City comparison
No. Colorado Springs's crime index is 200 versus 374 in Detroit, and its violent crime index is 204 versus 496, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Detroit is cheaper. Median rent is $1,132 a month versus $1,648 in Colorado Springs.
Safety is where Detroit and Colorado Springs split most clearly. Colorado Springs scores 174 points better on the crime index, a gap that shows up in evening walks, parking situations, and insurance rates. Rent runs $1,132 in Detroit and $1,648 in Colorado Springs.
This is a genuine split. Detroit wins on cost of living and Colorado Springs wins on the job market and safety. Which matters more depends entirely on how you live: remote workers and families weight these categories differently than commuters or single professionals.
The rent gap is real but neighborhoods matter. Detroit at $1,132 average has pockets that run $932 and others at $1,532: your actual number depends on which part of the city you land in.
The move
Detroit and Colorado Springs are 1,165 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,132 a month in Detroit to $1,648 a month in Colorado Springs, up $516 a month (46%).
Median household income goes from $60,539 in Detroit to $84,818 in Colorado Springs, up $24,279 (40%).
The crime index goes from 374 in Detroit to 200 in Colorado Springs, down 174 points (47%).
The move
Colorado Springs and Detroit are 1,165 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,648 a month in Colorado Springs to $1,132 a month in Detroit, down $516 a month (31%).
Median household income goes from $84,818 in Colorado Springs to $60,539 in Detroit, down $24,279 (29%).
The crime index goes from 200 in Colorado Springs to 374 in Detroit, up 174 points (87%).
Detroit, MI
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 Detroit and Colorado Springs? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
31% cheaper
Detroit rent is 31% cheaper than Colorado Springs
Detroit
Winner$1,132/mo
Colorado Springs
$1,648/mo
Typical rent runs $1,132 a month in Detroit versus $1,648 in Colorado Springs, so Detroit is 31% cheaper. That's roughly $516/month back in your pocket ($6,192/year). Over five years that's $30,960 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 Colorado Springs, the extra rent can be rational. If you do not, Detroit is the easier city to land in without blowing up your budget.
Planning to buy in Colorado Springs? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
40% higher
Colorado Springs's median income is 40% higher than Detroit
Detroit
$60,539
Colorado Springs
Winner$84,818
Median household income is $84,818 in Colorado Springs versus $60,539 in Detroit, so typical pay runs 40% higher in Colorado Springs (about $24,279 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. Detroit can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
47% lower crime
Colorado Springs's crime index is 47% lower than Detroit
Detroit
374 (100 = avg)
Colorado Springs
Winner200 (100 = avg)
Colorado Springs's crime index is 200 versus 374 in Detroit (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 47% 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. Detroit can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
Neck and neck
Detroit and Colorado Springs are about even on typical weather.
Detroit
55°F avg · 62°F highs · comfort 72/100
Colorado Springs
55°F avg · 63°F highs · comfort 72/100
Detroit averages about 55°F (62°F highs); Colorado Springs averages about 55°F (63°F highs). Detroit averages around 55°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. On daily comfort these two are close enough that the better fit is whichever season you already know you can live with.
Fit check
People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Detroit
Detroit is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 31% cheaper here at about $1,132 a month. Choose Detroit if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
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 40% higher here ($84,818). Start with Colorado Springs if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
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 47% lower than Detroit (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
Detroit carries the heavier crime signal on this page (20/100 safety vs 39/100 in Colorado Springs). That 19-point spread matters more than the $516 rent gap when you are choosing where to walk after dark.
Colorado Springs still pays more locally ($84,818 median income vs $60,539), which can offset the lease if your field pays Colorado Springs rates.
Median income is $84,818 in Colorado Springs versus $60,539 in Detroit.
Pick Colorado Springs when you want the stronger safety signal (39/100). Otherwise, Detroit's case rests on a Detroit ZIP you trust at $1,132 rent.
Common questions
Ready to move to Colorado Springs?
Next steps
Quotes and listings for Colorado Springs when you're ready to act.
Keep researching
Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Detroit and Colorado Springs, plus other cities in MI and CO.
