Founded by General William Palmer in 1871 and incorporated on June 19, 1886, the city of Colorado Springs, CO is in El Paso County, CO and located at the base of the majestic Rocky Mountains. Known for its many landmarks, such as Pikes Peak, a mountain along the Rockies’ Front Range with a peak of 14,115 feet and named after Zebulon Pike, a soldier and explorer whose Pike Expedition mapped much of the Louisiana Purchase, it is also home for Fort Carson, Shriever AFB, Peterson AFB, the United States Air Force Academy, and much more, and has a tradition deeply entrenched in the gold rushing days of the Old Wild West…truly an intrinsic part of Americana folklore.
Firmly embracing the new millennium, the area is now a mecca for high-tech employment, ranking first among all cities in high-tech employment growth, second after San Jose in percentage of homes with computers and Internet access and second after Boise in average commute (18 minutes).
Once widely used as a retreat for those ill with tuberculosis, and though the area does have four seasons, it enjoys a wonderfully moderate climate with very little precipitation or humidity, yet is mere hours from the world renown ski resorts of Aspen, Vail, and Breckenridge, CO. As such, the area is filled with many city parks, hiking and biking trails, whitewater rafting, and other outdoor activities that keep it in the top ten of healthiest places to live in the country. And with its low density population, decent employment base, numerous institutions of higher learning and other amenities, the area consistently ranks high on the list of best places to live in the country. In fact, the area ranked number one of Best Big City in Money magazine’s “Best Places To Live”, in 2006,[1] and placed number one in Outside Magazine’s 2009 list of America’s Best Cities![2]
With a median sales price of $199,000, the area is slightly above the national median sales price of $181,000 but well worth it, considering the quality of life improvements and relatively lower cost of living.[3]
Much like other areas in the country working their way to recovery, the local economy is showing signs of improvement, with an across-the-board uptick in real estate sales activity and prices and a slight decrease in time on market.
