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Colorado Springs, Colorado

USA · Comprehensive city data and intelligence

61
Overall Score

Colorado Springs sits at the base of the majestic Rocky Mountains, approximately 70 miles south of Denver, renowned for its dramatic natural landmarks like Pikes Peak and the Garden of the Gods. Founded as a resort community in the late 19th century, the city has evolved into a vibrant regional hub known for its active, outdoors-driven lifestyle and military presence. People flock to the area for its unique blend of urban amenities, mild high-altitude climate, and immediate access to world-class hiking, climbing, and recreation.

About Colorado

Colorado is characterized by its diverse geography, ranging from the Rocky Mountains to the Eastern Plains, offering a lifestyle that blends natural beauty with community charm and extensive outdoor recreation opportunities. The state's economy is robust and diversified, with major industries including aerospace, bioscience, technology, energy and natural resources, financial services, and a strong tourism sector. Living in Colorado is generally more expensive than the national average, with housing costs being a primary driver. The climate is diverse, featuring four distinct seasons with abundant sunshine, though it can experience rapid weather shifts, including hot summers, cold winters, and occasional extreme weather events like flash floods and strong winds.

494,743
Population
$71K
Avg Salary
101
Cost Index
61.0
Quality Score
How this 61/100 was calculated five components, with every reading behind them
Component Readings used Points Weight Contributes
Safety Safety score: 68 / 100 68.0 30% 20.4
Affordability Cost of living index (100 = national baseline): 101.0 42.5 25% 10.6
Economy & jobs Median household income: $84,818 Income needed to live here: $58,000 Unemployment rate: 4.1% 78.3 20% 15.7
Growth Population growth rate: 0.57% Job growth rate: 1.8% 47.6 15% 7.1
Business climate assessment Business climate assessment: 72 / 100 72.0 10% 7.2
Overall score 61.0

Provenance. These figures were produced by the research pass recorded as Gemini (Tier 2 (reasoned), q=80), last refreshed 11 October 2026. They are researched estimates drawn from public sources, not a licensed data feed.

Each component is scored against fixed published endpoints, so this number is comparable with any other city and does not move as the dataset grows. Scoring framework 2026.10 — full methodology, weights and accepted ranges.

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Quality Scores

Business
72
Livability
80
Affordability
64
Growth
73

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Colorado Springs sits slightly above the national average, largely driven by significant demand for housing and continuous population influx over recent years. While grocery and utility expenses track close to typical US baselines, housing and real estate pressures have historically pushed overall expenditures higher. Nonetheless, it remains generally more affordable than neighboring Denver, attracting families and professionals seeking high quality of life without peak metropolitan price tags.

Average Rent
$1,750/mo
Groceries
$420/mo
Transport
$130/mo
Utilities
$170/mo
Healthcare
$240/mo
Gym membership (monthly)
$50.00
Cinema ticket
$13.00
Restaurant meal (mid-range)
$25.00
Monthly groceries
$420.00
Doctor visit (without insurance)
$145.00

Salary Insights

Colorado Springs features a dynamic, resilient job market heavily anchored by defense, aerospace, high-tech manufacturing, and a robust tourism sector. Major employers include multiple military installations—such as Fort Carson, Peterson Space Force Base, and the United States Air Force Academy—alongside a growing cluster of cybersecurity and aerospace firms. The city also sustains a thriving remote work community and strong entrepreneurial support network that encourages small business development.

The average salary in Colorado Springs is $71,000 per year. You would need approximately $58,000 to live comfortably.

Top Industries

Retail Trade +1.10% Healthcare and Social Assistance +2.80% Tourism and Hospitality +1.60% Professional and Technical Services +2.20% Defense and Aerospace +2.40%

Climate

🌡️
Avg Temp
☀️
Summer High
❄️
Winter Low
🌧️
"
Annual Rain
💧
45.00%
Humidity
🌤️
Sunny Days

Transport

Car dependency remains relatively high in Colorado Springs due to the city's sprawling geographic footprint, though public transit options like the Mountain Metropolitan Transit bus system provide core connectivity. Average commute times typically range around 23 to 25 minutes, making cross-town travel manageable outside of peak rush hours along major arteries like I-25. Walkability varies heavily by neighborhood, with downtown and older districts offering pedestrian-friendly grids while newer suburbs require vehicle travel.

24 min
Avg Commute
38.00/10
Transit Score
42.00/10
Walkability
High
Car Dependency

Pros & Cons

Advantages
Median home value remains more accessible than Denver metro counterparts per Zillow 2026 data
Unemployment rate sits at a healthy 4.1% matching competitive national benchmarks per BLS
Unmatched proximity to iconic outdoor recreation including Pikes Peak and Garden of the Gods
Robust local economy driven by aerospace, defense technology, and high-tech sectors
Average monthly earnings outpace national averages per recent BLS occupational wage reports
Drawbacks
High elevation and dry climate require adjustment periods for new residents
Significant car dependency across sprawling suburban neighborhoods limits transit utility
Property crime rates in certain central urban pockets remain above national medians
Rapid historical growth has strained local infrastructure and traffic capacity on I-25
Home prices and rents have escalated significantly compared to pre-2020 affordability levels

Questions about Colorado Springs

What people ask about living in and moving to Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Gathering the most common questions about Colorado Springs…

Frequently Asked Questions

Urblytica benchmarks its Cost of Living Index against a United States national average baseline of 100. A score of 115 means a city is approximately 15% more expensive than the national average, while a score of 85 indicates it is 15% more affordable. This composite calculation is weighted across six primary expenditure categories: housing, utilities, grocery items, transportation, healthcare, and miscellaneous goods.

Urblytica aggregates housing data from multiple authoritative sources, including Multiple Listing Service (MLS) feeds, municipal property tax registries, the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS), and verified historical deed transactions. This multi-tier aggregation ensures precision in tracking median home values and rental rates.

A municipality must meet minimum data-density thresholds—including consistent reporting population samples from the U.S. Census and active residential or commercial real estate transaction feeds—to ensure statistical significance before a complete scoring profile is published.

When primary agencies (such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics or U.S. Census Bureau) issue historical data revisions or benchmark corrections, Urblytica's data pipeline automatically re-indexes affected historical archives to maintain longitudinal trend accuracy.

U.S. affordability calculations incorporate federal income tax brackets, state-specific income tax rates, and local municipal tax variations to evaluate the true net tax drag on median household earnings across different states and cities.

Local county and municipal property tax millage rates are factored directly into the housing component of the cost-of-living index to reflect recurring annual tax burdens for homeowners.

The platform aggregates state sales taxes alongside county and city surtaxes to measure consumer basket purchasing power parity accurately across different retail jurisdictions.

Utility calculations apply regional seasonal consumption weightings, incorporating high summer air conditioning loads in southern states and heavy winter heating demands in northern states.

The index tracks average out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, routine outpatient visit costs, and regional health insurance premium benchmarks published by federal health agencies.

Educational metrics aggregate state standardized testing benchmarks, student-to-teacher ratios, high school graduation rates, and per-pupil expenditure data published by state departments of education.
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