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Compare towns

Central vs Calhan

83 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (13.5× in Central) and average commute (26 min in Central).

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Central, COHomes around $393KColorado · 525 people
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Calhan, COA small town of 620Colorado · 620 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

CentralHomes around $393K
Housing$393K typical home26% below the CO typical home HistorySettled in 18593 places on the National Register All about Central →
CalhanA small town of 620
Quiet strengthsCalhan doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Calhan →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Trails13.5×
Central has more miles of trail
Central 8.1 miCalhan 0.6 mi
Average commute26 min
Central has the shorter commute
Calhan 38 minCentral 12 min
Street grid2.7×
Calhan has the more walkable street grid
Calhan 77.4Central 28.6
Property tax bill+37%
Tax bills are bigger in Calhan
Calhan $959Central $700
Jobs per worker2×
Central is more of a job hub
Central 1.45Calhan 0.71
★ What stands out · Life in each

Central gets 163 more inches of snow a year

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
CentralCalhan
Snow a year195″31″
January low16°F16°F
July high73°F86°F
Growing season (days)103d146d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)81st68th
Outdoors & history
CentralCalhan
Trails8 mi1 mi
Conserved land7.7%0%
Settled18591888
National Register places31
Archive photos—9
Community
CentralCalhan
Library hours a week—32 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined10

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $490 more a month in Calhan

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Central$2,120/mo
Typical home $393K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.19% · or rent about $1,451/mo · Housing →
Calhan$2,610/mo
Typical home $473K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.32% · or rent about $943/mo · Housing →

The difference: $490 a month, about $5,800 a year, between Calhan and Central.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Colorado ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Schools
–CentralNot graded B−CalhanBetter than 50% of districts in the state
Where they are

83 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

CentralCOCalhanCO
Central ↔ Calhan83 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

CentralCalhan
People
Population 525Lowest 620Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — -2.3% CO: +14.8%
Median age 35.9±16.9Lowest 5% below CO 36.4±11.5Highest 3% below CO
Calhan and Central are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 31.4%±12.3Highest CO: 21% 26.3%±4.4Lowest CO: 21%
Central and Calhan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 17%±13.2Highest CO: 15.6% 14.4%±4.3Lowest CO: 15.6%
Central and Calhan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 22.9%Highest CO: 45.7% 22.1%Lowest CO: 45.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.2%±4.4Highest CO: 6.4% 3.1%±2.4Lowest CO: 6.4%
Central and Calhan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $61,622±$31kLowest 35% below CO $62,321±$22kHighest 35% below CO
Calhan and Central are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $366,300±$91kHighest 32% below CO $296,600±$44kLowest 45% below CO
Central and Calhan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,451±$588Highest 18% below CO $943±$92Lowest 46% below CO
Central and Calhan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $700Lowest 73% below CO $959Highest 63% below CO
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 61.3%±30.2Highest CO: 52.9% 59%±26.7Lowest CO: 52.9%
Central and Calhan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 6.1%Highest CO: 9.4% 6%Lowest CO: 9.4%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 61.6%Lowest CO: 66.2% 67.7%Highest CO: 66.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1968Lowest 20 yrs older than CO 1978Highest 10 yrs older than CO
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 12 minLowest 52% below CO 38 minHighest 52% above CO
Work from home 15.8%±8Highest CO: 21% 8%±4.7Lowest CO: 21%
Central and Calhan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 8.9%Highest 2.3%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 21.3 miLowest 30.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.45Highest 0.71Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Black Hawk (19%)Colorado Springs (38%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in CalhanFew work in Central
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 7.7%Highest 0%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 8.1 miHighest 0.6 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 2.9 miHighest 0.7 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1 1
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 28.6Lowest 77.4Highest
Schools
School district —Calhan District No. RJ1
High school in town —Calhan Secondary School
Students per teacherat that high school — 9.5
Colorado average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Central neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 5d

Remembering Central's Past

1 neighbor in Central can answer.

Calhan neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Calhan’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Central and Calhan

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Central

B
+ Compare
Black Hawk106 people · $496K homes
+ Compare
Idaho Springs1,986 people · $447K homes

Towns like Central

S
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Saguache579 people
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Stratton716 people · $166K homes
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Norwood381 people · $334K homes
H
+ Compare
Hugo970 people · $254K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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