Colorado Springs vs Denver
Compare Colorado Springs, CO and Denver, CO on cost, HUD rent, safety, climate, commute, schools, outdoor access, food, and source-labeled relocation data.
The verdict
Colorado Springs is the cheaper metro on paper: ACS median rent runs $1,508/mo versus $1,706/mo in Denver — a gap of about $198/mo — and HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents show $1,734/mo against $2,201/mo. Across the four public-data screens Denver comes out ahead (268 vs 246 summed points), though Colorado Springs still wins specific categories below.
Their climates screen similarly — summer highs near 84°F and 89°F respectively. If lower housing cost leads your list, start with Colorado Springs; if walkable daily life matters more, Denver screens stronger on the walkability proxy (20 vs 9). These are metro-level public-data screens — verify neighborhoods, school districts, commutes, and actual listings before deciding.
Category summary
Colorado Springs leads 60 to 51 on the cost and climate screen.
Denver leads 81 to 74 on the work screen.
Denver leads 64 to 53 on the daily life screen.
Denver leads 72 to 59 on the community screen.
$85,000 in Colorado Springs is roughly $85,000 in Denver using WhereToThrive's cost index and state-tax adjustment.
Category comparison
| Metric | Colorado Springs | Denver | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACS median gross rent | $1,508/mo | $1,706/mo | Colorado Springs |
| HUD 2BR FMR | $1,734/mo | $2,201/mo | Colorado Springs |
| Median home value | $391,000 | $519,000 | Colorado Springs |
| State income tax | 4.4% | 4.4% | Tie |
| Average commute | 25.4 min | 29.7 min | Colorado Springs |
| Safety score | 34/100 | 60/100 | Denver |
| School score | 8/10 | 8/10 | Tie |
| Walkability estimate | 9/100 | 20/100 | Denver |
| Outdoor score | 9/10 | 9/10 | Tie |
| Restaurants per 100k | 175.6 | 197.0 | Denver |
| Mountain distance | 8 mi | 10 mi | Colorado Springs |
| Coast distance | 704 mi | 745 mi | Colorado Springs |
What stands out
Colorado Springs stronger signals
- Strong outdoor access
- Trail access within 4 miles
- Public park/protected-area signal within 1 miles
- Ski location within 13 miles
Colorado Springs tradeoffs
- Premium housing market
- Lower safety score than stronger alternatives
- Cold winters
Denver stronger signals
- Major airport access
- Strong food and nightlife amenities score
- Strong outdoor access
- Trail access within 20 miles
Denver tradeoffs
- Premium housing market
Common questions
Is Colorado Springs cheaper than Denver?
On public benchmarks Colorado Springs is the cheaper metro: ACS median rent is $1,508/mo in Colorado Springs vs $1,706/mo in Denver; HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents are $1,734/mo vs $2,201/mo; state income tax is 4.4% vs 4.4%.
Is Colorado Springs or Denver safer?
Denver screens safer at the metro level: safety scores are 34/100 for Colorado Springs and 60/100 for Denver (FBI-reported metro rates; neighborhood variation is larger than metro averages).
Which is better for families, Colorado Springs or Denver?
School screens show 8/10 for Colorado Springs vs 8/10 for Denver, alongside the safety scores above. Both screen similarly — district-level research will matter more than the metro gap.
How different is the climate between Colorado Springs and Denver?
Colorado Springs: summer highs near 84°F, winter lows near 14°F, disaster-risk band 2/3. Denver: 89°F / 16°F, disaster-risk band 2/3 (NOAA climate normals).
Keep researching
Score this comparison with your own constraints
Public comparison pages use equal-weighted signals. The questionnaire reweights cities around your housing budget, climate preferences, work needs, family needs, and daily-life priorities.
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