Highlands Ranch, Colorado is positioned in the US Highlands Ranch, Colorado - Highlands Ranch, Colorado Highlands Ranch is a census-designated place (CDP) in Douglas County, Colorado, United States.

The populace was 96,713 at the 2010 census. Located 12 miles south of Denver, Highlands Ranch is an unincorporated improve and was the twelfth most crowded CDP in the United States in 2010. As the suburbs of Denver expanded, the business desired to build a new prepared suburb, called Highlands Ranch, in northern Douglas County, akin to its first prepared evolution of Mission Viejo, California.

The first secondary school, Highlands Ranch Jr/Sr High School, opened in 1987.

This institution became solely a high school, titled Highlands Ranch High School, in 1991 with the building of close-by Cresthill Middle School.

The year 2000 saw the opening of a much larger Highlands Ranch Library as well as the establishment of the Highlands Ranch Chamber of Commerce.

Highlands Ranch is positioned at 39 32 31 N 104 58 15 W (39.5419351, -104.9707525) at an altitude of 5,920 feet (1,800 m). Located on Colorado State Highway 470 in central Colorado, Highlands Ranch is 13 miles (21 km) south of downtown Denver and 13 miles (21 km) north-northwest of Castle Rock, the county seat. As a suburb of Denver, Highlands Ranch is part of both the greater Denver urbane region and the Front Range Urban Corridor. It borders a several other Denver suburbs including Littleton and Centennial to the north and Acres Green and Lone Tree to the east. In addition, Highlands Ranch borders Chatfield State Park to the west.

Most municipal services, such as the assembly and upkeep of arterial roads, parks and open space areas, are performed by the Highlands Ranch Metro District, which is funded mostly by property taxes and state lottery funds. In addition, all Highlands Ranch inhabitants are asked to sign and follow a improve covenant as dictated by the Highlands Ranch Community Association or "HRCA".