City comparison
Yes. Colorado Springs's crime index is 200 versus 434 in Oakland, and its violent crime index is 204 versus 491, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Colorado Springs is cheaper. Median rent is $1,648 a month versus $1,979 in Oakland.
Safety is where Colorado Springs and Oakland split most clearly. Colorado Springs scores 234 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,648 in Colorado Springs and $1,979 in Oakland.
Neither city has a clear overall edge here. Colorado Springs costs less and Oakland pays more: the right call depends on whether you are optimizing for take-home pay or monthly burn rate. Both are defensible choices for different reasons.
The rent gap is real but neighborhoods matter. Colorado Springs at $1,648 average has pockets that run $1,448 and others at $2,048: your actual number depends on which part of the city you land in.
The move
Colorado Springs and Oakland are 947 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,648 a month in Colorado Springs to $1,979 a month in Oakland, up $331 a month (20%).
Median household income goes from $84,818 in Colorado Springs to $101,600 in Oakland, up $16,782 (20%).
The crime index goes from 200 in Colorado Springs to 434 in Oakland, up 234 points (117%).
The move
Oakland and Colorado Springs are 947 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,979 a month in Oakland to $1,648 a month in Colorado Springs, down $331 a month (17%).
Median household income goes from $101,600 in Oakland to $84,818 in Colorado Springs, down $16,782 (17%).
The crime index goes from 434 in Oakland to 200 in Colorado Springs, down 234 points (54%).
Colorado Springs, CO
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Oakland, CA
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing Colorado Springs and Oakland? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
17% cheaper
Colorado Springs rent is 17% cheaper than Oakland
Colorado Springs
Winner$1,648/mo
Oakland
$1,979/mo
Typical rent runs $1,648 a month in Colorado Springs versus $1,979 in Oakland, so Colorado Springs is 17% cheaper. A meaningful but not dramatic gap. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets. Over a year the spread is about $3,972, enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. Colorado Springs still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in Oakland.
Planning to buy in Colorado Springs? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
20% higher
Oakland's median income is 20% higher than Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs
$84,818
Oakland
Winner$101,600
Median household income is $101,600 in Oakland versus $84,818 in Colorado Springs, so typical pay runs 20% higher in Oakland (about $16,782 more household income a year). Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Oakland is the stronger labor market on paper. Colorado Springs can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
54% lower crime
Colorado Springs's crime index is 54% lower than Oakland
Colorado Springs
Winner200 (100 = avg)
Oakland
434 (100 = avg)
Colorado Springs's crime index is 200 versus 434 in Oakland (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 54% lower in Colorado Springs. That gap is meaningful day-to-day. It affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Colorado Springs is the easier city. Oakland can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
39% more comfortable
Oakland weather is 39% more comfortable than Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs
55°F avg · 63°F highs · comfort 72/100
Oakland
Winner68°F avg · 80°F highs · comfort 100/100
Colorado Springs averages about 55°F (63°F highs); Oakland averages about 68°F (80°F highs). Colorado Springs averages around 55°F, so jackets, heating bills, and shorter outdoor seasons are part of daily life. Oakland sits near 68°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. Oakland scores 39% 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
Families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy
Colorado Springs is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 17% cheaper here at about $1,648 a month. Choose Colorado Springs if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Colorado Springs is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 54% lower than Oakland (200 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.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside plus year-round outdoor access
It is also a match for career-focused movers who want salary upside and year-round outdoor access. Median household income runs 20% higher ($101,600), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two (around 68°F). That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.
Bottom line
Neither city is a free pass on neighborhood choice, but Colorado Springs leads on safety (39/100 vs 15/100 in Oakland). Typical rent is $1,648 in Colorado Springs and $1,979 in Oakland; do not assume the cheaper lease buys the calmer blocks.
Safety still diverges (39/100 in Colorado Springs vs 15/100 in Oakland), so climate preference should not be the only filter.
Typical rent stays $1,648 in Colorado Springs and $1,979 in Oakland.
Most movers who prioritize safety land in Colorado Springs; Oakland only makes sense when you have walked the Oakland ZIP you would rent and accept the trade for $1,979 rent.
Common questions
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Nearby research
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