Colorado Springs, Colorado

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 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 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

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 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

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.