Located 12 miles south of Denver, Highlands Ranch is a 22,000-acre master-planned community founded in 1981. Part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area, Highlands Ranch is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place (CDP) that offers a wonderful quality of life and opportunities for an active lifestyle. notably, 61 percent of the community of Highlands Ranch is devoted to non-urban uses such as open space and recreation.

What is the community of Highlands Ranch like? 

Ranked by Niche as the best place to live in Douglas County, Highlands Ranch is ranked as one of the most progressive master-planned communities in the country and lies just 12 miles south of the Denver metro area in Douglas County.  
Thanks to the community’s central location, almost equidistant from the bustling cities of Littleton and Centennial, Highlands Ranch offers its residents and visitors several avenues to enjoy the best of Colorado’s outdoor recreational opportunities, as well as nationally recognized galleries, museums, and year-round festivals.  
Nonetheless, Highlands Ranch definitely has a lot to offer on its part as well. Once an operating ranch, the community is now home to more than 105,000 residents, as well as top-quality restaurants, immersive shopping destinations, and over 50 miles of scenic trails. 
Although founded in 1981, the community’s history goes back more than 100 years. Visit the Highlands Ranch Mansion, which, as one of the first homes built in Highlands Ranch, was home to several notable Denver families who occupied the grounds in the city’s early beginnings. Today, the Mansion is accessible to the public for guided and self-guided tours. 
Highlands Ranch is home to more than 50 miles of scenic trails that are perfect for walking, running, and biking. The community has constructed seven miles of wildlife-sensitive, natural-surface trails on portions of the 8,200-acre Backcountry Wilderness Area, which is one of the hidden gems of Highlands Ranch.  
On the other hand, Highlands Ranch also hosts multiple festivals such as the Taste of Highlands Ranch and the Highlands Ranch Beer Festival. Typically held in May, the Taste of Highlands Ranch is one of the community’s favorite festivals featuring delectable cuisine from over 30 local restaurants and offering a chance to interact and socialize with the community in a charming, laid-back milieu. 

What is Real Estate like in Highlands Ranch?    

Real estate in Highlands Ranch has shown decent growth over the recent years. According to RE/MAX, the home prices in Highlands Ranch have grown by more than 26.85% between March 2017 and March 2021. The sale prices of homes in Highlands Ranch have experienced a growth of more than 25.7% from May 2020 to May 2021. Also, RE/MAX categorizes Highlands Ranch’s housing market as ‘most competitive.'      
The median home price in Highlands Ranch is $595,000. Currently, there are 286 active homes for sale in Highlands Ranch, and normally it takes just 42 days for a listed home to sell. Moreover, the average cost to rent a house in Highlands Ranch is $2,642 per month. At present, of all the homes and apartments in the community, 80% of which are owned, and the remaining 20% are rented.      

How is the economic landscape of Highlands Ranch?     

Over the last year, Highlands Ranch’s job market has grown by 2.8%, while its unemployment rate stands at a decent 5.4%. The US average is 6%. Also, the city’s job market is expected to grow by a staggering 46.4% over the next ten years.  
On average, a Highlands Ranch resident earns around $45,400 per annum, substantially higher than the US average of $28500. The city’s median household income of more than $110,000 per resident is also significantly greater than the US average of approximately $53000. Most of the residents of Highlands Ranch work in construction, manufacturing, retail, finance, and information. 

How are the schools in Highlands Ranch?     

Highlands Ranch is covered by Douglas County School District RE-1, which encompasses 85 schools and 66,230 enrolled students. Highlands Ranch also lies in proximity to many colleges including, among others, Arapahoe Community College, College America Denver, and Platt College Aurora. 
When it comes to higher education, Highlands Ranch lies in the vicinity of many universities prominent among them being the University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder). The CU Boulder is the flagship university of the University of Colorado system and was founded in 1876, five months before Colorado became a state. The university comprises nine colleges and schools, offers over 150 academic programs, and enrolled almost 35,528 students in 2018.     
In addition, five Nobel Laureates, nine MacArthur Fellows, and 20 astronauts have been affiliated with CU Boulder as students, researchers, or faculty members in its history. the university has been called a Public Ivy, a group of publicly funded universities considered as providing a quality of education comparable to those of the Ivy League. 

Highlands Ranch in a nutshell        

In a nutshell, Highlands Ranch is a charming community that enjoys all the modern urban amenities, as well as easy access to exceptional outdoor recreational opportunities offered by the vibrant cities of Denver, Littleton, and Centennial. The community is notably home to picturesque trails and, interestingly, more than two-thirds of it are dedicated to open space and recreation. With such incredible credentials, Highlands Ranch is certainly an excellent place to live or raise a family, should you decide to move to Colorado.