Colorado Springs, Colorado

Whoever coined “the great outdoors” may have been talking about Colorado Springs. Nestled at the foot of the Great Rocky Mountains, the city stays humble to its roots as a resort town giving tourists and residents alike an incredible natural palette within which to frolic. Residents can marvel at the incredible rock formations at the Gardens of the Gods and the 14,000-foot Pike’s Peak. It’s called “Little London” because so many immigrants from England moved here in the 1900s but more importantly in 2018, US News & World Report named it the most desirable place to live in the United States.

The weather is so perfect for hikers, skiers, and those who appreciate natural beauty, but it’s murder on those who are sensitive to high, altering altitudes and dry climates. It’s so dry that one should test it out before moving here.

While there is a downtown area in Colorado Springs, and plenty of people enjoy going out here, the lifestyle most notable is built around the outdoors. The mountains, rivers, and thousands of trails and foothills means hiking, biking, skiing, snowboarding, fishing, rock climbing, camping and just living in the shadow of Pikes Peak and a short drive to the Rockies is central to the adventurous spirit of those who live here. Moving here for the bars and restaurants and growing cultural scene seems to miss the point (although good to know they’re available). Take advantage of those for sure, but move here for the rest of it.

If you want to see what locals get up to during the year then check out the Colorado Springs calendar of events.

Colorado Springs was recently cited by Brookings as the fastest-growing city for Millennials in the country. There are plenty of reasons for this growth but one of them is that it is rated by a Thumbtack annual survey as the fourth most business-friendly city in the country. The largest local employer base is the military and defense industry. In particular, the military industry is focused on space and missile defense and so the aerospace industry is a high flyer here. The high-tech and tourism industries are also prominent, with the manufacturing of electronics components a core piece of that employment base. Many of those manufacturing jobs are shifting overseas and the service industry is taking over some of that for job opportunities.

The Springs is also home to the US Olympic Training Center and 24 different national federations for Olympic Sports. This heavy sports influence reinforces the health, fitness, and outdoor lifestyle culture of the area.