Population 102,452 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Highlands Ranch
Household size in Highlands Ranch
| Period | Highlands Ranch | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.88 | 2.58 | 2.57 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.95 | 2.66 | 2.63 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.87 | 2.68 | 2.64 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.74 | 2.57 | 2.54 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.14 | −0.01 | −0.04 | −0.03 |
The typical household in Highlands Ranch holds 2.74 people, slightly more than the U.S. average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.88, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the southeast and smallest in the northwest.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Highlands Ranch
| Period | Highlands Ranch | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.9 | 36.7 | 36.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.2 | 37.3 | 37.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.6 | 38.0 | 38.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.5 | 38.5 | 39.1 | 40.1 |
| Change | +6.6 | +1.8 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Highlands Ranch is 42.5 years old, a bit older than the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 35.9 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the southeast and oldest in the northwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Highlands Ranch
| Period | Highlands Ranch | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.0% | 10.8% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.3% | 11.0% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.0% | 9.8% | 9.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.9% | 9.6% | 9.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.9 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Highlands Ranch: 7.9% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has edged up 0.9 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Highlands Ranch
Renters in Highlands Ranch
| Period | Highlands Ranch | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.4% | 33.5% | 32.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 18.6% | 36.4% | 35.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.0% | 36.1% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 22.0% | 35.9% | 33.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +6.6 pts | +2.4 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Highlands Ranch is largely a place of homeowners: only 22.0% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. About a quarter of owners (25.7%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 6.6 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Highlands Ranch
| Period | Highlands Ranch | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.5% | 8.5% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 3.9% | 6.6% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.9% | 5.5% | 8.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 3.6% | 6.0% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | −2.5 pts | −3.0 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Highlands Ranch: just 3.6% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Vacancy is down 0.9 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Highlands Ranch has a lower vacancy rate than the great majority of Colorado cities.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Highlands Ranch
| Period | Highlands Ranch | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1997 | 1980 | 1981 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1996 | 1981 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1997 | 1982 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1998 | 1987 | 1988 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +8 | +7 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Highlands Ranch is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1998, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. Compared with other Colorado cities, Highlands Ranch has newer homes than most.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Highlands Ranch
| Period | Highlands Ranch | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,591 | $1,128 | $1,051 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,733 | $1,245 | $1,165 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,195 | $1,606 | $1,450 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,939 | $2,181 | $1,963 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,348 | +$1,053 | +$912 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Highlands Ranch costs $2,939 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,348 a month since 2006–10, up 85%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 29.9% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the northeast; the highest are in the southeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Highlands Ranch
Bachelor's degrees in Highlands Ranch
| Period | Highlands Ranch | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 62.0% | 38.1% | 36.4% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 62.5% | 40.0% | 37.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 64.9% | 43.5% | 40.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 68.4% | 49.1% | 45.9% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.3 pts | +11.0 pts | +9.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
Highlands Ranch is highly educated: about seven in ten adults 25 and older (68.4%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 6.3 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Of the 133 Colorado cities with 5,000+ people, only 11 have a higher share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Highlands Ranch
| Period | Highlands Ranch | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 98.0% | 88.8% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 98.4% | 89.8% | 90.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 98.6% | 91.1% | 91.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.9% | 92.1% | 92.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.9 pts | +3.3 pts | +3.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Highlands Ranch: 98.9% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has edged up 0.9 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. Of the 133 Colorado cities with 5,000+ people, only eight have a higher share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Highlands Ranch
| Period | Highlands Ranch | Denver area | Colorado | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.7% | 6.8% | 6.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.4% | 7.5% | 7.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.0% | 3.7% | 4.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.0% | 4.4% | 4.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | −2.4 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Highlands Ranch runs below the national rate: 4.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is down 0.7 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Highlands Ranch compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highlands Ranch | 2.74 | 42.5 | 7.9% | 22.0% | 3.6% | 1998 | $2,939 | 68.4% | 98.9% | 4.0% |
| Lone Tree | 2.25 | 42.7 | 6.3% | 43.7% | 5.2% | 2002 | $2,459 | 71.1% | 98.6% | 3.3% |
| Louviers | 2.54 | 45.2 | 6.1% | 13.9% | 3.5% | 2011 | $3,389 | 68.3% | 99.1% | 2.4% |
| Englewood | 2.23 | 38.5 | 8.2% | 48.3% | 5.2% | 1983 | $2,090 | 57.5% | 95.0% | 4.5% |
| Castle Pines North | 2.78 | 45.5 | 5.1% | 19.9% | 2.8% | 2002 | $2,523 | 68.4% | 99.3% | 3.2% |
| Littleton | 2.41 | 41.8 | 7.5% | 34.5% | 4.9% | 1989 | $2,289 | 59.6% | 96.4% | 4.1% |
| Columbine Valley | 2.56 | 52.2 | 0.3% | 2.5% | 1.9% | 1979 | $1,929 | 85.1% | 99.7% | 0.3% |
| Meridian | 2.19 | 29.0 | 4.7% | 82.0% | 7.2% | 2005 | $2,068 | 44.0% | 98.3% | 8.3% |
| Columbine | 2.69 | 42.2 | 8.0% | 10.5% | 4.7% | 1978 | $2,376 | 53.1% | 97.3% | 4.0% |
| Greenwood Village | 2.49 | 46.5 | 8.3% | 29.8% | 4.7% | 1988 | $2,398 | 78.2% | 98.1% | 3.1% |
| Centennial | 2.68 | 42.8 | 7.0% | 16.6% | 4.5% | 1985 | $2,406 | 59.2% | 96.5% | 4.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Broken Arrow, OK · Brockton, MA · Broomfield, CO · Battle Creek, MI · Appleton, WI · Acworth, GA · Alpharetta, GA · Aurora, IL · Aurora, CO · Arlington, VA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Highlands Ranch. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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