The city of Colorado Springs continues to grow each year and is projected to outrank Denver as Colorado’s largest city over the next 15 years. It is currently ranked #2 in the Best Place to Live according to U.S. News, and there are many reasons why people love living in this booming city. The Springs is a mecca for outdoor adventures, drawing enthusiasts looking for hiking, climbing, or water sports activities. Many also relocate here for new job opportunities or military reassignment. Whatever your reasons for moving to The Springs, you’ll probably want to know more about your new home.

WHAT TO EXPECT

• Large military presence – With the US Air Force Academy to the north of Colorado Springs, Peterson Air Force Base to the east, Fort Carson to the south, and NORAD to the west, you can expect to see men and women in uniform all over the city. Also, many service people chose to stay in Colorado Springs after they retire from one of the local installments.
• Friendly locals – The residents of The Springs tend to be kind and respectful to other residents and visitors alike. They’ll be happy to share their favorite places to visit and things to do.
• A fit city – Colorado Springs is home to the U.S. Olympic Training Center. Therefore, you may run into some athletes training for future games, but these aren’t the only athletes you’ll come across. With so many trails and an average of 250-300 days of sunshine, many of the city’s residents enjoy spending outdoors running, hiking or biking.
• The air is thin – If you’re new to high altitudes, you’ll need to allow yourself a week or two to adjust to the thinner air. You may get light-headed or have difficulty breathing when exerting yourself in the beginning. Once your body becomes used to the different atmosphere, feel free to continue your jogging and hiking activities as you did before your move.

COST OF LIVING

The overall cost of expenses in Colorado Springs falls in line with or just below the national average for housing, utilities, and groceries. When transferring to The Springs from an Air Force base in one of the larger U.S. cities, your monthly expenses might be less than what you’ve been used to. If living off post, you may even have some money left from your BAH after rent – enough to pay a bill or two!

• Housing – The Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), as of time of writing, in Colorado Springs is $273,225. While this is slightly higher than the national average ZHVI of $213,146, it is much lower than cities like San Francisco (1,341,791), Boston ($583,322) and Washington, DC ($560,704).
• Utilities – According to the S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), residents of Colorado spend 27% less than the national average on energy costs.
• Food – In general, food is less here than in the rest of the United States. People tend to spend an average of 5.9% less on their monthly grocery costs than the national average.

WHY MOVE TO COLORADO SPRINGS?

The Springs is a wonderful place for singles and families, alike. There are quite a few local bars and restaurants for fun nights out, and great schools and parks for family activities. The city is still small enough to give you a charming feel, but large enough that you don’t feel you’re missing any of the benefits of big-city living.

• Taxes – Taxes are lower in El Paso County than the rest of the state and much lower than most of the U.S. This allows the residents to keep more of their paycheck!
• Water and air – The water and air are cleaner here than most of the US with water ranking 93 on a scale to 100 (higher is better) and air ranking 69 of 100.
• Schools – The city has a high number of A-rated schools to provide a quality education for children. (SchoolGrades.org)

If your move to Colorado Springs has you scrambling to find a place for all of your belongings, a storage unit at STOR-N-LOCK Self Storage may be the solution to your space issues. Enjoy the convenience of our month-to-month leases, whether your needs are for short-term or long-term storage. We have units in a variety of sizes to accommodate the belongings of a studio apartment to full households. Contact one of our resident managers today to find the best unit for your needs.