Colorado Springs vs Greeley
Compare Colorado Springs, CO and Greeley, CO on cost, HUD rent, safety, climate, commute, schools, outdoor access, food, and source-labeled relocation data.
The verdict
Greeley is the cheaper metro on paper: ACS median rent runs $1,351/mo versus $1,508/mo in Colorado Springs — a gap of about $157/mo — and HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents show $1,533/mo against $1,734/mo. Across the four public-data screens Colorado Springs comes out ahead (254 vs 227 summed points), though Greeley still wins specific categories below.
Their climates screen similarly — summer highs near 84°F and 85°F respectively. If lower housing cost leads your list, start with Greeley; if walkable daily life matters more, Colorado Springs screens stronger on the walkability proxy (9 vs 4). These are metro-level public-data screens — verify neighborhoods, school districts, commutes, and actual listings before deciding.
Category summary
Colorado Springs leads 66 to 60 on the cost and climate screen.
Colorado Springs leads 74 to 70 on the work screen.
Colorado Springs leads 55 to 43 on the daily life screen.
Colorado Springs leads 59 to 54 on the community screen.
$85,000 in Colorado Springs is roughly $85,000 in Greeley using WhereToThrive's cost index and state-tax adjustment.
Category comparison
| Metric | Colorado Springs | Greeley | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACS median gross rent | $1,508/mo | $1,351/mo | Greeley |
| HUD 2BR FMR | $1,734/mo | $1,533/mo | Greeley |
| Median home value | $391,000 | $412,000 | Colorado Springs |
| State income tax | 4.4% | 4.4% | Tie |
| Average commute | 25.4 min | 30.6 min | Colorado Springs |
| Safety score | 34/100 | 38/100 | Greeley |
| School score | 8/10 | 6/10 | Colorado Springs |
| Walkability estimate | 9/100 | 4/100 | Colorado Springs |
| Outdoor score | 10/10 | 9/10 | Colorado Springs |
| Restaurants per 100k | 175.6 | 134.9 | Colorado Springs |
| Mountain distance | 8 mi | 19 mi | Colorado Springs |
| Coast distance | 704 mi | 791 mi | Colorado Springs |
| Climate-risk composite (FEMA NRI) | 70/100 | 65/100 | Colorado Springs |
| Wildfire risk percentile (NRI) | 96th | 67th | Greeley |
| Ice storm risk percentile (NRI) | 25th | 54th | Colorado Springs |
| Winter weather risk percentile (NRI) | 98th | 76th | Greeley |
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
Greeley stronger signals
- Strong outdoor access
- Trail access within 24 miles
- Public park/protected-area signal within 0 miles
- Ski location within 47 miles
Greeley tradeoffs
- Premium housing market
- Lower safety score than stronger alternatives
- Cold winters
Common questions
Is Colorado Springs cheaper than Greeley?
On public benchmarks Greeley is the cheaper metro: ACS median rent is $1,508/mo in Colorado Springs vs $1,351/mo in Greeley; HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents are $1,734/mo vs $1,533/mo; state income tax is 4.4% vs 4.4%.
Is Colorado Springs or Greeley safer?
Greeley screens safer at the metro level: safety scores are 34/100 for Colorado Springs and 38/100 for Greeley (FBI-reported metro rates; neighborhood variation is larger than metro averages).
Which is better for families, Colorado Springs or Greeley?
School screens show 8/10 for Colorado Springs vs 6/10 for Greeley, alongside the safety scores above. It is a metro-level screen; verify specific school districts before weighting it heavily.
How different is the climate between Colorado Springs and Greeley?
Colorado Springs: summer highs near 84°F, winter lows near 14°F, disaster-risk band 1/3. Greeley: 85°F / 13°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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