City comparison
Arvada, CO is about 20 miles (40 km) from Centennial, CO in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 30 miles, or about 28 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Arvada, CO to Centennial, CO takes about 3 min, covering roughly 20 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Arvada has a population of 123,066, vs 107,702 in Centennial — about 1.1× larger by population. By land area, Arvada covers about 39 sq mi vs 30 sq mi for Centennial.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Arvada | Centennial | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,706/mo | $1,949/mo | 14.2% higher in Centennial |
| Median home value | $553,000 | $586,500 | 6.1% higher in Centennial |
| Median household income | $106,014 | $124,617 | 17.5% higher in Centennial |
| Groceries index | 100.2 | 101.2 | 1.0% higher in Centennial |
| Utilities index | 90.1 | 91.2 | 1.2% higher in Centennial |
| Transportation index | 100.0 | 99.9 | ≈ equal (Arvada slightly higher) |
| Healthcare index | 100.0 | 99.9 | ≈ equal (Arvada slightly higher) |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Arvada, you'd need $100,059 in Centennial to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Arvada and Centennial have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. If you earn $80,000 in Arvada, you'd need about $80,047 in Centennial to keep the same standard of living.