Your EZ Search Moving Guide to Colorado Springs

What’s the best place to live in Colorado? How about the best place to live in the United States? Or one of its most educated, best for outdoor enthusiasts, or best for dating. Surprise! The answer is Colorado Springs, your destination for an exceptional lifestyle.

What is it that makes Colorado Springs so unique? Is it all those days of sunshine? The excellent schools or the bucket list of amenities? Whatever it is, clearly, Colorado Springs is a great place to live by many measures.

So if you plan to move there, you’re in for a real treat. Read on to learn more about Colorado Springs and how to settle into your new home.

About Colorado Springs

Colorado’s second-largest city sits around 6,000 feet above sea level at the foot of iconic Pikes Peak. Of the 600,000 residents, about two-thirds actually live in the city, while the rest are in the suburbs. Denver is about an hour’s drive north, while the world-famous ski resorts are around 2.5 hours west.

The elevation and thinner air is one reason the United State Olympic Committee has a training center here. The athletes come to train to increase their ability to use oxygen, peaking for their main events.

Cost of Living

It’s not cheap to call Colorado home, and a big part of that is the housing. Relative to the state, Colorado Springs is cheaper. Your expenses are about 12% less here, with your housing costs about 28% more affordable.

And, in more good news, most categories are under the national average, too! That’s savings in groceries, healthcare, utilities, and transportation. The downside is you’ll balance that out by paying 41% more for your housing.

At least your salary is more to compensate for the high real estate cost. The median household income from 2017-2021 was $71,957, which is in line with what MIT projects a family of four with one adult working would need after taxes. A single adult would need to make $31,208 after taxes.

Population

The metro is creeping up on one million residents as people discover the charms of living in Colorado Springs. That growth means the town is changing, from the small things like the price of eggs to more impactful ways like traffic congestion on the weekends.

Colorado Springs has grown at a near-steady rate since the 1970s and 16.7% since 2010. It added another 1% from 2020 to 2021, bringing the estimate to 483,956 persons in the city limits.

Job Market

A city can’t grow without a thriving job market, and Colorado Springs delivers. Forming the base of its economic pyramid are the five military bases in the vicinity. The largest is Fort Carson, with 30,000 troops assigned. The US Air Force Academy trains future airmen and pilots. Other bases include Peterson Air Force Base and Schriever Air Force Base, which are under Air Force Space Command. Non-governmental contractors like Northrop Grumman, Boeing, and Lockheed Martin support the needs of these bases and add to the defense-related industry.

But it’s not just defense and military. Colorado Springs leads in the financial and professional services sector, with the largest companies being Progressive, USAA, and T Rowe Price. Manufacturing is another critical part of its job base, particularly when it comes to electronics and technology.

Another benefit of so much outdoor recreation and beauty is that it draws much tourism into the city. You’ll find lots of work in hospitality and food service.

Rounding out the job options, like many major cities, health care, and education are large employers by number. Colorado Springs has four major hospitals, a university, and several top-performing public school systems.

Education

The public education options for families are many in greater Colorado Springs. El Paso County has 10 school districts! Colorado Springs property values and school districts are often linked together, as those with higher property values are often more desired by families, pushing up housing demand.

It’s noteworthy that Academy No. 20 is a consistently top-performing school system based on Colorado State Department of Education data. You can learn more about the school district and some other high-performing local options in our list of Colorado’s best school districts.

The University of Colorado has a Colorado Springs campus serving over 12,000 students. Low-class sizes are a distinguishing feature, as is its commitment to keeping higher education affordable.

Colorado College has a unique block system where students take one class at a time for a short duration instead of multiple classes simultaneously during the school year. This private liberal arts school enrolls around 2,000 students in 42 majors.

For affordable job and career training, Pikes Peak Community College has three campuses spread across Colorado Springs for ease of access.

Finally, the US Air Force Academy provides a military-based education at the highest level for those accepted into the competitive Academy. It has over 30 academic majors and courses of study for future military officers.

Taxes

Like many states, Colorado has an individual income tax. Starting in the 2022 tax year, Colorado residents pay a flat rate of 4.4% on their earned income. This has been a reduction from the former rate of 4.63% owed from 2000-2018.

Sales taxes are trending on the higher side in Colorado Springs. As of 2021, the total combined sales tax is 8.2%. That includes what is paid to the city, state, county, and some special levy taxes such as the Pikes Peak Rural Transit Authority.

Colorado property taxes are based on the residences’ market value times the local assessment rate. This creates the assessed value. For Colorado Springs, a single-family home is assessed at 6.7655% of its value as of 2022. This amount will then be taxed by the mill levy. The mill breakdown for 2022 was:

City of Colorado Springs: 3.929

El Paso County 8.062

Colorado Springs School District No. 11: 42.821

Academy No. 20: 53.030

Taxes for Retirees

Colorado does not levy state income taxes on Social Security payments. For other retirement income from pension and private sources, you can exclude up to $24,000 as long as you are 65 and older. After that, you’ll need to pay the individual income tax rate.

There is also a retirement pension or annuity subtraction option for taxpayers at least 55 years of age or their beneficiaries. You can subtract either $20,000 if you are under 65 or $24,000 if you are over 65. There are also some breaks for military service and railroad retirement pensions.

Property tax breaks do not kick in until you have owned and lived in your Colorado home for at least ten years.

Real Estate Market & Neighborhoods

Based on the data available in May 2023, median home prices for the Colorado Springs real estate market have declined about 5% since the prior year. This is the first time in nine years that prices haven’t been increasing. Inventory has slowly been growing as the market shifts closer to balance. However, speaking to a local real estate agent is a good idea to get the latest information on what’s happening in Colorado Springs.

So where should you live in this fantastic place? You have so many neighborhoods to buy a home in that, again; a local real estate agent can be your resource to find the right lifestyle amenities you want.

Generally, Colorado Springs is broken up into larger regions based on the cardinal directions. So you’ll have North Colorado Springs, East Colorado Springs, etc.

Much of the development in recent years has been towards the northern end of Colorado Springs near the US Air Force Academy and going closer to Denver. This is where you’ll find most Academy School District No. 20 and many conveniences like shopping and employers. Communities here include Briargate and Northgate. Keep going into the Black Forest, and it will feel more rural.

Southside areas are lower in elevation, so they’ll see less snowfall and precipitation but warmer temperatures. There isn’t much new development here, but it’s much closer to Fort Carson Army Base and the City of Fountain if that’s your priority.

West Colorado Springs is closer to popular parks and open spaces like the Garden of Gods. You’ll have some stunning mountain views in this hillier part of the city. Neighborhoods include Pleasant Valley and Old Colorado City.

Because Colorado Springs has so many excellent neighborhoods, check out our neighborhood guide.

Crazy Climate

Some people like to joke that where they live gives them four seasons in a day, but in Colorado Springs, that could actually be true. Temperatures can actually flux more than 30 degrees in a single day based on where you live, the time of year, and what’s going on with the general weather pattern. Translation: you could have sun, rain, hail, and snow all within 24 hours.

This part of Colorado is renowned for how much sunshine it gets. That doesn’t mean it never sees rain, but rainfall is uncommon here. Again, how much precipitation and snowfall you get depends on where you live and your elevation. Residents living in the foothills and the North side might get walloped by snow while the downtown area receives a light dusting. There’s that much variability even within the city limits.

Be ready for these crazy temperature swings by dressing in layers, bringing umbrellas, and being aware that you could see it all.

Getting Around Town

Colorado Springs is wonderfully pedestrian friendly. It’s not uncommon to hear out-of-towners talk about losing weight since moving to the Springs simply because they’re moving their bodies to get around town. If you dream of walking or biking to work or school, this is a great city to make that happen.

Colorado Springs is an Urban Bikeway Network that prioritizes bike commuters. Bike lanes and urban trails make it easy to head on a bicycle to the local restaurants, entertainment centers, and tourist attractions. Improving bike safety and access is a priority for Colorado Springs, and this urban bikeway network is constantly being updated and expanded. The city’s bike share program is called PikeRide.

But, because Colorado Springs is so large, having a car can also be helpful, especially if you want to travel to ski towns or commute to Denver. The traffic here may not be as bad as its metro neighbors, but it can still slow down, especially at certain times of the year.

The thing about the local roads is that the winter is hard on the surfaces. You’ll see a lot of construction and repaving happening in Colorado Springs because the ice and snow open giant potholes all the time.

But if you really want to ditch the car, the Mountain Metropolitan Transit is the city’s public system running buses around Colorado Springs. It has about 20 routes that use downtown as its hub.

Healthy Living

A healthy lifestyle is integrated into the local culture. Don’t be surprised if you hear Colorado Springs called one of the healthiest cities in America. This is the base for the Olympic Training Center, after all.

Besides its emphasis on cycling and pedestrian ways of getting around town, the beautiful outdoor setting and the numerous trail systems encourage people to get outside. Combined with the drier climate and thinner air, your body works a little harder until you adapt to breathing at the higher elevation.

The Great Outdoors

Speaking of getting outside, Colorado Springs has so many choices for enjoying nature. First, parks here are referred to as open spaces, and nearly every community has its own park or open space. Many of these are not pocket parks as you would find in other urban cities but dozens of acres of preserved prairie or mountain lands.

Outside of your local neighborhood, await many other open spaces and parks in and surrounding Colorado Springs. The Garden of the Gods Park is famous for the incredible rock formations towering over 300 feet high. Tourists from around the world to check out.

Wherever you are in Colorado Springs, you can’t miss Pikes Peak. More people visit Colorado Springs to travel the scenic highway, but the mountain is in your backyard. You can drive it, and its hiking and mountain biking trails will be part of your backyard.

Colorado Springs also has great access to local white-water rafting, fly fishing, skiing, and winter sports. If you’re an outdoors enthusiast, there’s so much to do and explore.

Water

Every place you live has its advantages and challenges. For Colorado Springs, water is one of its challenges. The downside to a dry climate is managing your water resources carefully.

The city also has stringent rules about water wells and usage that can change depending on what’s going on with the local climate. Water rights are an evolving issue as we deal with climate change, so it’s just something to be aware of as you move to Colorado. Your neighborhood may have well or watering restrictions for your yard.

Marijuana

Remember, marijuana usage is legal in Colorado. It’s seen as not a big deal here. If you’re coming from a state where it’s not, it could take some getting used to as you walk around downtown.

Bucket-list attractions

Every city has specific features that represent its essential character and culture. Experiencing these attractions will help you feel more at home in Colorado Springs.

As we mentioned, the Garden of the Gods is one of the top outdoor attractions for the city and one you’ll need to visit to start feeling like a local. Truly, it is an incredible landscape with some stunning sandstone spill pillars that you won’t find in many other places. The beautiful red rocks can be explored through 15 miles of hiking trails.

Another popular park is Cave of the Winds Mountain. Try the Cave tour to get a full muddy experience under the ground. Above ground, the rides are fun for the whole family. Make some family memories on the Wind Walker Challenge Course.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is a beloved attraction covering 146 acres, including native species from the Rocky Mountains and other habitats from around the globe.

These stunning Pikes Peak leaps over 14,000 feet into the air and has become symbolic of Colorado Springs. This mountain inspired the song America the Beautiful; its breathtaking landscape will inspire you too. While you can drive to the summit on Pikes Peak Highway, your other options are to take a shuttle, check out the hiking trails, or fish at one of the park’s lakes.

During the Colorado Springs Labor Day liftoff, over 70 hot air balloons take flight from Memorial Park. It’s a free event with other activities like wakeboarding, paddleboarding, skydiving demonstrations, food eating competitions, and other fun festivals.

Tour the US Air Force Academy and get in touch with your inner pilot. Pick up a self-guided map from the visitor center. Visit public spaces like the Falcon Stadium, the Honor Courts, or the Cadet Chapel. You might catch the pilots out for a training exercise if you’re lucky.

Another exciting place to tour is the US Olympic Training Center. It’s a 35-acre complex with numerous facilities for sports like gymnastics, swimming, wrestling, and weightlifting. It includes the US Olympics Hall of Fame.

Moving Resources

As you prepare to move into your Colorado Springs home, you’ll need to set it up. Colorado Springs has a moving guide listing essential service providers.

The Colorado Springs City Council owns and operates the utilities. You can start your new service by going online to csu.org.

Driver’s licenses must be transferred within 30 days, and you have 90 days to register your vehicle. You can do this through the El Paso County Clerk and Recorder’s Office, which has five locations around Colorado Springs.

Trash pickup is done through a private service. You’ll have to schedule this for yourself. If you live in an HOA community, they may have contracted with a provider, so check with the board.

Living in Colorado Springs

The lifestyle here is active and appreciative of the beauty surrounding it. You have so many options for outdoor recreation paired with entertainment inside the city, so it’s hard to be bored living here. Plus, you have some excellent schools, a thriving economy, and a decent living cost for Colorado. As you search for your Colorado Springs home, let your real estate agent guide you to all the advantages of living in this city.