Colorado Springs Listed as One of the Best Places to Live

U.S. News Ranks Colorado Springs as One of the Best Places to Live

Its location in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains puts Colorado Springs near what may be the most famous American mountain, Pikes Peak. The city began as a high-end resort town in the 1870s and was boosted by nearby gold and silver strikes. A later military boom laid the groundwork for a large high-tech industry, and fairly steady growth in tourism has been accompanied by an influx of evangelical Christians. The city's population of 396,145 lives in what is called an "alpine desert." That translates to a mild climate where temperature extremes are rare, with average January highs near 40 degrees and peak summer highs in the mid-80s.
Pikes Peak and surrounding mountains dominate the city's vista and history. It was founded as an exclusive resort that later merged with the rougher mining-supply town of old Colorado City. Before the ore from nearby mines petered out, many who struck it rich built magnificent stone mansions in what is now Colorado Springs. Several invested in hotels, including the well-known Broadmoor, which remains a popular, five-star resort.
This is in many ways a military town. World War II brought an Army camp that has grown into Fort Carson and several other military installations, including two active Air Force bases and the Air Force Academy. The Air Force also administers the main technical facility of NORAD, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, in nearby Cheyenne Mountain.
A reasonable cost of living, short commuting times, and a healthy population have helped push Colorado Springs onto lists of the best places to live, according to several publications. Modern Colorado Springs is not without the problems of a big city, including a city core that just now is beginning to show signs of revival. Voters in 2004 approved a sales tax to fund transportation improvements, including widening of major highway arteries.
In recent decades, the area has attracted a range of conservative Christian organizations and churches. Best known is Focus on the Family, an American evangelical nonprofit founded in 1977 by James Dobson, which occupies a large campus near the Air Force Academy.
Downtown is home to the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center and its Taylor Museum of Art, Bemis School of Art, and SaGaJi Theatre. Besides exhibitions and performances, the center offers art classes for all ages and skill levels. The Colorado Springs Philharmonic is the only full-scale professional orchestra in the southern part of the state.
Outdoor recreation is a major draw for residents and visitors because of the mountains and mild climate and includes hiking and rock climbing, which have helped earn the area top rankings as a healthy place to live. Not all the region's outdoor activities are on foot: Rafting and hot-air ballooning are also popular, as are the area's historic railroads. The Pikes Peak Cog Railway carries passengers year-round to the top of the mountain. Aspiring athletes can gain inspiration by touring the U.S. Olympic Training Center, which also houses the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame. Spectator sports include the baseball Colorado Springs Sky Sox, the Triple A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies.
U.S. News Editorial Pick: Greenest Places to Retire
The area features more than 350 miles of scenic trails and more than 14,000 acres of parks and recreational areas in a mix of wilderness preserves and landscaped parks. Notable parks include Garden of the Gods with its towering sandstone formations, paved and unpaved hiking paths, and spectacular views. The city's 1,600-acre North Cheyenne Cañon Park might lead to an encounter with wildlife where the mountains meet the foothills and plains. But the city balances the rough terrain of the foothills with tamer enclaves such as Monument Valley Park. The urban setting features bridged ponds, wildflower gardens, and easy, paved paths along a flowing creek.
Colorado Springs Schools:
Besides the Air Force Academy, there is the University of Colorado–Colorado Springs, which ranked 32nd among the U.S. News master's universities in the West. Colorado College (30th in liberal arts colleges) is almost as old as the city itself.
Colorado Springs Health Care:
Owned by the city of Colorado Springs, Memorial Health System operates a downtown location and a second facility in the city's northern section. Penrose-St. Francis Health Services has a hospital near downtown and another one to the northeast.
Colorado Springs Jobs:
The Pentagon is the city's largest employer, with more than 30,000 active-duty personnel in installations that are projected to continue growing under realignment plans for the nation's defense forces. Already, an estimated 1 in 3 regional jobs depends directly or indirectly on the military. The high-tech industry has been a major contributor, with significant if shrinking employment at facilities of Hewlett-Packard, Verizon, and Agilent. Tourism is the area's third-largest employer, with an estimated 16,000 jobs, and accounts for about a quarter of the city's operating budget. It is projected to play a growing part in the area's economy.
Colorado Springs Real Estate:
Colorado Springs was already considered affordable among large cities, and home values have fallen as they have in many communities. The median sales price of homes in Colorado Springs was $189,000 in 2008.

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