City profile · Colorado · Census ACS 2023

Centennial, CO

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Centennial - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

107,386
Residents
$128,167
Median income
$626,700
Median home
$2,089
Median rent (state)

Centennial - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Centennial lands in the 90th percentile for household income and the 35th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

90th
percentile, household income
90th
percentile, home value
85th
percentile, median rent
35th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Centennial, CO

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 107,386 residents in Centennial, a mid-sized U.S. city within Colorado. Median household income here is $128,167 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 1.9%. Typical homes in Centennial are valued around $626,700, and the median resident age is 41.8 years. About 61.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 66.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 26 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 76% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 1881.5 incidents per 100,000 residents, near the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Colorado carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Colorado at 103.1 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Above Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $2,089 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $202 across Colorado, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Workers in Centennial report an average commute of 19.4 minutes, with 65.6% driving alone and 24.7% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 95.2 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

107,386 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Colorado

Median Household Income

$128,167 /yr

Poverty 1.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

103.1 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Colorado average

How does Centennial compare to other US cities?

Where Centennial sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 90% higher than other cities
Home value 90% pricier than other cities
Median rent 85% pricier than other cities
Safety 35% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Colorado and the picture shifts: Centennial ranks #64 of 116 Colorado cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Centennial's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Colorado, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

90thIncome percentile
35thSafety percentile

90th percentile nationally for median household income · 35th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Centennial's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Centennial's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 46 Avg. percentile National median
Centennial's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Centennial's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$626,700 10th percentile more affordable than 10% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). This entry sits in this band. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Centennial $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Centennial, CO Centennial, CO's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Centennial, CO-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Centennial, CO median $128,167/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Centennial, CO's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Centennial, CO. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 61.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 1.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 66.8%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
107,386
Median Income
$128,167
Median Home Value
$626,700
Median Age
41.8
Poverty Rate
1.9%
Labor force participation
66.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
61.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1881.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
172.8
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1708.7
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
24
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
106,000 residents107,000 residents108,000 residents109,000 residents110,000 residents111,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 107,732 residents 108,658 residents ▲ +0.9%
Centennial's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
26
housing units authorized
Single-Family
23
detached homes
Multifamily
3
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.2
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 110
2020 10
2021 9
2022 3
2023 4
2024 26

Permit volume decreased 76% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
19.4 minutes
Drive Alone
65.6%
Carpool
5.5%
Public Transit
1.4%
Walk
1.3%
Work from Home
24.7%
Other
1.5%

Based on 57,234 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Colorado - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$90
avg/month
Natural Gas
$62
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$50
avg/month
Total Utilities
$202
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Colorado state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Colorado state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Centennial sits in

Cost of Living Index
103.1
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,089/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
95.2 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Colorado

Boulder
106,274 people
Greeley
109,421 people
Pueblo
111,514 people
Highlands Ranch
101,437 people
Westminster
115,546 people
Longmont
98,958 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Centennial's 107,386 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

West Covina, CA
107,436 people
Sandy Springs, GA
107,198 people
Allen, TX
107,684 people
Tuscaloosa, AL
107,699 people
El Monte, CA
107,066 people
Tyler, TX
107,718 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Centennial's $128,167 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Sixteen Mile Stand, OH
$128,177 median income
Fishers, IN
$128,141 median income
Durhamville, NY
$128,125 median income
Vilano Beach, FL
$128,214 median income
Waxhaw, NC
$128,115 median income
South Windham, ME
$128,108 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Centennial, CO Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Centennial, CO - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 79.3% 6.0% 9.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 10.0% White 79.3% Black or African American 2.6% Asian 6.0% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 0.3% Some other race 1.9% Two or more races 9.6% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Centennial compares to nearby Colorado cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Centennial (this city) 107,386 $128,167
Boulder 106,274 $85,364
Greeley 109,421 $68,650
Pueblo 111,514 $55,305
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CO FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Centennial, CO?

What is the population of Centennial, CO? +

107,386 people live in Centennial, CO according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Centennial, CO? +

The median household income in Centennial is $128,167 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Centennial? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Centennial; the closest available measure is the Colorado state average, a cost of living index of 103.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Colorado vary by metro area.

Is Centennial, CO safe? +

Centennial has a total crime rate of 1881.5 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Centennial, CO? +

Centennial's median home value sits at $626,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.