The Town FilesAir Force Academy, Colorado
Community in El Paso County · population 6,608 (2020 Census)
- Household income
- $69,474
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 55 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 21.0
Air Force Academy is a community of 6,608 people in El Paso County, Colorado. It ranks more of a college town than 98% of Colorado towns, better for young professionals than 84% of Colorado towns.
How Air Force Academy ranks
Percentile among Colorado towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Colorado towns.
Homes and cost of living
Median rent is $2,264 a month. 0.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Air Force Academy | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | — | $471,100 |
| Median rent | $2,264 | $1,582 |
| Median household income | $69,474 | $86,246 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 0.0% | 72.7% |
| Median year built | 1967 | 1982 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.6% | — |
Who lives in Air Force Academy
| People | Air Force Academy | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 21.0 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 0.9% | 16.9% |
| Under 18 | 14.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.0% | 37.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.7% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 31.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.6% | — |
| Work from home | 1.4% | 15.3% |
| Average commute | 11.7 min | 24.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.9% | 92.9% |
Weather in Air Force Academy
July highs average 85.0°F and January lows 19.2°F. About 19.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 55.2 inches of snow (typical Colorado town: 47.4 in). Expect about 23 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 162 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Air Force Academy since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Colorado town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 13, 1977 about 5.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 20, 2004.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 420 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on August 21, 2004.
Severe weather in El Paso County since 1996
El Paso County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 25, 2023 | Flood | DR-4731: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| March 28, 2020 | Biological | DR-4498: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3436: Covid-19 |
| July 16, 2015 | Flood | DR-4229: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| September 14, 2013 | Flood | DR-4145: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in El Paso County
El Paso County had 309,483 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $67,491 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Air Force Academy itself the ACS puts it at 4.6%.
Public schools in Air Force Academy
2 public schools with 1,642 students, about 15.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Academy High School | 9-12 | 1,315 | 16.9 |
| Douglass Valley Elementary School | K-5 | 327 | 13.1 |
Towns near Air Force Academy
- Gleneagle, CO3.8 mi · 6,649 people · home $605,400
- Monument, CO5.6 mi · 10,399 people · home $636,700
- Woodmoor, CO7.7 mi · 9,536 people · home $771,900
- Palmer Lake, CO8.7 mi · 2,636 people · home $485,700
- Manitou Springs, CO9.8 mi · 4,858 people · home $561,200
- Colorado Springs, CO10.4 mi · 478,961 people · home $452,600
- Woodland Park, CO10.5 mi · 7,920 people · home $549,200
- Black Forest, CO11.0 mi · 15,097 people · home $856,200
Air Force Academy questions
Is Air Force Academy, Colorado a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Air Force Academy scores better for retirees than 2% of Colorado towns and quieter than 9%. 0.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 21.0).
What is the weather like in Air Force Academy?
July highs average 85.0°F and January lows 19.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 19.6 inches of precipitation a year and 55.2 inches of snow.
Does Air Force Academy get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Air Force Academy since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 13, 1977. The typical Colorado town has had 11.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)