Anthem Highlands vs Anthem Reserve vs Baseline: A 2026 Broomfield Buyer's Guide

Last Updated: May 2026

Three Broomfield communities, three completely different buyers. Anthem Highlands is the established family hub, Anthem Reserve is the custom-home enclave on Broomfield's highest point, and Baseline is the new urbanist village south of Highway 7. If you are choosing between them in 2026, here is the honest breakdown from someone who sells in all three.

Anthem Highlands and Anthem Reserve are physically separated by the E-470 Northwest Parkway toll road in Broomfield, Colorado, and Baseline sits roughly two miles south as a fully separate McWhinney master-planned community. According to Copper Homes, Anthem Reserve is the final neighborhood in the original Anthem master plan, perched on Broomfield's highest point with custom homes from the $900s. Baseline, per McWhinney's published plans, is anchored at Sheridan Parkway and W 166th Avenue and includes a planned 1,800-student STEM K-12 school.

The Quick Answer for Each Buyer Type

If you want established, family-focused, and walkable to Prospect Ridge Academy, Anthem Highlands fits. If you want custom or semi-custom construction, larger lots, and Flatiron views, Anthem Reserve fits. If you want walkable urbanism, new construction under $900K in many cases, and a true town-center feel, Baseline fits.

The three communities are not interchangeable. They sit on different sides of major roads, use different builders, carry different metro district mill levies, and attract genuinely different buyers. I have closed homes in all three over the past five years and the buyer profile rarely overlaps.

Anthem Highlands: The Established Family Hub

Anthem Highlands is the largest of the three communities and the one most relocating buyers find first. Built primarily by Toll Brothers and Pulte starting in the mid-2000s, Highlands offers single-family homes typically ranging from the $700s to $1.2M depending on size, lot, and view. The community wraps around the Parkside Community Center, the resort-style amenity that includes the pool, fitness center, tennis courts, and event space.

The biggest draw for families is location: Prospect Ridge Academy, a top-rated K-12 charter school, sits inside the community and is walkable from most streets. Legacy High School in Adams 12 is the assigned high school. Highlands also includes miles of trails connecting to the larger Anthem trail system, and you can reach I-25 in about seven minutes via Highway 7.

Anthem Reserve: The Custom Home Enclave

Anthem Reserve is the smallest and most exclusive of the three. According to the developer, it is the final neighborhood completed in the original Newland Anthem master plan, sitting on Broomfield's highest point with views of the Boulder Flatirons and Front Range. Homes are custom and semi-custom built primarily by Copper Homes Limited starting in the $900s, with most sales in the $1.2M to $2M+ range.

What separates Anthem Reserve from Anthem Highlands physically is the E-470 Northwest Parkway. The two share the Parkside Community Center and many of the same trails, but the Reserve sits on its own elevated bench south of Siena Reservoir and Bison Park. Lot sizes are larger, the streetscape is quieter, and the architecture leans toward custom mid-century modern, modern farmhouse, and contemporary builds rather than production tract layouts. If you want a brand new home over 4,500 square feet on a view lot in Broomfield, this is one of the only places to find it.

Baseline: The New Urbanist Master-Plan

Baseline is the newest of the three and the most architecturally ambitious. Developed by McWhinney near Sheridan Parkway and W 166th Avenue, Baseline is designed around a true town-center concept with retail, restaurants, office space, and residential layered together rather than separated. Homebuilders include Boulder Creek Neighborhoods, KB Home, Lennar, McStain, and others, with townhomes from the $500s and single-family homes typically into the high $800s and $1M+.

Baseline sits in Broomfield Metro District #2, which carries a mill levy around 163.892 mills, higher than the Anthem West Tax Area at roughly 125.946 mills. On a $1M home, that gap translates to several thousand dollars per year in property tax. The trade-off: Baseline includes 62 acres of parkland, a planned multi-modal transit hub, two K-12 charter school options including a planned 1,800-student STEM-focused campus, and a walkable density none of the Anthem communities offer.

Property Taxes and HOA: The Real Cost Difference

Mill levies matter more than buyers from California, Texas, or Illinois usually expect. Colorado's residential assessment rate keeps property tax low compared to those states, but mill levy variation between Broomfield communities can swing your annual bill by $3,000 to $5,000 on a $1M home. Anthem Highlands and Anthem Reserve sit in the Anthem West Tax Area at approximately 125.946 mills. Baseline MD #2 runs approximately 163.892 mills.

HOA fees move the same direction. Anthem Highlands runs roughly $145 per month for the Parkside amenity access. Anthem Reserve typically runs slightly higher due to enhanced landscape maintenance on custom lots. Baseline townhome HOAs vary by sub-village and include exterior maintenance, while Baseline single-family HOAs are lower. Always pull the specific HOA disclosure before writing an offer.

Schools and Lifestyle Fit

All three communities feed Adams 12 Five Star Schools at the public level, with strong charter alternatives. Prospect Ridge Academy, the K-12 charter in Anthem Highlands, draws families from all three. Legacy High School is the assigned public high school for Anthem Highlands and Anthem Reserve. Baseline residents also have access to Prospect Ridge Academy plus a second planned K-12 STEM school inside Baseline itself.

Lifestyle-wise: Anthem Highlands attracts established families and move-up buyers wanting trails, schools, and the Parkside pool. Anthem Reserve attracts higher-net-worth buyers, often relocating from California or coastal markets, who want custom finishes and view lots. Baseline attracts younger families, remote workers, and buyers prioritizing walkability over lot size.

Which Should You Buy?

Pick Anthem Highlands if you want a proven family neighborhood with mature trees, the Parkside amenities, and a top charter school inside the community. Pick Anthem Reserve if your budget is over $1M and you want a custom or semi-custom home with view lots, larger acreage, and the quietest streetscape of the three. Pick Baseline if you want walkable new urbanism, newer construction, and the lowest entry price point of the three.

I work in all three weekly. The right answer is rarely about price alone. It is about which lifestyle you actually want once you move in.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Anthem Highlands and Anthem Reserve?

Anthem Highlands is the larger production-built section with Toll Brothers and Pulte homes from the $700s to $1.2M. Anthem Reserve is across the E-470 Northwest Parkway on Broomfield's highest point, with custom and semi-custom Copper Homes from the $900s. They share the Parkside Community Center but are physically separated by the toll road.

Is Baseline part of Anthem in Broomfield?

No. Baseline is a separate McWhinney master-planned community south of Anthem, anchored at Sheridan Parkway and W 166th Avenue. It has its own builders, HOA structure, and metro district. It does not share Parkside.

Which Broomfield community has the lowest property taxes?

Anthem Reserve and Anthem Highlands sit in the Anthem West Tax Area at roughly 125.946 mills. Baseline MD #2 runs roughly 163.892 mills. On a $1M home that is several thousand dollars per year in difference. Verify any specific address with the Broomfield County Assessor.

Which community has the best schools?

All three access Prospect Ridge Academy K-12 charter. Anthem Highlands and Anthem Reserve feed Legacy High School. Baseline has Prospect Ridge access plus a planned 1,800-student STEM K-12 school inside the community.

Which community is best for relocating buyers from California, Texas, or Illinois?

Buyers wanting new construction under $900K typically choose Baseline or Anthem Highlands. Buyers at $1M+ wanting custom homes choose Anthem Reserve. Baseline feels most urban. Anthem Highlands is the most established and family-dense.