City comparison
Broomfield, CO is about 30 miles (50 km) from Highlands Ranch, CO in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 40 miles, or about 36 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 Broomfield, CO to Highlands Ranch, CO takes about 3 min, covering roughly 30 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.
Highlands Ranch has a population of 101,514, vs 73,946 in Broomfield — about 1.4× larger by population. By land area, Broomfield covers about 33 sq mi vs 24 sq mi for Highlands Ranch.
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 | Broomfield | Highlands Ranch | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,923/mo | $2,353/mo | 22.4% higher in Highlands Ranch |
| Median home value | $581,600 | $637,400 | 9.6% higher in Highlands Ranch |
| Median household income | $117,541 | $148,227 | 26.1% higher in Highlands Ranch |
| Groceries index | 100.2 | 101.2 | 1.0% higher in Highlands Ranch |
| Utilities index | 90.1 | 91.2 | 1.2% higher in Highlands Ranch |
| Transportation index | 100.0 | 99.9 | ≈ equal (Broomfield slightly higher) |
| Healthcare index | 100.0 | 99.9 | ≈ equal (Broomfield 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 Broomfield, you'd need $100,533 in Highlands Ranch to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Broomfield, CO is about 0.5% cheaper overall than Highlands Ranch, CO, based on our cost-of-living index. If you earn $80,000 in Broomfield, you'd need about $80,426 in Highlands Ranch to keep the same standard of living.