Centennial, CO Relocation Guide (2026)
Cost of living, housing, and income data for Centennial, sourced from the US Census Bureau.
Salary needed to live in Centennial →
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Last updated July 2026.
Centennial counts roughly 107,702 residents, and the median household brings in $124,617 annually — +73% relative to the cities in our dataset, putting incomes here above the pack.
In Centennial, the median home is valued at $586,500 — above the median across the cities we track (+80%) — and typical rent runs $1,949 a month. Factor in mortgage rates and property taxes when sizing up whether buying pencils out.
The home-value-to-income ratio in Centennial — around 4.7× — falls into a middle tier, neither notably affordable nor notably stretched. Buyers may find a bit more room to negotiate in Centennial, where prices have dipped about 0.11% year over year. FEMA rates Centennial's overall natural-hazard risk as Relatively Moderate — comparatively low, which tends to keep home insurance costs in check.
Personal Affordability Check
Renting at $1,949/mo in Centennial would take 18.8% of your income.
$1,166/mo under the 30% guideline.
Buying the median home ($586,500) would take 30.2% of your income toward principal & interest.
$223/mo over the 28% guideline.
Cost of housing in Centennial
Median home value is $586,500 and median gross rent is $1,949/month. For buyers, monthly costs depend heavily on current mortgage rates — worth checking before you commit.
FHFA's county-level home price index for Arapahoe fell 0.11% over the past year (as of 2025).
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom unit in the surrounding county is $2,089/month.
Climate & home insurance
FEMA rates Centennial's overall natural-hazard risk as Relatively Moderate. Risk level is a major driver of home insurance premiums.
Safety
Centennial reported a violent crime rate of 192.6 per 100,000 residents in 2025, per FBI data.
Moving to Centennial
Planning a move to Centennial? Compare licensed movers and get quotes based on your origin and move date.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Centennial, CO?
- Housing drives most of the cost-of-living picture in Centennial — median home value of $586,500, median rent of $1,949/month — set against a median household income of $124,617 (US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022)).
- How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Centennial?
- To keep rent under the commonly recommended 30% of income in Centennial, where median rent runs $1,949/month, you'd want to earn about $77,960 annually. See the full salary breakdown (renting and buying) for Centennial.
- Is it better to rent or buy in Centennial?
- With a median home value of $586,500 and median rent of $1,949/month, renting comfortably in Centennial takes about $77,960/year (the 30% guideline), while buying at the median price takes roughly $134,188/year in principal-and-interest alone (assumes 20% down, a 30-year fixed loan, and current mortgage rates). The right call depends on how long you plan to stay and your down payment.
- Is Centennial safe?
- The most recent FBI figures (2025) show a violent crime rate of 192.6 per 100,000 residents in Centennial.
See the full salary breakdown for Centennial →
Cities with a similar cost of living
Matched on median rent and household income within 15% of Centennial's.