Colorado Springs vs Denver: Best Downsizing Cities

I'm Brian Lee Burke, and I've been a REALTOR since 2003. If you're downsizing, Colorado Springs and Denver are about 70 miles apart on I-25 and very different on price. Over the last year the median home sold for $450,000 in Colorado Springs and $575,750 in Denver. Here's how they compare for a smaller next home, using MLS data I pulled on October 29, 2026 and official city and utility sources.

Chapters

1. Colorado Springs and Denver Side by Side
2. Colorado Springs Costs Less
3. Smaller Homes and Lower Upkeep
4. Taxes and Utilities
5. Health Care
6. Choose Colorado Springs or Denver Based on These Points
7. Questions I Hear Most

Colorado Springs and Denver Side by Side

MLS data by mailing city, pulled October 29, 2026; sold figures cover about October 29, 2025 to October 28–29, 2026. Population: Census Vintage 2025. Levies: El Paso County Treasurer 2025; Denver Assessor 2025 (Denver figure is the full city-county total including schools). Median year built: ACS 2020–2024.

Colorado Springs Costs Less

Colorado Springs' $450,000 median was $125,750 below Denver's, and its price per square foot was $224 against $356. Both markets are deep: 8,599 sales in Colorado Springs and 9,324 in Denver over the year.

Smaller Homes and Lower Upkeep

If you want a condo, Denver has far more choice: 1,318 condos were for sale on October 29, 2026, against 225 in Colorado Springs. Colorado Springs had 2,460 single-family homes for sale. Homes with no HOA were common in both: 1,612 in Colorado Springs and 1,897 in Denver.

One 55+ option in Colorado Springs is The Retreat at Banning Lewis Ranch, an age-restricted community with a 10,000-square-foot amenity center. See Colorado 55+ communities.

Taxes and Utilities

Denver's 2025 total levy is 79.602 mills, about $3,780 a year on a $700,000 Assessor value. In Colorado Springs, the city's own levy is 3.009 mills; El Paso County, the library district and the school district add to it, so check the exact parcel.

Colorado Springs Utilities, owned by the community, provides electric, natural gas, water and wastewater. Denver homes get water from Denver Water.

Health Care

In Colorado Springs, UCHealth Memorial Hospital Central is at 1400 E. Boulder St. and Penrose Hospital at 2222 N. Nevada Ave. If you see a specialist regularly, check where your providers are and the drive from each address.

Choose Colorado Springs or Denver Based on These Points

Colorado Springs may make more sense if you want:

• A lower price per square foot
• Newer homes on average
• A city-owned utility for power, gas and water

Denver may make more sense if you want:

• Many more condos to choose from
• Light rail and Union Station
• Being in the middle of the metro

More: Denver metro market comparison.

Questions I Hear Most

Still Deciding?

For downsizing, I'd compare total monthly cost, the type of home you want and where your doctors and people are.

Call or text my office at 303-955-4220, or send us a message, and we'll pull the taxes, HOA, water and boundary details for any address in either one.