City comparison
No. Colorado Springs's crime index is 200 versus 271 in Denver, and its violent crime index is 204 versus 272, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Colorado Springs is cheaper. Median rent is $1,648 a month versus $1,831 in Denver.
Safety is where Denver and Colorado Springs split most clearly. Colorado Springs scores 71 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,831 in Denver and $1,648 in Colorado Springs.
Neither city has a clear overall edge here. Colorado Springs costs less and Denver 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 crime gap is citywide. Colorado Springs has rougher pockets and Denver has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
Denver and Colorado Springs are 63 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,831 a month in Denver to $1,648 a month in Colorado Springs, down $183 a month (10%).
Median household income goes from $94,718 in Denver to $84,818 in Colorado Springs, down $9,900 (10%).
The crime index goes from 271 in Denver to 200 in Colorado Springs, down 71 points (26%).
The move
Colorado Springs and Denver are 63 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,648 a month in Colorado Springs to $1,831 a month in Denver, up $183 a month (11%).
Median household income goes from $84,818 in Colorado Springs to $94,718 in Denver, up $9,900 (12%).
The crime index goes from 200 in Colorado Springs to 271 in Denver, up 71 points (36%).
Denver, CO
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Colorado Springs, CO
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing Denver and Colorado Springs? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
10% cheaper
Colorado Springs rent is 10% cheaper than Denver
Denver
$1,831/mo
Colorado Springs
Winner$1,648/mo
Typical rent runs $1,648 a month in Colorado Springs versus $1,831 in Denver, so Colorado Springs is 10% 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 $2,196, 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 Denver.
Planning to buy in Colorado Springs? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
12% higher
Denver's median income is 12% higher than Colorado Springs
Denver
Winner$94,718
Colorado Springs
$84,818
Median household income is $94,718 in Denver versus $84,818 in Colorado Springs, so typical pay runs 12% higher in Denver (about $9,900 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, Denver 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
26% lower crime
Colorado Springs's crime index is 26% lower than Denver
Denver
271 (100 = avg)
Colorado Springs
Winner200 (100 = avg)
Colorado Springs's crime index is 200 versus 271 in Denver (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 26% 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. Denver can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
8% more comfortable
Denver weather is 8% more comfortable than Colorado Springs
Denver
Winner57°F avg · 66°F highs · comfort 78/100
Colorado Springs
55°F avg · 63°F highs · comfort 72/100
Denver averages about 57°F (66°F highs); Colorado Springs averages about 55°F (63°F highs). Denver averages around 57°F, so jackets, heating bills, and shorter outdoor seasons are part of daily life. Colorado Springs averages around 55°F, so jackets, heating bills, and shorter outdoor seasons are part of daily life. Denver scores 8% 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 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 12% higher ($94,718), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two (around 57°F). That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.
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 10% 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 26% lower than Denver (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.
Bottom line
Neither city is a free pass on neighborhood choice, but Colorado Springs leads on safety (39/100 vs 30/100 in Denver). Typical rent is $1,648 in Colorado Springs and $1,831 in Denver; do not assume the cheaper lease buys the calmer blocks.
With only $183 separating typical rent, run both offer letters before housing cost alone picks the city.
Median income is $94,718 in Denver versus $84,818 in Colorado Springs.
Most movers who prioritize safety land in Colorado Springs; Denver only makes sense when you have walked the Denver ZIP you would rent and accept the trade for $1,831 rent.
Common questions
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Next steps
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Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Denver and Colorado Springs, plus other cities in CO.
