101,000+ Residents · 79% Homeownership · Douglas County Schools · 70+ Miles of Trails
Highlands Ranch is not just a neighborhood — it's a community of more than 100,000 people with its own recreation centers, trail network, and civic identity. ZIPs 80129 and 80130 are its residential core: established, family-centered, and anchored by some of Douglas County's most respected schools.
101K+Community Population
$715K80130 Median Home Value
$155KMedian HH Income
79%Homeownership Rate
Curated by Jim Urban · Denver's REALTOR® Since 1984 · CO License #ER.001096355
80129West Highlands Ranch$663,800Median Home Value$141,667 median household income · 29,703 residents · 1980s builds
80130East Highlands Ranch$715,215Median Home Value$158,741 median household income · 25,583 residents · 34.4% earn $200K+
101,437Total Residents
$155,847Median HH Income
79.2%Homeownership
4Rec Centers
70+Miles of Trails
Colorado's largest unincorporated community — and one of its most livable.
Your Guide
Jim Urban
Denver's REALTOR® Since 1984
CO License #ER.00109635540+ Years · 2,000+ FamiliesUrban CompaniesBy Referral Only Member✉ 📞 (303) 588-7000
"Highlands Ranch buyers have usually done more research than any other buyer I work with. They know the rec center membership costs, they've compared the school ratings, they know the HOA fee schedule. My job is to make sure the home they're choosing matches the life they've already envisioned."
Highlands Ranch is the final and largest piece of the Littleton market puzzle. At over 100,000 residents, it operates more like a small city than a suburb — with four full recreation centers, 70+ miles of trail, and a community association that maintains what most municipalities can't. ZIPs 80129 and 80130 are its residential core: 80129 is the larger, more established western portion; 80130 is the higher-income, slightly newer eastern side with a strong school corridor anchored by Highlands Ranch High School and Cresthill Middle.
Community Profile
What Makes Highlands Ranch Different
Highlands Ranch is governed by Douglas County and the Highlands Ranch Metropolitan District — not a city government. That structure gives it unusual community coherence and amenities most suburbs can't replicate.
#5US Cities — Lowest Poverty Rate50,000+ population ranking
Primarily 1980s–2000s construction — well-maintained
Mix of single-family, townhomes, and condos
Active HOA and HRCA maintain community standards
79% homeownership — high stability, low turnover
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Access & Commute
I-25 gives direct access to downtown Denver (13 miles north)
C-470 connects west to Jefferson County and mountains
Denver Tech Center easily reached via I-25 or C-470
Town Center and retail at major intersections throughout
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Family-Centered Identity
Some of Colorado's highest percentages of married couples with children
Strong youth sports programs and community events
Highlands Ranch Community Association hosts 200+ annual programs
Safe, walkable neighborhoods — consistent community reviews
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Market Fundamentals
Douglas County property tax rate approximately 0.5%
Low foreclosure rates — high owner-occupancy community
Consistent demand driven by school quality and amenities
34.4% of 80130 households earn $200K+ annually
Jim's Take
"People don't leave Highlands Ranch easily. I've sold homes here where the sellers have been residents for 25 years. That's not typical for a suburb of this size. The trails, the rec centers, the schools — they build the kind of community attachment that keeps people rooted."
"Highlands Ranch is what happens when a community builds infrastructure first and lets the identity follow. A hundred thousand people with a 79% homeownership rate and a $155,000 median household income — that's not a suburb. That's a city that never incorporated, and it runs better than most that did."
Jim Urban · Urban Companies · CO License #ER.001096355
Education
Douglas County School District — DCSD Re-1
Both ZIP codes are served by Douglas County School District Re-1 — one of Colorado's highest-rated districts. Highlands Ranch is served by multiple high schools, reflecting its scale as a true community rather than a single neighborhood.
ThunderRidge High School
Public High School · Grades 9–12 · DCSD Re-1
80129 (1991 Wildcat Reserve Pkwy)
A−
Highlands Ranch High School
Public High School · Grades 9–12 · DCSD Re-1
80130 (9375 Cresthill Lane)
A−
Ranch View Middle School
Public Middle School · Grades 6–8 · DCSD Re-1
80129 (1731 Wildcat Reserve Pkwy)
A−
Cresthill Middle School
Public Middle School · Grades 6–8 · DCSD Re-1
80130 (9195 Cresthill Lane)
B+
STEM School Highlands Ranch
Public Charter · K–12 · DCSD Re-1
80129 (8773 Ridgeline Dr)
A
Coyote Creek Elementary
Public Elementary · K–5 · DCSD Re-1
80129 (2861 Baneberry Ct)
A−
Jim's Take on Schools
"Highlands Ranch has enough population to support multiple full high schools — and both ThunderRidge and Highlands Ranch High are rated A-minus. STEM School Highlands Ranch is a genuine hidden gem for families who want a different educational approach. These aren't alternative options; they're top-tier schools by any Colorado standard."
"Highlands Ranch is ranked among the top 5 US cities with the lowest poverty rate for communities over 50,000 people. A 79% homeownership rate, $155,847 median household income, and four recreation centers — this community was designed for the long term."
80129 — Population29,703Douglas County · Median age 40.9 years
80130 — Population25,583Douglas County · 79% homeownership rate
Highlands Ranch — Total Population101,437Largest unincorporated community in Colorado · ACS 2023
Douglas County Property Tax Rate~0.5%Median tax ~$3,583/yr (80130) with mortgage
40+
Years Jim Has Served This Market
2,000+
Families Served by Urban Companies
79%
Highlands Ranch Homeownership Rate
95–100%
30-Day Price Strategy Success Rate
Jim's Approach
The 30-60-90 Day Pricing Strategy
Highlands Ranch buyers arrive prepared. They've compared school ratings, rec center costs, and HOA fees before the first showing. Jim's pricing strategy works because it gives sellers the same quality of information buyers already have.
Highlands Ranch rewards buyers who understand what they're getting — the recreation infrastructure, the school pipeline, the Douglas County tax advantage. Jim Urban has served this market for over forty years. One conversation starts everything.