City comparison
No. Tampa's crime index is 93 versus 200 in Colorado Springs, and its violent crime index is 112 versus 204, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Colorado Springs is cheaper. Median rent is $1,648 a month versus $1,701 in Tampa.
Safety is where Colorado Springs and Tampa split most clearly. Tampa scores 107 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 $1,701 in Tampa.
Neither city has a clear overall edge here. Colorado Springs is the easier city on typical rent, but Tampa can still be the better daily fit depending on schools, safety, and climate. Both are defensible choices for different reasons.
The crime gap is citywide. Tampa has rougher pockets and Colorado Springs has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
Colorado Springs and Tampa are 1,487 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,648 a month in Colorado Springs to $1,701 a month in Tampa, up $53 a month (3%).
Median household income goes from $84,818 in Colorado Springs to $75,475 in Tampa, down $9,343 (11%).
The crime index goes from 200 in Colorado Springs to 93 in Tampa, down 107 points (54%).
The move
Tampa and Colorado Springs are 1,487 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,701 a month in Tampa to $1,648 a month in Colorado Springs, down $53 a month (3%).
Median household income goes from $75,475 in Tampa to $84,818 in Colorado Springs, up $9,343 (12%).
The crime index goes from 93 in Tampa to 200 in Colorado Springs, up 107 points (115%).
Colorado Springs, CO
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Tampa, FL
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing Colorado Springs and Tampa? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
3% cheaper
Colorado Springs rent is 3% cheaper than Tampa
Colorado Springs
Winner$1,648/mo
Tampa
$1,701/mo
Typical rent runs $1,648 a month in Colorado Springs versus $1,701 in Tampa, so Colorado Springs is 3% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $53, or $636 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 Colorado Springs? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
12% higher
Colorado Springs's median income is 12% higher than Tampa
Colorado Springs
Winner$84,818
Tampa
$75,475
Median household income is $84,818 in Colorado Springs versus $75,475 in Tampa, so typical pay runs 12% higher in Colorado Springs (about $9,343 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, Colorado Springs is the stronger labor market on paper. Tampa 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
Tampa's crime index is 54% lower than Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs
200 (100 = avg)
Tampa
Winner93 (100 = avg)
Tampa's crime index is 93 versus 200 in Colorado Springs (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 54% lower in Tampa. 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, Tampa is the easier city. Colorado Springs can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
39% more comfortable
Tampa weather is 39% more comfortable than Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs
55°F avg · 63°F highs · comfort 72/100
Tampa
Winner75°F avg · 83°F highs · comfort 100/100
Colorado Springs averages about 55°F (63°F highs); Tampa averages about 75°F (83°F highs). Colorado Springs averages around 55°F, so jackets, heating bills, and shorter outdoor seasons are part of daily life. Tampa sits near 75°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. Tampa 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
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
Colorado Springs is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 3% 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 city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 12% 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
Pick Tampa if you are an outdoor enthusiast or you need year-round access to nature for your wellbeing. Typical conditions (75°F) beat Colorado Springs on this page's weather index by 39%. Colorado Springs may pay more or cost less, but Tampa is the city where the forecast fights you less.
Tampa 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 Colorado Springs (93 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
Colorado Springs carries the heavier crime signal on this page (39/100 safety vs 62/100 in Tampa). That 23-point spread matters more than the $53 rent gap when you are choosing where to walk after dark.
Safety still diverges (62/100 in Tampa vs 39/100 in Colorado Springs), so climate preference should not be the only filter.
Median income is $84,818 in Colorado Springs versus $75,475 in Tampa.
Tampa clears the bar on safety in this dataset. Colorado Springs deserves a serious look only when you already know the Colorado Springs block you would live on and the safety gap is acceptable.
Common questions
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Nearby research
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