $131,928 | $86,246 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.0× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 80.6% | 72.7% |
| Median year built | 1983 | 1982 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.2% | — |
Who lives in Centennial
| People | Centennial | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.0 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.9% | 16.9% |
| Under 18 | 21.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 62.6% | 37.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.3% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 7.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 9.9% | — |
| Work from home | 26.9% | 15.3% |
| Average commute | 25.9 min | 24.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.9% | 92.9% |
Weather in Centennial
July highs average 87.3°F and January lows 19.0°F. About 15.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 64.0 inches of snow (typical Colorado town: 47.4 in). Expect about 32 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 155 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
49 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Centennial since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Colorado town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 8, 1986 about 9.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 6, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 472 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 19, 2018.
Severe weather in Arapahoe County since 1996
Arapahoe County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 25, 2023 | Flood | DR-4731: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| March 28, 2020 | Biological | DR-4498: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3436: Covid-19 |
| September 14, 2013 | Flood | DR-4145: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| September 12, 2013 | Flood | EM-3365: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Arapahoe County
Arapahoe County had 339,996 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $85,628 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Centennial itself the ACS puts it at 4.6%.
Public schools in Centennial
24 public schools with 14,768 students, about 17.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eaglecrest High School | 9-12 | 2,988 | 19.3 |
| Arapahoe High School | 9-12 | 1,781 | 22.8 |
| Newton Middle School | 6-8 | 784 | 18.7 |
| Ford Elementary | K-5 | 684 | 18.0 |
| Mountain Vista Elementary School | PK-5 | 635 | 16.7 |
| Aspen Crossing Elementary School | PK-5 | 607 | 17.9 |
| Creekside Elementary School | PK-5 | 556 | 15.9 |
| Gudy Gaskill Elementary | K-5 | 523 | 15.8 |
| Heritage Heights Academy (charter) | K-8 | 507 | 18.1 |
| Timberline Elementary School | PK-5 | 506 | 16.3 |
| Red Hawk Ridge Elementary School | PK-5 | 503 | 16.2 |
| Lois Lenski Elementary School | K-5 | 503 | 18.6 |
Towns near Centennial
- Cherry Creek, CO1.3 mi · 11,488 people · home $888,900
- Dove Valley, CO2.0 mi · 5,640 people · home $455,600
- Acres Green, CO3.0 mi · 2,922 people · home $580,900
- Greenwood Village, CO3.1 mi · 15,691 people · home $1,237,800
- Meridian, CO3.2 mi · 4,786 people · home $581,100
- Lone Tree, CO4.2 mi · 14,253 people · home $874,100
- Meridian Village, CO4.8 mi · 3,202 people · home $732,400
- Sierra Ridge, CO5.0 mi · 3,490 people · home $862,500
Centennial questions
Is Centennial, Colorado a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Centennial scores better for retirees than 38% of Colorado towns and quieter than 19%. 18.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.0).
How much does a house cost in Centennial?
The median owner-occupied home in Centennial is valued at $658,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $131,928, so homes cost about 5.0 times income. Median rent is $2,148 a month.
What is the weather like in Centennial?
July highs average 87.3°F and January lows 19.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 15.0 inches of precipitation a year and 64.0 inches of snow.
Does Centennial get tornadoes?
49 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Centennial since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 8, 1986. The typical Colorado town has had 11.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)