City comparison
No. Durham's crime index is 193 versus 200 in Colorado Springs, and its violent crime index is 163 versus 204, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Durham is cheaper. Median rent is $1,508 a month versus $1,648 in Colorado Springs.
Colorado Springs and Durham are closer on paper than many city pairs, so the move comes down to how you weight cost, safety, and climate. Typical rent sits near $1,648 in Colorado Springs and $1,508 in Durham, and median household income lands at $84,818 versus $81,619. Use the category rows below to see which gaps would change your daily life.
Durham is not a close call here. It leads on cost of living, safety, and weather by margins that add up in daily life. Colorado Springs makes sense if you have a specific reason, a job offer, family, or a neighborhood you already know, but on the numbers alone Durham is the stronger move.
Visit both if you can. Cities reveal themselves in the ordinary moments, a Tuesday morning commute, a Saturday errand run, not on a weekend visit.
The move
Colorado Springs and Durham are 1,431 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,648 a month in Colorado Springs to $1,508 a month in Durham, down $140 a month (8%).
Median household income goes from $84,818 in Colorado Springs to $81,619 in Durham, down $3,199 (4%).
The crime index goes from 200 in Colorado Springs to 193 in Durham, down 7 points (4%).
The move
Durham and Colorado Springs are 1,431 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,508 a month in Durham to $1,648 a month in Colorado Springs, up $140 a month (9%).
Median household income goes from $81,619 in Durham to $84,818 in Colorado Springs, up $3,199 (4%).
The crime index goes from 193 in Durham to 200 in Colorado Springs, up 7 points (4%).
Colorado Springs, CO
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Durham, NC
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing Colorado Springs and Durham? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
8% cheaper
Durham rent is 8% cheaper than Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs
$1,648/mo
Durham
Winner$1,508/mo
Typical rent runs $1,508 a month in Durham versus $1,648 in Colorado Springs, so Durham is 8% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $140, or $1,680 a year: noticeable, but rent alone should not pick the city. Use this as a tie-breaker after you compare income, schools, and crime, unless you are already stretching every dollar.
Planning to buy in Durham? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
4% higher
Colorado Springs's median income is 4% higher than Durham
Colorado Springs
Winner$84,818
Durham
$81,619
Median household income is $84,818 in Colorado Springs versus $81,619 in Durham, so typical pay runs 4% higher in Colorado Springs (about $3,199 more household income a year). The income edge is modest. Treat it as extra negotiating context, not a reason to ignore rent, schools, or climate. Remote workers especially should not treat citywide pay as a personal raise if their employer will not localize salary.
Crime index
4% lower crime
Durham's crime index is 4% lower than Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs
200 (100 = avg)
Durham
Winner193 (100 = avg)
Durham's crime index is 193 versus 200 in Colorado Springs (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 4% lower in Durham. The difference is noticeable without being night-and-day. You will still want to pick the neighborhood carefully in Durham, but you will usually spend less energy on constant vigilance than you would in Colorado Springs. Tour both cities after dark before you let a modest index gap close the decision.
Typical weather
15% more comfortable
Durham weather is 15% more comfortable than Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs
55°F avg · 63°F highs · comfort 72/100
Durham
Winner59°F avg · 68°F highs · comfort 83/100
Colorado Springs averages about 55°F (63°F highs); Durham averages about 59°F (68°F highs). Colorado Springs averages around 55°F, so jackets, heating bills, and shorter outdoor seasons are part of daily life. Durham averages around 59°F, so jackets, heating bills, and shorter outdoor seasons are part of daily life. Durham scores 15% closer to the 65-80°F comfort band on this page, so it is the easier default for year-round outdoor errands and evenings. Choose Colorado Springs if you already prefer its hotter or cooler pattern and have budgeted for the AC or heating that comes with it.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Colorado Springs is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 4% higher here ($84,818). Start with Colorado Springs if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Fit check
Outdoor enthusiasts and people who need year-round access to nature for their wellbeing
Durham is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 8% cheaper here at about $1,508 a month. Choose Durham if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Pick Durham if you are an outdoor enthusiast or you need year-round access to nature for your wellbeing. Typical conditions (59°F) beat Colorado Springs on this page's weather index by 15%. Colorado Springs may pay more or cost less, but Durham is the city where the forecast fights you less.
Durham is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 4% lower than Colorado Springs (193 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.
Bottom line
On weather alone, Durham is the warmer market (59°F) and Colorado Springs the cooler (55°F). Typical leases run $1,508 and $1,648; choose the climate you will tolerate year-round, not just on a visit weekend.
With only $140 separating typical rent, run both offer letters before housing cost alone picks the city.
Safety scores read 39/100 in Colorado Springs and 40/100 in Durham.
Durham wins on climate (59°F vs 55°F); Colorado Springs is the better fit if $1,648 rent and $84,818 pay matter more than daily weather.
Common questions
Ready to move to Durham?
Next steps
Quotes and listings for Durham when you're ready to act.
Keep researching
Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Colorado Springs and Durham, plus other cities in CO and NC.
