Jobs, pay and daily life in Highlands Ranch, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Highlands Ranch is a city in Colorado with 102,257 residents. The median household earns $159,307 a year and the median rent is $2,531 a month, which is 19.1% of the median household income. It is part of the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metropolitan area, where BLS counts 1,609,350 jobs.
How Highlands Ranch compares. Among the 80 largest places in Colorado, Highlands Ranch is #13 by population, #74 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #9 for household income (#1 = highest), #9 for remote work (#1 = most). Its county, Douglas County, is #5 of 64 counties for average pay ($84,978).
Highlands Ranch has 102,257 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 1.7% of the population of Colorado. It covers 24 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 4,214 people per square mile. The median age is 41.5, 10% older than the state median (41.5 against 37.7). It is a census-designated place: a community the Census Bureau counts as a unit, without a city government of its own, so services such as police, roads and zoning usually come from the county.
The median gross rent is $2,531 a month (rent plus utilities), 44% above the state median ($2,531 against $1,761). Over a year that is 19.1% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $712,700, which is 4.5 times the median household income ($159,307). 78.1% of households own their home, 18% above the state average (78.1% against 66.2%).
The Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metropolitan area has 1,609,350 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $62,320 a year, 22% above the national median ($62,320 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are business and financial operations (169,260 jobs, median $96,450); office and administrative support (168,520 jobs, median $53,050); sales and related (165,560 jobs, median $49,730). The area is most specialised in architecture and engineering (1.6 times) and computer and mathematical (1.6 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($160,810) and legal ($132,690). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Douglas County was 4.0%. 70.5% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Douglas County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 61.0% drive alone, 0.7% use public transit, 0.8% walk, 33.0% work from home. 13.5% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 5% below the state average (13.5% against 14.1%). Remote work is more common than in the state as a whole, which widens the set of employers a resident can work for without moving.
67.8% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 48% above the state share (67.8% against 45.7%). 8.6% of residents were born outside the United States, 12% below the state share (8.6% against 9.8%). The poverty rate is 2.9%, 69% below the state rate (2.9% against 9.4%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 72°F (22.3°C), and the coolest is Dec at 28°F (-2.1°C). About 440 mm (17 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jul is the wettest month (62 mm) and Jan the driest (17 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Littleton (4 miles, rent 28% lower); Lone Tree (5 miles, rent 15% lower); Greenwood Village (6 miles, rent 16% lower); Columbine (6 miles, rent 3% lower). Rent differences are against Highlands Ranch; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Colorado (1,073) →State guide: ColoradoCountry guideDouglas CountyColorado rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 1,073 federal postings open in Colorado (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Colorado →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 42,810 | 1.07 | $37,070 | $33,230 | $44,420 | +19% |
| Retail Salespersons | 40,340 | 1.00 | $38,470 | $34,700 | $49,130 | +9% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 32,610 | 1.11 | $44,480 | $38,020 | $50,250 | +19% |
| Registered Nurses | 30,380 | 0.87 | $101,130 | $81,210 | $125,870 | +4% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 28,670 | 2.55 | $94,990 | $59,080 | $156,540 | +14% |
| Software Developers | 27,010 | 1.55 | $137,610 | $99,700 | $209,300 | +1% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 26,130 | 0.59 | $38,900 | $37,160 | $46,220 | +9% |
| Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel | 24,480 | 1.88 | $80,650 | $45,250 | $164,530 | +15% |
| Cashiers | 23,860 | 0.75 | $37,620 | $34,540 | $46,870 | +14% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 23,560 | 0.88 | $48,590 | $37,970 | $71,700 | +9% |
| General and Operations Managers | 22,940 | 0.63 | $142,330 | $73,490 | $313,870 | +35% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 22,720 | 1.51 | $100,020 | $63,550 | $165,010 | +20% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 20,750 | 0.88 | $39,650 | $31,010 | $78,380 | +13% |
| Project Management Specialists | 20,710 | 1.88 | $116,740 | $71,600 | $172,060 | +14% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 19,460 | 0.85 | $38,840 | $36,110 | $51,340 | +5% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 19,340 | 0.63 | $46,290 | $38,340 | $59,550 | +15% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 17,660 | 1.38 | $81,060 | $49,000 | $154,620 | +12% |
| Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists | 17,000 | 1.83 | $99,040 | $51,980 | $167,560 | +26% |
| Office Clerks, General | 16,320 | 0.64 | $53,990 | $40,760 | $79,040 | +20% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 15,410 | 1.06 | $44,370 | $36,340 | $49,880 | +19% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | 5,600 | 5.23 | $307,490 | $189,150 | $377,860 | +32% |
| Physicians, All Other | 1,170 | 0.33 | $298,600 | $154,280 | $377,370 | +12% |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 1,080 | 0.97 | $255,590 | $77,310 | $335,940 | +5% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 7,730 | 1.11 | $203,340 | $133,450 | $293,820 | +16% |
| Financial Managers | 7,490 | 0.86 | $193,400 | $127,190 | $344,300 | +16% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 2,860 | 1.25 | $191,440 | $139,990 | $287,530 | +12% |
| Marketing Managers | 4,220 | 1.03 | $182,470 | $124,230 | $290,850 | +9% |
| Sales Managers | 5,930 | 0.90 | $181,580 | $109,250 | $320,960 | +22% |
| Purchasing Managers | 980 | 1.12 | $180,000 | $126,770 | $247,630 | +22% |
| Lawyers | 11,860 | 1.52 | $177,380 | $90,640 | $337,050 | +11% |
| Managers, All Other | 9,250 | 1.44 | $175,980 | $115,600 | $286,040 | +24% |
| Human Resources Managers | 2,540 | 1.11 | $170,940 | $109,540 | $277,530 | +15% |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | 6,710 | 2.93 | $168,720 | $80,780 | $360,240 | +57% |
| Dentists, General | 1,980 | 1.54 | $168,620 | $84,590 | $222,590 | -1% |
| Administrative Services Managers | 1,520 | 0.55 | $164,240 | $103,630 | $258,990 | +44% |
| Database Architects | 1,360 | 1.96 | $162,640 | $106,200 | $197,740 | +17% |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | 7,850 | 1.74 | $160,520 | $80,230 | $166,670 | +38% |
| Pharmacists | 2,630 | 0.79 | $157,890 | $122,450 | $188,490 | +12% |
| Aerospace Engineers | 2,010 | 2.86 | $156,190 | $98,090 | $210,810 | +16% |
| Industrial Production Managers | 830 | 0.33 | $146,460 | $93,270 | $241,990 | +16% |
These figures are for the whole Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $62,320 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.3% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 21.4% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 20.2% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 12.1% |
| Retail trade | 8.8% |
| Manufacturing | 8.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 6.8% |
| Information | 4.6% |
| Other services | 3.9% |
| Construction | 3.7% |
| Public administration | 3.7% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 3.1% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.6% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 1.0% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Highlands Ranch lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas County | 377,150 | $31,178 million | $82,668 | 147,461 | 16,132 | $84,978 | +3.2% | 4.0% | 222,728 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professional and technical services | 18,422 | 14.0% | $142,532 | 1.80 |
| Retail trade | 17,661 | 13.4% | $42,211 | 1.20 |
| Health care and social assistance | 17,064 | 12.9% | $68,113 | 0.81 |
| Accommodation and food services | 14,640 | 11.1% | $30,289 | 1.09 |
| Finance and insurance | 12,211 | 9.3% | $140,408 | 2.04 |
| Construction | 11,139 | 8.4% | $90,367 | 1.44 |
| Wholesale trade | 6,100 | 4.6% | $129,446 | 1.05 |
| Administrative and waste services | 5,728 | 4.3% | $63,912 | 0.66 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 4,984 | 3.8% | $54,548 | 1.12 |
| Information | 4,969 | 3.8% | $155,223 | 1.80 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 4,000 | 3.0% | $31,334 | 1.61 |
| Management of companies | 3,908 | 3.0% | $188,026 | 1.57 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 2,966 | 2.2% | $57,589 | 0.48 |
| Educational services | 2,639 | 2.0% | $45,673 | 0.87 |
| Manufacturing | 2,463 | 1.9% | $83,690 | 0.20 |
| Real estate and rental | 2,418 | 1.8% | $86,346 | 1.06 |
| Utilities | 298 | 0.2% | $126,056 | 0.53 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 255 | 0.2% | $50,640 | 0.21 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 133 | 0.1% | $178,885 | 0.24 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 61.0% |
| Public transit | 0.7% |
| Walk | 0.8% |
| Work from home | 33.0% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 13.5% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $159,307 |
| Income per person | $71,247 |
| Median gross rent per month | $2,531 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 19.1% |
| Median home value | $712,700 |
| Homeowners | 78.1% |
| Poverty rate | 2.9% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 105.8 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $62,320 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 4.40%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 41.5 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 98.9% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 67.8% |
| Born abroad | 8.6% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 70.5% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -1.7 | 29 | 17 |
| Feb | -1.4 | 29 | 21 |
| Mar | 3.2 | 38 | 34 |
| Apr | 7.2 | 45 | 51 |
| May | 12.5 | 54 | 58 |
| Jun | 19.4 | 67 | 42 |
| Jul | 22.3 | 72 | 62 |
| Aug | 20.7 | 69 | 52 |
| Sep | 16.4 | 62 | 36 |
| Oct | 8.7 | 48 | 30 |
| Nov | 2.8 | 37 | 18 |
| Dec | -2.1 | 28 | 19 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Littleton | CO | 4 mi | 44,710 | $98,839 | $1,819 |
| Lone Tree | CO | 5 mi | 14,147 | $123,741 | $2,139 |
| Greenwood Village | CO | 6 mi | 15,420 | $149,029 | $2,123 |
| Columbine | CO | 6 mi | 25,478 | $131,232 | $2,448 |
| Centennial | CO | 7 mi | 108,201 | $131,928 | $2,148 |
| Cherry Creek | CO | 7 mi | 10,721 | $153,776 | $2,093 |
| Englewood | CO | 7 mi | 34,129 | $86,800 | $1,668 |
| Castle Pines | CO | 8 mi | 13,388 | $191,229 | $2,211 |
| Ken Caryl | CO | 8 mi | 33,233 | $118,269 | $2,127 |
| Roxborough Park | CO | 8 mi | 9,085 | $173,083 | $3,244 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
102,257 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$2,531 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 19.1% of the median household income.
$159,307 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.0% (BLS county, Douglas County (latest month 2026M09)).
Colorado. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.