Tips on Moving to Colorado Springs, CO: Relocation Guide
Have you dreamt about living somewhere with mountain scenery, glittering snowfall, and incredible hiking trails? If yes, you’d love moving to Colorado Springs.
Here are the nuts and bolts of figuring out the logistics of moving to Colorado Springs.
Photo Credit: Tomasz Stasiuk
First off, if you’re in a different state, outside of Colorado, be sure to check out our list of the best interstate movers. You’ll also want to use our moving cost calculator as a way to estimate the cost of your move, so you can prepare your moving to Colorado Springs budget for moving day!
Just an hour south of Denver, Colorado Springs is a relatively affordable city with plenty to offer its residents. From nature lovers looking to experience the Garden of the Gods or some fantastic mountain views, to cadets attending the U.S. Air Force Academy, and more, there’s so much to take advantage of after moving to Colorado Springs.
Whether it’s people coming for the natural beauty of the Rocky Mountains, the booming industry around marijuana legalization, or to be around one of the most fitness-focused cities in the country, it’s clear that Colorado Springs has a lot to love!
To help you feel prepared before moving to Colorado Springs, we’ve put together a comprehensive guide with all the most vital information you’ll need. You’ll learn about affordable neighborhoods, commuting, apartment hunting, and more.
Everything about relocating to Colorado Springs
- How to move to Colorado Springs?
- Which Colorado Springs neighborhoods are most affordable?
- Which neighborhood in Colorado Springs is the best fit for me?
- How long is the commute in Colorado Springs?
- How’s the walkability, bikeability, and public transportation in Colorado Springs?
- How dangerous is Colorado Springs?
- Where can I find apartments and houses in Colorado Springs?
- Don’t forget, all of these things need updating!
- What’s fun to do in Colorado Springs?
And if you’re looking for more info on moving to Colorado Springs, check out our Colorado Springs move cost guide.
Snapshot of Colorado Springs
- The population in Colorado Springs is 483,956, making it the 39th highest populated city in the United States.
- The 2023 average monthly rent in Colorado Springs is $1,534 with prices very close to US national average.
- The Springs is relatively affordable for a city of its size, with a single person’s estimated monthly costs totalling $2,780. Affordable housing means something different to everyone –figure out what makes the most sense for you and your budget.
Check out this sweet drone footage of some of The Springs’ beautiful scenery.
How to move to Colorado Springs
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Ready to make the move? Use our moving cost calculator to estimate your moving costs to Colorado Springs.
There are tons of different ways to make the move. You can go the DIY route and rent a moving truck to save some cash. Or you can take the hassle-free option and work with professional movers so you don’t have to do any heavy lifting. There’s also the middle of the road option: a hybrid move where you pack and load a moving container and the pros transport it for you. Be sure to check out all of your options and compare quotes for the ebay option for your move.
Also, if you are coming from out of state, be sure to have a look at our state-to-state moving guide for more info and tips.
Parking permits for moving vehicles in Colorado Springs
You’ll also want to figure out whether or not you need special permission to park moving vehicles or containers near your house before moving to Colorado Springs.
Colorado Springs has a thorough Oversize/Overweight Load Permits page with the info you’ll need.
Neighborhoods in Colorado Springs
As the second largest city in Colorado, Colorado Springs is a city with over 100 neighborhoods, so it has a wide variety of areas to fit almost anyone’s specific needs.
Whether you’re a student at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs or Colorado College, or, you’re just looking for some peak real estate in a good school district, you can make this big city feel like a small town depending on which neighborhood you’re rocking in after moving to Colorado Springs
To better look at the city, it helps to divide it into basic regions (Southwest, South/Southeast, West, Northwest, Northeast, North, Powers, East, and Central) as seen on the map below.
When selecting a Colorado Springs area to buy or rent, it’s important to know if the area matches your vibe–but more importantly, you need to know if you can afford a life in that neighborhood. Think about cost of living when making decisions about neighborhoods.
Generally, rent in Colorado Springs is more expensive in the more centralized regions and gets less expensive as you move farther from the center of the city.
- The less expensive areas in the city are going to be places like Venetian Village, East Colorado Springs, Village Seven, and Stratton Meadows which will have rents in the $900-$1300 range.
- Places like Skyway, Northeast Colorado Springs, and Southeast Colorado Springsfall more into a middle price-range meaning that rent here will run around $1,000 to $1,500 per month.
- And if you want to live in a higher-end area of town, rent is going to run $1,500 and higher in areas like Central Colorado Springs, Briargate, Interquest, and Northgate.
Now that you know where is within your budget, you can make decisions on the best area for you.
Where are people like me living in Colorado Springs?
When deciding where to live, it’s difficult to know exactly what an area’s vibe is like. Fortunately, Esri has developed their Zip Tapestry tool for doing just that!
To demonstrate, we searched the zip code for Downtown Colorado Springs (80903) and Esri pulled up the three largest demographic sections in the area along with a ton of other useful info.
So, once you’ve decided you like a place, you’ll also want to figure out how feasible it’ll be to get from there to work every day.
Navigating The Springs
Like many cities of this size, most people in Colorado Springs are going to be getting around primarily by car, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. You should know about transportation options before moving to Colorado Springs (or, anywhere, for that matter).
The state of Colorado has some difficult commutes, but Colorado Springs’ commute time is almost five times faster than the national average.
In general, commute times in Colorado Springs are pretty favorable, clocking in at a 22-minute average.
Even though roughly 88% of residents drive, Colorado Springs has a decent selection of alternative commuting options to choose from as well.
Walking, biking, and riding around The Springs
Colorado Springs is semi-walkable, has a decent biking infrastructure, and has weak public transportation options.
The city has a 35 walk score, which isn’t the worst, but it’s weak compared to many major metropolitan areas.
Fortunately, efforts are underway to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety throughout the downtown area which should improve the city’s overall walkability.
And speaking of cyclists…
Colorado Springs is bike-friendly
Of all its alternative transportation options, Colorado Springs bikers are in the best position with a bike score of 45.
Aside from the infrastructure improvements, the city does a lot to encourage biking in Colorado Springs, like hosting Bike to Work Day and the Mayor’s Community Bike Ride as part of Bike Month in June.
Colorado Springs is also in the process of updating its bicycle master plan which will help to further encourage two-wheeled transportation throughout the city.
Unfortunately, the busses don’t fare quite as well…
Public transportation in Colorado Springs is pretty weak
The bus system in Colorado Springs isn’t great… Its score is a meager 19 transit score.
The primary source of public transportation in Colorado Springs is handled by Mountain Metro which offers bus services throughout downtown and the surrounding suburbsbut doesn’t really extend into residential areas.
So, now that you know what getting around the city’s going to look like, it’s time to look at its crime rates.
Crime in Colorado Springs
At first, the crime situation doesn’t look super promising…
According to NeighborhoodScout, Colorado Springs has a crime score of 7 out of 100 (with 100 being the safest possible score).
That might seem fairly low, but it’s actually on par with other cities of similar sizes.
Colorado Springs’ safety seems a bit better if you look deeper into the data and notice that the total crime rate is only 13% violent crime. So, although the rate is high, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s highly dangerous.
Generally, residents of Colorado Springs consider it a pretty safe place. If you’re moving to Colorado Springs, you can rest easy, knowing that it’s similar to other cities of that size, in terms of safety.
And now that you have a baseline understanding of the city, it’s time to find a place to put all your stuff!
Apartment hunting in The Springs
When looking for apartments in Colorado Springs, you should think about numbers. Determine your budget for monthly rental costs, and for utilities.
Due to its high altitude, Colorado Springs experiences a fair amount of chilly weather, although things get toasty in the summer too. So, you’ll definitely want to be renting a place with heating and air conditioning.
When thinking about heating and cooling needs, also consider your monthly electricity cost, so you can adequately budget for your apartment’s utilities.
And due to the city’s low walkability, it’d be a good idea to make sure you have a washer/dryer somewhere in-unit or nearby to your apartment.
Where to look for apartments in Colorado Springs
Apartment hunting can be time-consuming, so it’s best to use every resource at your disposal to make sure you find the best possible fit for your needs.
We’ve gathered a few solid sites that we think serve as good jumping-off points for finding apartments in the Springs. They include the following:
Colorado Springs rental market
The 2023 rental market in Colorado Springs has attractive options to meet different budgets. However, it should be noted how rental prices in Colorado Springs have reached record highs in recent years.
Colorado Rental Law
Renting in Colorado Springs is expensive. To avoid paying more than you need to, brush up on your rights as a renter in Colorado.
Here are some of the most useful laws for renters to keep in mind:
- Colorado Required Landlord Disclosures
- Colorado Security Deposit Limits and Deadlines
- Colorado Tenant Rights to Withhold Rent
- Colorado Landlord-Tenant Laws
Now, if you want to settle down in an area that’s a bit more suburban, Colorado Springs has plenty to offer.
House hunting in Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs has a ton of natural beauty. This makes finding a new home in a picturesque suburb incredibly easy.
In 2023, home prices in Colorado Springs have a median value of $448,670, proving its robust housing market. Connect with an experience realtor to navigate the Colorado Springs housing market with greater ease.
Among Fort Carson and Manitou Springs, here are a couple suburbs in Colorado Springs that stood out to us for you to check out if you’re moving to Colorado Springs.
Old North End
Located just north of Downtown, the Old North End is one of the trendier areas of town featuring many historic homes. Primarily appealing to families, doctors, professors, and lawyers, the Old North End’s charm comes at a relatively high price (and have higher property taxes).
Pleasant Valley
People wanting to be somewhat removed from the city will find a lot to love in Pleasant Valley. What was once one of the most expensive neighborhoods in The Springs has become fairly affordable. The area is particularly attractive to new families who are drawn to its ranch-style homes and proximity to the Garden of the Gods.
A few things to take care of before you get settled in to Colorado Springs
The laborious moving process is so close to being over! All that’s left to do is take care of a few final logistical matters and you’ll be able to officially call Colorado Springs your home.
- Voter registration: Don’t forget to register to vote after moving! It’s super important and helps you build a connection to your community.
- Driver’s license: You’ll want to get a new Colorado driver’s license within 2 weeks after you move.
- Out-of-state vehicle registration: And if you’re bringing a car with you, you’ll need to get a Colorado license plate.
- Trash & recycling: As soon as you can, make sure to get set up with Springs Waste Systems to make sure your trash doesn’t pile up on the front lawn.
- Make friends and meet new people: It’s not easy making connections in a new town, but thanks to resources like Meetup, it’s easier than ever to connect with people in a new city.
- Get used to the high elevation: Colorado Springs is 6,035 feet above sea level, so give your body some time to adjust.
Things to do in The Springs
When getting a feel for a new city, sometimes the best place to start is their official website. Colorado Springs has a great site devoted to sharing info on upcoming events and things to do around town.
Explore the historic district of Old Colorado City, the NORAD Cheyenne Mountain complex just half an hour from the Peterson Air Force Base, or make a weekend getaway to the beautiful Broadmoor destination resort. In Colorado Springs, you’ll also find the U.S. Olympic Training Center (Colorado Springs is known as “Olympic City”), Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, local farmers markets, Woodland Park, and Pikes Peak is only 12 miles west of Colorado Springs. There is so much to do in this city and its surrounding areas!
The Springs also sports a rich culinary scene with a wide range of cuisines from the casual Amanda’s Cantina to fancy fondue at The Mona Lisa.
Those in search of places to unwind won’t be disappointed by the selection of bars, breweries, and distilleries in Colorado Springs, like Axe and the Oak Whiskey House, Goat Patch Brewing Company, and Distillery 291.
Colorado Springs is a haven for nature-lovers and it has many parks, trails, and open spaces that offer fresh air and beautiful vistas. Outdoor activities that can be done year-round abound in Colorado Spring. And the natural beauty of the region will make moving to Colorado Springs feel like the best decision of your life!
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