Colorado Springs receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Colorado Springs
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler
Opportunity
53 · Bottom 44%
vs43 · Bottom 23%
Growth
65 · Top 25%
vs59 · Top 36%
Climate
62 · Bottom 33%
vs59 · Bottom 21%
Physical resilience
42 · Bottom 31%
vs44 · Bottom 34%
Housing affordability
66 · Bottom 13%
vs66 · Bottom 12%
Access
100 · Top 1%
vs95 · Top 24%
Economic stability
95 · Top 2%
vs75 · Top 27%
Measured values
| Metric | Colorado Springs | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 767,824 | 5,028,754 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $90,144 | $88,301 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $46,283 | $45,239 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 286/sq mi | 345/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $461,800 | $440,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,699 | $1,702 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.8% | 66.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.7% | -3.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.7% | 35.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.5% | 11.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 5,487 | 34,635 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.1 | 6.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 28.9% | -17.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 107°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 46°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 15.9" | 7.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.2 min | 28.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.5 | 37.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Colorado Springs
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, hail.
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Colorado Springs
69
Your Score
62
Area Score
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler
63
Your Score
58
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Colorado Springs, CO Metro Area · Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology