485,946
Population
Sunny Days: 243
49100 Affordability
89100 Schools
46100 Diversity
66100 Safety
Colorado has always been a good place to find what you’re made of. — Senator John Hickenlooper
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Window To The Rockies
The Best Thing About Colorado Springs?
Proximity to the Rocky Mountains
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 1900’s but more importantly in 2018, US News & World Report named it the most desirable place to live in the United States.
Local POV:
The best part of living here is being adjacent to the outdoors. If you like hiking/biking or getting away into the mountains then it's a great place. The air is relatively clean here (though it's getting worse).
The Worst Thing About Colorado Springs?
The air
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, in fact, that one should definitely test it out before moving here.
Local's advice:
Drink lots of water. I drink probably about a glass or two more of water per day than when I am in the midwest.Lotion and lip balm are musts.Humidifiers help, but it can take a few days to bring up the humidity of a room and home.
Eventually, your body will adapt some, but I still end up drinking quite a bit more water in Denver than when I travel to more humid locations. With the higher altitude, you breathe a little deeper and expel more moisture, then on top of that Denver has dry air. So both will dehydrate you.
Lifestyle In Colorado Springs
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: https://www.coloradosprings.com/events/#!/
Workstyle In Colorado Springs
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 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.
Why You Should Move Here Now?
It's Decent
Colorado Springs offers a decent life. It’s relatively safe, has highly rated schools and provides a degree of comfort from the rest of the world. The weather is fairly mild and schools are good. If you are conservative or politically independent you will feel at home. While more progressives are moving into the area to escape the costs of west and east coast cities it remains a more conservative choice than Denver or Boulder.
Living in Colorado Springs
Neighborhoods in Colorado Springs
View All
The Area
Colorado Springs is part of what is called the Front Range urban corridor. This is a region of cities located along the eastern face of the Southern Rocky Mountains. It runs along the I-25 highway corridor from southern Colorado to Cheyenne Wyoming. It is called this because the Front Range is the mountain range you first encounter when you’re heading east from the rest of the U.S. Colorado Springs is only an hour’s drive south of Denver so locals craving a bigger city can scoot up pretty quickly. You’re also just about 2 hours from Wyoming and 4 from New Mexico so if you’re hankering to get out of the state it’s all pretty close.
Knob Hill
Young Professionals
Knob Hill is the Urban Arts District of downtown Colorado Springs. A huge push of culture, arts and music has turned this into one of the hotter neighborhoods in the city. Plenty of new cocktail bars, microbreweries and classic dive bars make it the place for those looking for serious nightlife. Downtown/Old North End is another prime choice. The area is filled with classic Victorian homes, some of which were converted to offer reasonable apartment rentals, and interestingly, house a lot of the commercial district - restaurants/bars, coffee shops and boutique shopping.
- Knob Hill
- Downtown
- Old North End
- Briargate
- East Colorado Springs - DINKS
- Powers - Dinks
Old North End
DINKs/SINKs
Old North End is a very cool choice for couples who want to live amidst beautiful Victorians built with gold-rush money in the 1900’s. It’s located near Colorado College, so you get some of that youth vibe but without the frantic bar scene of some college neighborhoods. The neighborhood has apartments for entry level living but also condos and full homes for purchase as you move up in the world! Patty Jewett is another popular choice for couples and singles looking for a fun neighborhood and some commercial district, but want to avoid the intense bar scene of downtown. The homes in this neighborhood are smaller than the Victorians of Old North End but have similar old school charm as many were built in the early 1900’s.
- Old North End
- Patty Jewett
- Powers
Briargate
LGBTQ+
Colorado Springs doesn’t really have a dedicated LGBTQ neighborhood like other bigger cities. Briargate is an upscale neighborhood on the north side of the city that comes closest. It’s a bit more popular with the LGBTQ community than others but living here ain’t cheap. Politically, Colorado Springs is conservative and also deeply religious and that has likely held back some growth in the LGBTQ+ community. Population growth from the coasts is changing things however, to the chagrin of some locals and to the joy of others. Some locals claim that the Springs is less about being Conservative and more about being Independent (live and let live) so perhaps there’s hope for all!
Briargate
Families
Briargate is one of the most popular neighborhoods in Colorado Springs for virtually all demographics but in particular families are flocking here. Located in Northeast, which is blowing up with new homes, shopping and family amenities, this is where a lot of families start their search. The Northeast area has one of the best school districts in the county, is extremely safe, and offers a short commute downtown and a shorter drive to Denver if you’re making that commute. Woodmen and Northgate are other Northeast neighborhoods pulling in families that should be your starting point if you’re looking for a suburban lifestyle within the city confines.
- Briargate
- Woodmen
- Northgate
- Palmer Park
Downtown
Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs is a popular retiree city, particularly among the military family community. There are plenty of 55+ and retirement communities but as with many cities, empty nesters and retirees often choose Downtown as a more active alternative. This is where the action is and being able to walk to restaurants, bars and year-round events make it an increasingly popular choice for those ready to get out of their suburban home and live in the middle of it all.
Living downtown also gives retirees close access to some of the best healthcare in the state. Combine that with an extremely active community across all age groups and you get a perfect combination for empty nesters/retirees who seek active and healthy golden years.