Colorado Springs is among the top three best places to live in the United States, according to a recent ranking by U.S. News and World Report. That's a jump of six spots from last year's ranking. Only Boise, Idaho, and Naples, Fla. were higher.
The report takes into account things like how comfortably the average resident can afford to live within their means and how satisfied residents are with their daily lives. It also measures the strength of each city's job market.
According to the report:
- The median age in Colorado Springs is 37 years old;
- There are fewer single people in the city than elsewhere in the United States;
- The average commute time is 27 minutes with most residents traveling by private vehicles.
- The city's unemployment rate is 5.63 percent;
- The median home price is $394,553. (The national average is $281,900.)
- The monthly rent in the city has a median of $1,702.
The cost of living in the Springs is higher than the national average, but the report says health care, utilities, and transportation costs are generally lower in Colorado Springs – the state’s second-largest city – than the average for the Centennial State.
Cities in the rankings are evaluated using data from sources including the U.S. Census Bureau, the FBI, the U.S. Department of Labor, and U.S. News' internal resources.
Boulder came in number 10 in the rankings. Fort Collins was 39th. Denver was 40th.
