Thinking About Moving to Colorado Springs in 2026?
Here's the Honest Guide

So, Should You Actually Move to Colorado Springs?

It depends more on your situation than on the city. But if you're asking whether Colorado Springs is a smart place to put down roots in 2026 — yes, it is. Not because it's cheap (it isn't), but because you get a genuine Colorado life without paying Denver money for it.

People are voting with their feet. El Paso County's population was about 753,000 as of mid-2024, making it Colorado's most populous county — and it's still growing. People are moving here, not leaving.

What Will It Actually Cost Me to Live Here?

Here's the part that surprises transplants in a good way: your money does more here than in most of Colorado.

• Property taxes are low. Colorado's effective property tax rate is roughly 0.50% — one of the lowest in the country. On a typical home, your annual bill lands well under what you'd pay in most states. That's a real, recurring savings, not a one-time perk.
• State income tax is flat. Colorado taxes income at a flat 4.4%, whether you make $50,000 or $500,000. No brackets to climb.
• Utilities are city-run. Colorado Springs Utilities handles your electric, gas, water, and wastewater under one roof, and water rates have historically run below Denver's — which matters if you've got a lawn or a full house.
• Versus Denver, you come out ahead on housing. Denver's median home price runs well above ours — a six-figure gap on a comparable home. If you can work remote or hybrid for a Denver employer, living down here and keeping that salary is one of the better financial moves in the state.

What Does the Housing Market Look Like Right Now?

Source: elevateMLS Market Snapshot, May 2026. Pikes Peak Association of Realtors.

Prices. We hit a record near $500,000 in mid-2025, and prices have flattened since — not crashed, flattened. We're not going back to 2019 numbers. If you're sitting on the sidelines waiting for a big dip, the data doesn't support that happening here.

Inventory and pace. Homes are taking about 50 days on market on average. You have more choices and more time than buyers had a few years ago. You're not making a blind offer on a house you toured for eight minutes anymore. But you also can't lowball and assume a good home will sit — well-priced ones still move.

Rates. Freddie Mac put the 30-year fixed at 6.52% as of June 11, 2026. If you're eligible for a VA loan, those rates typically run a bit lower and require no down payment, which is worth pricing out. But here's the thing I tell everyone regardless of how they're financing: you can refinance a rate. You can't refinance a purchase price. Rates are a cost you might lower later. A higher price in a hotter market is permanent.

What Will I Actually Do for Work Here?

The city's military reputation hides how diverse the economy actually is. Per Census data, the biggest employment sectors are health care, retail, and professional/scientific/technical services.

• Aerospace and defense. The bases anchor a lot of stable employment, and beyond them, contractors like Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman employ thousands in engineering, IT, and program work.
• Tech. Colorado is one of the most tech-dense states in the country — about 8.2% of the workforce, fourth-highest nationally per CompTIA. Companies like Hewlett-Packard Enterprise and Oracle have expanded here, and Springs tech employment is projected to grow again in 2026.
• Healthcare. Consistently the fastest-growing private sector in the state. Steady demand for nurses, PAs, and support roles.
• Tourism. Garden of the Gods and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center anchor a large hospitality base.
• Remote work. A big share of the local workforce is remote. Keeping an out-of-state salary while living on Springs costs is a very common play here.

Where Should I Live?

Colorado Springs isn't one market, it's a bunch of little ones. Think by lifestyle:

Okay — What's the Catch?

No city is all upside. Here's what nobody mentions until you've moved:

• Hail. The Front Range is one of the most hail-prone regions in the country. Your roof and your insurance are real line items here. Budget for both.
• Altitude. You're at about 6,035 feet. Expect a short adjustment, hydrate, and respect the sun — it's stronger up here.
• You'll need a car. Transit exists but it's limited. The upside is short commutes by big-city standards. The airport handles domestic flights; Denver International is about an hour-plus north.
• Affordability is still stretched in absolute terms. Cheaper than Denver doesn't mean cheap. The Atlanta Fed's free Home Ownership Affordability Monitor tracks our metro monthly if you want to gut-check it.

When Does Moving Here NOT Make Sense?

I'm not going to tell everyone to pack a truck. Real situations where I'd say wait:

• You haven't lined up income or a remote arrangement. Don't move on a hope. Confirm the job or the remote setup first.
• You're not staying 3+ years. Buying has upfront costs — closing, moving, the hunt. Under three years, renting first is often the smarter math. (If a VA or FHA loan gets you in with little down, that timeline shifts — worth running the numbers.)
• You hate driving and want to live car-free. This isn't that city. Be honest with yourself.
• Your budget only works if nothing goes wrong. Between hail-driven insurance and altitude-stronger everything, build in a cushion.

What Would I Tell My Own Family About Moving to Colorado Springs?

If my sibling called me today and said "we're thinking about Colorado Springs" — here's what I'd actually say:

If you've got stable income (or a remote job you can bring), you're planning to be here at least three years, and you want more house, lower taxes, and Pikes Peak out your window without Denver's price tag — come. Get pre-approved, come scout neighborhoods in person, and price insurance before you commit to anything west of I-25.

The transplants I see with regret aren't the ones who bought at 6.5%. They're the ones who waited for a crash that never came, while the city grew up around the house they could've owned.

Don't wait to move somewhere great. Move somewhere great and let it grow on you.

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