Does anyone know anything about Colorado Springs?

yearofthenick

yearofthenick

Active Member
I was just contacted by a potential employer in Colorado Springs, CO. I've never been there, but for some reason, the name rings a bell, like I've heard people discuss the city before.
What's it like? Is housing cheap? What's the culture like?
 
bionicarm

bionicarm

Active Member
Driven through it a couple of times. Big military influence - home to the Air Force Academy and NORAD. You get all four seasons (think snow). Looking on CNN Money, the median home prices are $179,500 to $265,929. It's Colorado. Think John Denver - Rocky Mountains, Pikes Peak, Garden of the Gods Park, Seven Falls, and Cave Of The Winds...


Taxes?
Sales Taxes
State Sales Tax: 2.9% (food and prescription drugs exempt); many cities and counties have their own rates which are added to the state rate. Total could be as high as 9.9%.
Gasoline Tax: 22 cents/gallon
Diesel Fuel Tax: 20.5 cents/gallon
Cigarette Tax: 84 cents/pack of 20
Personal Income Taxes
All taxpayers: 4.63% of Federal taxable income
Property Taxes
The county assessor determines the value of property using a market, cost or income approach. For 2008 property taxes on real estate are assessed at 7.96% of the property's actual value. You can determine your property tax bill by multiplying the assessed value by the local tax rate.
 
reefraff

reefraff

Active Member
It's OK. I've driven through a several times. I have my 5th wheel stored in the mountains about 40 minutes west of there.
Property taxes here are cheap. I am up by denver and my house is 3 bed 2 bath built in 1980. paid 177K for it and property taxes are just over a grand. It's supposed to me more conservative because of all the military there but Colorado is a solid purple state overall. You'll get 4 seasons there but the winters aren't too bad. The city is about 6000 feet high but it isn't in the mountains. It's right against them on what's called the front range.
Income taxes are decent and sales tax depending on where you live eh. Think it's like 7.5% down there. I think the income tax rate is 4.75% here.
 
stdreb27

stdreb27

Active Member
Airforce Academy is there. Pikes Peak is close by. It is at the start of the rockies, like the west is the rockies, and the east is a giant plain. It is quite beautiful.
 
darthtang aw

darthtang aw

Active Member
Lived in colorado springs for a few Years. as a military brat, it was my favorite place to be stationed after Germany. My dad originally wanted to retire there but circumstances changed that, Oklahoma gives better veteran tax breaks and such.
 
yearofthenick

yearofthenick

Active Member
Thanks for all the info! Especially to Bionic who provided tax info... I have been looking for that.
I am concerned about raising a family there. What's the crime like? I'm also bummed that there isn't a large body of water anywhere nearby. I used to live on the beach. It's going to get hard not having an ocean within driving distance.
 
reefraff

reefraff

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by YearOfTheNick http:///t/388601/does-anyone-know-anything-about-colorado-springs#post_3430411
Thanks for all the info! Especially to Bionic who provided tax info... I have been looking for that.
I am concerned about raising a family there. What's the crime like? I'm also bummed that there isn't a large body of water anywhere nearby. I used to live on the beach. It's going to get hard not having an ocean within driving distance.
If I had my ruthers I'd live down there instead of the Denver area. There's crime but it really depends where you live down there. It's a big city so you get crime, deal with it best you can. You just have to do your homework as far as where you live.. It isn't too far from some nice lakes.
 
sweatervest13

sweatervest13

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by YearOfTheNick http:///t/388601/does-anyone-know-anything-about-colorado-springs#post_3473367
Guess what? I moved here! Been here for 3 months so far. I like it!
Cool. I lived there for like 6 months after collage. Worked at a Ford Credit call center. Fun place to live. I moved there from Michigan and since moved back to Michigan. The one thing I found was it was a very DRY place. That took some getting used to. But it is a beautiful place to live. I always found driving there a bit weird. The shopping plaza's there only have one entrance (usually) and it is not always where you think they would be. If you pass it you need to go way down and turn around. I also noticed the pace of life there is a lot slower then in the Midwest. Not too many people are in a big hurry there. That took a lot of getting used to.
The thing that stood out the most to me was the lack of water. I remember some friends were going to a "lake" for the day. When we got there I said, " this is not a lake, I can throw a rock across half of it". Shoot, in Michigan if you are building a subdivision, they would dig a big hole and water would just fill up and presto, lake side property!! BUT you can't replace those mountain views!!!
 
mantisman51

mantisman51

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by sweatervest13 http:///t/388601/does-anyone-know-anything-about-colorado-springs#post_3473408
Cool. I lived there for like 6 months after collage. Worked at a Ford Credit call center. Fun place to live. I moved there from Michigan and since moved back to Michigan. The one thing I found was it was a very DRY place. That took some getting used to. But it is a beautiful place to live. I always found driving there a bit weird. The shopping plaza's there only have one entrance (usually) and it is not always where you think they would be. If you pass it you need to go way down and turn around. I also noticed the pace of life there is a lot slower then in the Midwest. Not too many people are in a big hurry there. That took a lot of getting used to.
The thing that stood out the most to me was the lack of water. I remember some friends were going to a "lake" for the day. When we got there I said, " this is not a lake, I can throw a rock across half of it". Shoot, in Michigan if you are building a subdivision, they would dig a big hole and water would just fill up and presto, lake side property!! BUT you can't replace those mountain views!!!
Yesterday I couldn't spell college graduate, today I are one.
Sorry, couldn't resist.
 
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