The Town FilesColorado Springs, Colorado
City in El Paso County · population 478,961 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $452,600
- Household income
- $84,818
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 55 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 12
- Median age
- 35.7
Colorado Springs is a city of 478,961 people in El Paso County, Colorado. The median home is worth $452,600, close to the typical Colorado town ($471,100). It ranks more vibrant than 92% of Colorado towns, more walkable than 88% of Colorado towns, more of a college town than 77% of Colorado towns.
How Colorado Springs 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
The median home in Colorado Springs is worth $452,600, close to the typical Colorado town ($471,100). Homes cost about 5.3 times the median household income of $84,818, which is more affordable than 47% of Colorado towns. Median rent is $1,648 a month. 60.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Colorado Springs | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $452,600 | $471,100 |
| Median rent | $1,648 | $1,582 |
| Median household income | $84,818 | $86,246 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.3× | 5.1× |
| Homeownership | 60.9% | 72.7% |
| Median year built | 1986 | 1982 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.5% | — |
Who lives in Colorado Springs
| People | Colorado Springs | Typical Colorado town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.7 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.1% | 16.9% |
| Under 18 | 21.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.7% | 37.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.0% | 8.8% |
| Veterans | 14.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.6% | — |
| Work from home | 17.6% | 15.3% |
| Average commute | 22.7 min | 24.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.4% | 92.9% |
Weather in Colorado Springs
July highs average 86.5°F and January lows 18.5°F. About 15.9 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 160 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Colorado Springs since 1950, compared with 11 for the typical Colorado town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 24, 1979 about 4.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 9, 2017.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 731 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on August 6, 2018.
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 Colorado Springs itself the ACS puts it at 5.6%.
Public schools in Colorado Springs
178 public schools with 89,023 students, about 16.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pine Creek High School | 9-12 | 1,913 | 17.9 |
| The Classical Academy Charter (charter) | K-6 | 1,871 | 15.2 |
| Doherty High School | 9-12 | 1,861 | 22.4 |
| Banning Lewis Ranch Academy (charter) | K-12 | 1,623 | 14.5 |
| Liberty High School | 9-12 | 1,589 | 17.1 |
| Vista Ridge High School | 9-12 | 1,479 | 19.7 |
| Sand Creek High School | 9-12 | 1,381 | 21.6 |
| Palmer High School | 9-12 | 1,344 | 19.5 |
| Rampart High School | 9-12 | 1,342 | 16.0 |
| Coronado High School | 9-12 | 1,317 | 19.4 |
| Cheyenne Mountain High School | 9-12 | 1,268 | 16.9 |
| Mesa Ridge High School | 9-12 | 1,255 | 18.2 |
Towns near Colorado Springs
- Cimarron Hills, CO3.3 mi · 19,311 people · home $368,000
- Stratmoor, CO6.6 mi · 6,518 people · home $310,000
- Manitou Springs, CO8.2 mi · 4,858 people · home $561,200
- Security-Widefield, CO8.4 mi · 38,639 people · home $387,500
- Air Force Academy, CO10.4 mi · 6,608 people · home —
- Gleneagle, CO12.4 mi · 6,649 people · home $605,400
- Fort Carson, CO12.4 mi · 17,693 people · home —
- Fountain, CO13.1 mi · 29,802 people · home $398,000
Colorado Springs questions
Is Colorado Springs, Colorado a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Colorado Springs scores better for retirees than 19% of Colorado towns and quieter than 8%. 15.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.7).
How much does a house cost in Colorado Springs?
The median owner-occupied home in Colorado Springs is valued at $452,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $84,818, so homes cost about 5.3 times income. Median rent is $1,648 a month.
What is the weather like in Colorado Springs?
July highs average 86.5°F and January lows 18.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 15.9 inches of precipitation a year and 55.2 inches of snow.
Does Colorado Springs get tornadoes?
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Colorado Springs since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 24, 1979. 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)