The Town FilesHighlands Ranch, Colorado
Community in Douglas County · population 103,444 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $712,700
- Household income
- $159,307
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 64 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 22
- Median age
- 41.5
Highlands Ranch is a community of 103,444 people in Douglas County, Colorado. The median home is worth $712,700, above the typical Colorado town ($471,100). It ranks more upscale than 92% of Colorado towns, more of a college town than 86% of Colorado towns, better for families than 83% of Colorado towns.
How Highlands Ranch 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 Highlands Ranch is worth $712,700, above the typical Colorado town ($471,100). Homes cost about 4.5 times the median household income of $159,307, which is more affordable than 68% of Colorado towns. Median rent is $2,531 a month. 78.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Highlands Ranch | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $712,700 | $471,100 |
| Median rent | $2,531 | $1,582 |
| Median household income | $159,307 | $86,246 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.5× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 78.1% | 72.7% |
| Median year built | 1997 | 1982 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.3% | — |
Who lives in Highlands Ranch
| People | Highlands Ranch | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.5 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.7% | 16.9% |
| Under 18 | 24.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 67.8% | 37.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.9% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 6.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.6% | — |
| Work from home | 33.0% | 15.3% |
| Average commute | 24.2 min | 24.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.1% | 92.9% |
Weather in Highlands Ranch
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
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Highlands Ranch since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Colorado town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 19, 1985 about 5.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 22, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 238 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 19, 2018.
Severe weather in Douglas County since 1996
Douglas County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| 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 |
| January 7, 2007 | Snowstorm | EM-3270: Snow |
| September 5, 2005 | Coastal Storm | EM-3224: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Douglas County
Douglas County had 147,461 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $84,978 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Highlands Ranch itself the ACS puts it at 4%.
Public schools in Highlands Ranch
26 public schools with 20,106 students, about 17.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rock Canyon High School | 9-12 | 2,328 | 21.4 |
| Mountain Vista High School | 9-12 | 2,217 | 20.7 |
| Thunderridge High School | 9-12 | 1,841 | 20.9 |
| STEM School Highlands Ranch (charter) | K-12 | 1,399 | 18.9 |
| Highlands Ranch High School | 9-12 | 1,390 | 16.7 |
| Skyview Academy (charter) | PK-12 | 1,283 | 15.5 |
| Ben Franklin Academy (charter) | PK-8 | 879 | 19.1 |
| Mountain Ridge Middle School | 7-8 | 842 | 17.9 |
| Ranch View Middle School | 7-8 | 810 | 18.4 |
| Cresthill Middle School | 7-8 | 618 | 15.1 |
| Northridge Elementary School | PK-6 | 565 | 16.1 |
| Coyote Creek Elementary School | PK-6 | 502 | 17.9 |
Towns near Highlands Ranch
- Acres Green, CO4.1 mi · 2,922 people · home $580,900
- Littleton, CO4.3 mi · 45,652 people · home $630,600
- Lone Tree, CO5.4 mi · 14,253 people · home $874,100
- Greenwood Village, CO6.1 mi · 15,691 people · home $1,237,800
- Columbine, CO6.2 mi · 25,229 people · home $617,200
- Meridian, CO6.3 mi · 4,786 people · home $581,100
- Centennial, CO6.7 mi · 108,418 people · home $658,100
- Cherry Hills Village, CO6.8 mi · 6,442 people · home $2,000,001
Highlands Ranch questions
Is Highlands Ranch, Colorado a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Highlands Ranch scores better for retirees than 32% of Colorado towns and quieter than 13%. 14.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.5).
How much does a house cost in Highlands Ranch?
The median owner-occupied home in Highlands Ranch is valued at $712,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $159,307, so homes cost about 4.5 times income. Median rent is $2,531 a month.
What is the weather like in Highlands Ranch?
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 Highlands Ranch get tornadoes?
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Highlands Ranch since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 19, 1985. 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)