Is Colorado Springs cheaper than Seattle?

Yes. Typical rent in Colorado Springs is $1,735 a month versus $2,501 in Seattle — 31% cheaper. Median household income is $79,026 in Colorado Springs compared with $116,068 in Seattle, so Seattle has the stronger local pay picture.

Which city is safer, Colorado Springs or Seattle?

Seattle is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 116 versus 137 in Colorado Springs — 15% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.

Which city has better schools, Colorado Springs or Seattle?

Seattle has better schools on this comparison: A (88/100) versus A- in Colorado Springs — school scores run 5% higher. District averages can hide campus-level gaps, so check the zoned elementary, middle, and high school you would actually use.

New search

City comparison

Colorado Springs, CO vs Seattle, WA

Colorado Springs, CO versus Seattle, WA is a real move, not a trivia matchup. This comparison uses the same 2026 neighborhood report data we publish on each city page — typical rent, median household income, crime indexes, school composites, and typical weather — so you can see which city actually fits how you live, work, and spend. Typical rents sit near $1,735 a month in Colorado Springs and $2,501 in Seattle, and median household income lands at $79,026 versus $116,068. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

Colorado Springs takes affordability, while Seattle takes job market, safety, schools, and weather. The widest gap is median income, where Seattle leads by 47% — the kind of spread you feel in a monthly budget or a nightly walk, not just on a chart. Read the category rows as a filter: if cheaper housing would change your life more than a stronger job market, weight rent first. If you are moving with kids, weight schools and crime. If you picked a city after one good weekend, use the weather and income rows to test whether that weekend survives a full year.

Numbers below are citywide, not a guarantee about the street you will actually live on. Two ZIP codes in Colorado Springs can feel further apart than Colorado Springs and Seattle do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Colorado Springs and Seattle reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Full Colorado Springs report Full Seattle report

Colorado Springs, CO

Rent: $1,735/mo
Median income: $79,026
Crime index: 137
Schools: A-
Weather: 77°F

Seattle, WA

Rent: $2,501/mo
Median income: $116,068
Crime index: 116
Schools: A
Weather: 66°F

Rent

31% cheaper

Colorado Springs rent is 31% cheaper than Seattle

Colorado Springs

Winner

$1,735/mo

Seattle

$2,501/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $1,735 a month in Colorado Springs versus $2,501 in Seattle, so Colorado Springs is 31% cheaper. That's roughly $766/month back in your pocket — $9,192/year. Over five years that's $45,960 you could redirect toward a down payment, travel, or investments. Housing is the bill you pay before groceries, childcare, or a social life, so that gap shows up in how often you eat out and how panicked a rent hike feels. If you already have a high-paying offer in Seattle, the extra rent can be rational. If you do not, Colorado Springs is the easier city to land in without blowing up your budget.

Median income

47% higher

Seattle's median income is 47% higher than Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs

$79,026

Seattle

Winner

$116,068

What this means for your life

Median household income is $116,068 in Seattle versus $79,026 in Colorado Springs, so typical pay runs 47% higher in Seattle — about $37,042 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, Seattle 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

15% lower crime

Seattle's crime index is 15% lower than Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs

137 (100 = avg)

Seattle

Winner

116 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

Seattle's crime index is 116 versus 137 in Colorado Springs (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 15% lower in Seattle. The difference is noticeable without being night-and-day. You will still want to pick the neighborhood carefully in Seattle, 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.

School scores

5% higher scores

Seattle's school scores are 5% higher than Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs

A- · 84/100

Seattle

Winner

A · 88/100

What this means for your life

Seattle grades out at A (88/100) against A- (84/100) in Colorado Springs — school scores run 5% higher in Seattle. The citywide gap is modest. For families with kids it is still worth checking the specific campuses you would actually use, because a small composite lead can disappear — or reverse — two neighborhoods over. Colorado Springs is only the better school story if a campus you already researched beats this composite.

Typical weather

8% more comfortable

Seattle weather is 8% more comfortable than Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs

77°F typical

Seattle

Winner

66°F typical

What this means for your life

Seattle scores 8% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 77°F in Colorado Springs and 66°F in Seattle. Colorado Springs reads as warm weather most of the year; Seattle reads as mild, livable temperatures. The comfort edge is real but not a personality transplant. If you already know you want Colorado Springs's season, a modest index lead should not talk you out of it. If you are undecided, Seattle is the city where the forecast fights you less.

Fit check

Who should choose Colorado Springs

People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 31% cheaper here at about $1,735 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.

Open the Colorado Springs report →

Fit check

Who should choose Seattle

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 47% higher ($116,068), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two — around 66°F. That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.

Seattle is the stronger everyday city for households that care about calm streets and usable public schools. Safety and school scores both land here. You will still pick a neighborhood with care, but the citywide baseline is less of a gamble than in Colorado Springs.

Open the Seattle report →

Bottom line

Colorado Springs vs Seattle, called

If the job market is your priority, Seattle is the clear choice.

If cost of living matters more to you, Colorado Springs pulls ahead.

For most movers comparing these two cities, Seattle offers the better overall package.

Common questions

Colorado Springs vs Seattle FAQ

Is Colorado Springs cheaper than Seattle?: Yes. Typical rent in Colorado Springs is $1,735 a month versus $2,501 in Seattle — 31% cheaper. Median household income is $79,026 in Colorado Springs compared with $116,068 in Seattle, so Seattle has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, Colorado Springs or Seattle?: Seattle is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 116 versus 137 in Colorado Springs — 15% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.
Which city has better schools, Colorado Springs or Seattle?: Seattle has better schools on this comparison: A (88/100) versus A- in Colorado Springs — school scores run 5% higher. District averages can hide campus-level gaps, so check the zoned elementary, middle, and high school you would actually use.

Ready to move to Seattle?

Find apartments →Get a mortgage rate →

Next steps