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Are you thinking of moving or relocating to Highlands Ranch, Colorado? Would you like to know what the quality of life is like living in Highlands Ranch?
Kathryn reports in this review:
| Weather | | How much crime? | | What are the neighborhoods like? | | What are the people like? | Highlands Ranch, like much of the Denver, CO area is rainy, rainy, rainy! They say Colorado is the sunniest place in the U.S., well, yeah, but it's also the rainiest! The summer is no exception. Every day, at about 3pm, the storm clouds move in. It's truly a beautiful thing though. Not only does this downpour help ease the heat of the 90 degree summer days, but the thunder and lighting storms are pretty amazing to watch.
Winter brings snow, and lots of it! Several feet of snow is common, in a day! But then the next day it may be sunny and 60, you just never know in this part of the country.
Spring is mild, but can often bring snow, well into May. And the Fall in Highlands Ranch is beautiful. The leaves turn beautiful shades of orange an yellow, and the air is cool and crisp, hinting at the winter to come. | | Theft is the largest crime in Highlands Ranch. Both home burglary, and theft from shops and other businesses. Highlands Ranch is a fairly upscale community, though it is somewhat nearby the less well to do parts of Colorado, such as Aurora, so it brings in those looking to make a quick buck via stealing.
Vandalism is also somewhat common in this town. Especially on the many church grounds that occupy the city limits. I have driven past numerous graffitied church sign and walls.
| | The areas immediately off of he 70 are decent, but the farther away from the freeway you get, the bigger, and nicer the homes get. As with all of Highlands Ranch, you will find lots of white people in these nicer neighborhoods, but you'll also find the same in the worse areas.
Some of the older neighborhoods off of Quebec are home to what many may call white trash. The people are middle class, many blue collar.
Both the nicer, and more run down areas of the city are full of tract hoes, it's just a matter of how big, and how many upgrades the houses have. Again, as you head south off the the C470, you will see the upgrades begin.
| | The people in Highlands Ranch are white, upper-class, and religious. They are all pretty cookie cutter. In order to live in Highlands Ranch, you have to abide by very strict HOA rules - laws - and the inhabitants of this ticky tacky suburbia don;t mind conforming. In fact, that's how they feel most comfortable.
Anyone who loves variety, individualism, or anything beyond strip mall chain restaurants will most definitely NOT enjoy Highlands Ranch! Those who enjoy church every Sunday, perfectly manicured lawns, and 4 door sedans may very well feel right at home here! | | Downtown Area | | Restaurants | | Schools | | Single life | | There isn't really one central downtown area of Highlands Ranch, but rather several strip malls scattered throughout the city. This was intended to create ease and convenience for those in the city, as you are never far from a shopping center - though the uniqueness of many downtown areas and there mom and pop shops is replaced with bog box stores and the likes. | | There are strip malls with standard and less than exceptional food on every major street corner in Highlands Ranch. If you want a Five Guys Burger, Chic-fil-a, or a Chipotle, look no further. While I wasn't so impressed with these options, they satisfied in a pinch, and I truly came to love Tokyo Joe's! Now that's some good food, and it was good for you! The curry Boulder Bowl was delicious!!
| | The schools in Highlands Ranch are amazing, as long as you don't mind your children growing up thinking only white people exist. The entire community is really quite new, and the schools are no exception. They are shiny and clean, with state of the art technology, beautiful playgrounds, and small class sizes. Aside from the lack of a more mixed ethnic exposure, I really couldn't say anything bad about the high caliber of education you get from Highlands Ranch public schools. | | Highlands Ranch does have a lot of good opportunities for singles. Whether you're scouting out a new mate at the local rec center, or meeting for happy hour at Lodo's, there are abundant opportunities to see and be seen for singles! There's also several apartments and communities within city limits that are designed for singles. From their pools, to their planned mingling events, singles have plenty of options to meet others! | | Noise | | town comparison vs. | | Best hospital | | Tourist attractions | | Church bells and soccer games are about the extent of unusual noise sources in Highlands Ranch. There are, however, many large, busy main streets and thoroughfares, whose speed limits are 50 mph. These create unwanted noise for those who live backing up to the busy streets and must deal with the sound of traffic at all hours. | | Lone Tree and Littleton are Highlands Ranch's neighboring towns. Lone Tree is more affordable than Highlands Ranch, as it is more prarie-like, with the occasional tornado blowing through as you look out towards Kansas. Is very flat, and not as pretty as Highlands Ranch. It also feels a little lower class. Furthermore, it lacks the rec centers Highlands Ranch prides itself on, so if you're looking to partake in the neighborhood pick up game of tennis, or a lap pool, you're on your own.
Littleton is the quintessential small town, perfect Utopian ticky tacky, complete with Stepford wives and all! It has a beautiful downtown area with tree lined streets, brick front shops, and a lot of cute mom and pop shops. It is also more expensive, but has a lot of variety in the way of homes and neighborhoods.
I prefer Littleton, as it has a more real, hometown feel to it. | | There are Kaiser hospitals located throughout the area. They are all up to date as far as their technology and treatment options, and the staff is very friendly and knowledgeable. Sky Ridge Medical Center, next door in Lone Tree, is also an exceptional medical facility, and it even has valet parking! | | The several dozen parks planned within the community are what really appeal to most. There are fields, trails, tracks, play structures, water features, you name it, there is an outdoor space that accommodates your desire! | | General comments | | | | | | | | Highlands Ranch feels like suburbia. There is little to no variety. The people, the houses, the cars, the corner of every street - it's all the same. It feels safe, in many ways. Everyone is like one another, so you're safe from being in the spotlight. You know that there are rules and they are enforced, so you feel safe . The monotony means no unexpected surprises - again, safe. It feels bland and boring. | | | | | | |
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