Colorado Springs vs Fort Collins
Colorado Springs, Colorado versus Fort Collins, Colorado: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Colorado Springs and Fort Collins score about the same overall (51 vs 52 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Colorado Springs | Fort Collins |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $79k | $79k |
| Cost of Living | $52k | $60k |
| Home Value | $383k | $497k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.40% | 0.53% |
| Income Tax | 4.40% | 4.40% |
| Sales Tax | 7.81% | 7.81% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 8.90% | 10.29% |
| Unemployment | 5.6% | 5.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 32°F | 26°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 73°F | 66°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 19.0 in | 16.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 55.2 in | 49.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 283 days | 271 days |
| Summer Humidity | 48°F | 47°F |
| Comfortable Days | 56 days | 38 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 23.8 | 34.0 |
| Air Quality | 31 AQI | 39 AQI |
| School Quality | 52.9 | 63.1 |
| Violent Crime | 1154/100k | 990/100k |
| Property Crime | 3400/100k | 2616/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 479,612 | 168,758 |
| Median Age | 35.1 | 30.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.44 | 0.30 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.01 | 1.01 |
| Political Leaning | R+11 | D+16 |
| White (%) | 66.2% | 78.0% |
| Black (%) | 5.6% | 1.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 18.5% | 12.4% |
| Asian (%) | 3.0% | 3.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.6% | 5.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 23 min | 20 min |
| Walkability | 10.9/20 | 13.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 68 mi | 53 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 93.3% | 91.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 13.87 | 27.02 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Colorado Springs or Fort Collins more affordable?
- Colorado Springs has the lower cost of living: its index is $52k, compared with Colorado Springs's $52k and Fort Collins's $60k. Median rent is $1k in Colorado Springs versus $2k in Fort Collins.
- Is Colorado Springs or Fort Collins safer?
- Fort Collins has the lower violent crime rate. Colorado Springs reports 1154/100k and Fort Collins reports 990/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Colorado Springs or Fort Collins?
- The median home value is $383k in Colorado Springs and $497k in Fort Collins, so homes are more affordable in Colorado Springs.