Colorado Springs Colorado Relocation Guide
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is one of the larger cities in Colorado, with a population of over 450,000 people. It has access
to some of the most beautiful Colorado natural attractions, a rich history of military bases, olympic athletes, and
so much more. Colorado Springs residents enjoy unparalleled access to the outdoors, a quaint town filled with
small shops, local restaurants, and well-beloved chains. Living in Colorado Springs gives residents access to a
great town filled with entertainment and access to the natural Colorado beauty.
ACTIVITIES
US Air Force Academy Planetarium
The United States Air Force Academy is a historic part of Colorado Springs. The Air Force Academy has been an
important influence on the growth and culture of the city and remains prevalent in its culture today. The
Planetarium specifically was built in 1959 and is one of the oldest structures at the Academy. The Planetarium’s
initial purpose was teaching celestial navigation classes to training cadets. After cadets no longer required this
training, the Planetarium was transformed into an academic center used to educate curious individuals,
classrooms of children, and whoever had an interest in learning more about space!
ProRodeo Hall of Fame & Museum of the American Cowboy
Something essential to understanding the history of Colorado is understanding how Western Colorado is. The
Western culture of cowboys and rodeos is a cornerstone to Colorado and many towns in the state still embrace
the tradition today. Located in Colorado Springs is the ProRodeo Hall of Fame and Museum of the American
Cowboy. Here, visitors can learn more about this western heritage of Colorado and some of the greatest
cowboys to compete in Colorado rodeos.
Garden of the Gods
Garden of the Gods is seriously something that looks like it came straight from a movie scene. It is a cluster of
jagged red rocks pointed up at the sky. The rock formation was formed during a geological upheaval along a
natural fault line. Just as the Rocky Mountains were formed, natural shifts in the earth’s tectonic plates forced
rocks up into jagged structures that look like a playpen fit for the Gods. The park is a great place to explore when
you are in Colorado Springs. There are driving paths so you can tour around the park from the comfort of your
car, or you can hike around on various paths or rock climb in certain sections of the park.
US Olympic & Paralympic Museum
Colorado Springs has earned itself the nickname of Olympic City USA. This is due to its culture of achievement,
national pride, and dedication. Colorado Springs is home to the United States Olympic & Paralympic
Committee (USOPC). The city has an incredible number of natural training grounds, historic sites, and stunning
views to continue the inspiration. The US Olympic & Paralympic Museum is a 60,000-square foot attraction in
the city. The mission of the Museum is to honor the Olympic and Paralympic ideals, document and share the
history of the United States’ Olympic and Paralympic participation, and the achievements of United States’
athletes. Visitors can learn stories about American athletes that inspire our United States’ Olympic and
Paralympic pride!
Recreation
Colorado Springs is situated conveniently close to the Colorado mountains, but it sits on a flat plain that makes it
perfect for residents to enjoy both urban activities and mountain adventures! Given its close location to the
outdoors but urban culture and amenities, there is so much to do in Colorado Springs for recreation!
Bike Down Pikes Peak
Pikes Peak reaches a summit of 14,115 feet, an impressive elevation to be found so close to a city. A must-do
activity for Colorado Springs residents or visitors is to reach the summit of Pikes Peak. This can be as easy as
driving up the Pikes Peak Highway, a fully paved and somewhat intense highway with over 150 turns and
climbing more than 4,800 vertical feet. Getting to the top of the peak is well worth the journey, even if you are
just turning back to drive down it again.
If you are adventure crazy and looking for an extreme challenge, you can bike up and down the Pikes Peak
Highway. While cycling up 4,800 feet sounds impossible, cycling down it can be just as tricky. Nonetheless, if
you are an avid cycler and looking for a great challenge, Pikes Peak is an excellent adventure to challenge
yourself with.
Rock Climbing
Colorado Springs sits at an elevation of over 6,000 feet and sits at the base of Pikes Peak. Given the high
elevation and proximity to some of the most impressive Colorado peaks, it makes sense that rock climbing is a
big sport in the city of Colorado Springs. There are so many areas to try your hand at climbing, as well as
various indoor climbing gyms, so you can practice climbing all year in all kinds of weather without traveling to
the mountains.
Cheyenne Mountain State Park
Cheyenne Mountain State Park offers residents and visitors great access to 28 miles of trails that are great for
hiking, biking, and limited equestrian and dog use. Camping is permitted at the Park and open year round!
There are 51 full service campsites, and 10 basic walk-in tent sites. The Park also features an Archery Range,
where participants can practice shooting with targets at 10 to 80 yards.
Golfing
Colorado Springs has a few golf courses that residents and visitors can enjoy. Players can enjoy over 10 different
golf courses. For an avid golfer, it doesn’t get much better than this! Whether you enjoy playing at courses with a
more rustic feel and beautiful views, or a polished country club, there is something for you in Colorado Springs’
repertoire of golf courses.
Gyms and Recreation Centers
Residents of Colorado Springs can get active any time during the year without having to trek to the mountains!
There are a few different Recreation Centers in the city that give visitors access to gym equipment, sports
facilities, and swimming recreational areas. Colorado is generally a fairly active state, and the gyms and
recreation centers in Colorado Springs help residents live up to that active lifestyle.
GEOGRAPHY
Colorado Springs is classified as an alpine desert climate. This in part defines its geography. While Denver is
Colorado’s most populated city, Colorado Springs is the state’s largest, geographically. It is located about an hour
south of Denver and at the edge of the southern Rocky Mountains. It’s location gives residents unparalleled
access to the outdoors.
The city sits on top of a high, flat plain at the base of the Colorado Rocky Mountains. This gives it a flat area for
city development, and a mountainous surrounding area that residents can utilize to enjoy activities such as
hiking, mountain biking and camping.
Transportation
Getting around Colorado Springs is easiest by car. That is not because public transportation doesn’t exist, but
because so many of the Colorado Springs’ main attractions are outside of the city in nature. If you do not have a
car and are planning to stay around the downtown Colorado Springs area, you can get by on foot and by bus
very easily. The Mountain Metropolitan Transit operates more than 20 local bus routes throughout Colorado
Springs, running from 5am to 10pm on weekdays. One way rides on the bus cost $1.75, or a daily pass that gives
riders unlimited rides can be purchased for $4.00.
There are other ways to get around Colorado without a car. Rocky Mountain Ride gives riders a comfortable, air
conditioned shuttle experience to several Colorado destination sites such as Breckenridge or the Denver
International Airport. This method of driving is a great way to get around if you are traveling in a group,
without a car!
Amenities
Colorado Springs offers residents and visitors a substantial amount of amenities. Of course, the most obvious
amenity offered by Colorado Springs’ location is access to the outdoors. There are national parks, parks and
outdoor natural amenities located within minutes of the city. The parks in the city have dog parks, lakes, splash
parks and water fountains, swimming pools, and even tennis and pickleball courts. Colorado Springs offers its
golf loving residents plenty of opportunities to practice and enjoy the sport.
Though Colorado Springs is located just an hour south of Denver, it has its own amenities that make life easier
for its residents. There are five different hospitals in Colorado Springs. Though you never want to need quick
access to a hospital, it puts your mind at ease knowing you’re close to a hospital in case you experience an
emergency.
There are also many shopping options including grocery stores, commercial shopping centers, small boutiques,
and outdoor apparel stores. It is a huge convenience to be able to get everything you need in the city you live in,
instead of having to travel to the nearest city. Colorado Springs residents can be completely self-sufficient
without ever needing to travel north to Denver if they don’t want to!
Cost of Living
Best places does an analysis of the cost of living in towns and states across the United States. The way they
accurately do this is by setting the standard at 100. They make the average cost of living in the United States 100,
so if a city or state resides above this number, it has a more expensive cost of living than average, and if it is
below it has a lower cost of living.
Colorado Springs ranks at 104.5, so pretty close to the average cost of living in the United States. The average
cost of living in Colorado is 121.1, so Colorado Springs is more affordable than the average place in Colorado.
Certain costs of living in Colorado Springs are below average. These include grocery costs, utilities,
transportation and miscellaneous expenses. The only cost that is above the United States’ average is housing.
Housing in Colorado Springs is ranked at 124.5, compared to 166.1 in Colorado, and 100 in the United States.
Average Home Sales
While the cost of living is lower in Colorado Springs than it is in Colorado or the United States on average, home
sales are an exception to that trend. Average home sales in Colorado rank at 166.1 on the Best Places scale, while
it ranks 124.5 in Colorado Springs. So, in the state, Colorado Springs is more affordable than average. 124.5 is
significantly higher than 100 on the scale, which is the cost of housing in the United States.
The median home cost in Colorado Springs is $425,000 which is a 16.4% increase since last year. The housing
market in Colorado has seemingly exploded in the past few years. There seems to be a very significant increase
in demand for housing in Colorado and Colorado Springs is no exception. While the city is consistent with
Colorado on this trend, it is not quite as expensive as other areas of Colorado. The median home cost in
Colorado as a whole is $488,600, significantly more expensive than Colorado Springs.
Weather
Sitting at an elevation of over 6,000 feet, significantly higher than the Mile High City, Colorado Springs has a
unique climate. Colorado Springs is technically classified as an alpine desert, which features an average of 300
days of blue skies and relentless sunshine and very low humidity. Though Colorado Springs is in Colorado and
when you think of the Rocky Mountain State you think snow, it only receives 15-16 inches of precipitation a year
and gets way less snow than Denver and other Colorado cities.
Colorado Springs enjoys a mild winter filled with cloud free blue skies and not as much snow as some may
expect. The coldest month of the year is typically January, with an average low temperature of 14 degrees
fahrenheit. July is the hottest month on average, with a high of 84 degrees. This beautiful weather makes
Colorado Springs an excellent place to live year-round. Residents can enjoy the beautiful outdoors even in the
coldest months of the year, thanks to the unwavering sunshine!
Shopping
Colorado Springs has it all for shopping options! Whether residents want to shop at locally owned, small
boutiques, or bigger traditional shopping centers, Colorado Springs offers both options! Old County City is
located on the west side of Colorado Springs. It is a really charming area that is filled with local shops and an
abundance of history. This part of Colorado Springs offers residents a wide array of events like an ArtWalk, a
Farmers’ Market, and a wide range of shops and galleries. Here you can find great shops, delicious restaurants,
and inspiring galleries.
Downtown Colorado Springs offers residents even more shopping opportunities for residents and visitors. It has
pristine patios, outdoor art, and local shops that offer a unique peek into the history of Colorado Springs. There
are local stores that specialize in Colorado memorabilia, unique jewelry stores, and athletic wear.
The Chapel Hills Mall in Colorado Springs offers shoppers a more traditional mall experience, with more
regional, national, and international businesses. At the mall, visitors can enjoy a wide range of shopping, dining
and even a movie theater. AMC Theatres is located in the mall and shows all the new films residents may be
wanting to see!
SCHOOLS
Colorado Springs falls in El Paso county, Colorado. There are so many schools in the city for residents to choose
from. Because it is such a large city in Colorado terms, there are plenty of schooling options for young residents.
Colorado Springs has 55 total schools in Colorado Springs which includes both private and public schools. There
is a wide range of options available for families to choose from. On top of a huge number of K through 12
schools, there are also a few colleges and universities in the Colorado Springs city limits. University of Colorado
Colorado Springs is a public university in the UC system. It is a large university with most of its attendees being
Colorado residents. Colorado College is also located in the city, it is a small private four-year university. There
are a few other colleges in the area, making Colorado Springs a lively college town.