Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs, Colorado 

El Paso County, Colorado, in the United States, has Colorado Springs as its county seat and as its home rule municipality. With a population of 478,961 as of the 2020 Census, up 15.02% from 2010, it is the largest city in El Paso County. The second-largest city in terms of population and area in the state of Colorado, Colorado Springs is also the 40th-most populous city in the US. It is also the second-most significant city in the Front Range Urban Corridor and the main city of the Colorado Springs metropolitan area. It is situated on Fountain Creek in east-central Colorado, 70 miles (113 km) south of Denver. 

The city is located more than a mile (1.6 km) above sea level at 6,035 feet (1,839 m). Pikes Peak, located on the eastern flank of the Southern Rocky Mountains and rising 14,115 feet (4,302.31 m) above sea level, is not far from Colorado Springs. The city is the biggest one north of Mexico that is more than 6000 feet. 

Geography 

When leaving Fountain and heading toward Pueblo, the city is located in a semi-arid steppe climate region with the Southern Rocky Mountains to the west, the Palmer Divide to the north, high plains to the east, and high desert regions to the south. Using I-25, Colorado Springs is about 69 miles (111 km) or one hour and five minutes south of Denver. 

The overall area of Colorado Springs is the largest of any municipality. The city had a total area of 125,287 acres (507.019 km2) at the time of the 2020 United States Census, including 232 acres (0.937 km2) of water. 

Climate 

Colorado Springs has a colder, dry-winter semi-arid climate (Köppen BSk), and because of its proximity to the Rocky Mountains to the east, it benefits from the chinook winds' rapid warming influence during the winter but is also prone to significant day-to-day weather variability. The city experiences 243 sunny days on average each year and receives about 16.5 inches (419 mm) of precipitation annually. Colorado Springs implemented lawn water restrictions in 2002 as a result of exceptionally low precipitation for several years following flooding in 1999. These were eliminated in 2005, but they were reinstituted permanently in December 2019. 

One of the most frequent lightning strike locations in the US is Colorado Springs. Nikola Tesla chose Colorado Springs as the best site to set up his lab and conduct his electrical research as a result of this natural phenomena. 

Seasonal Climate 

The coldest month is December with an average temperature of 30.8 °F (0.7 °C). The coldest month historically was January, however in recent years, December has had lower daily maxima and minimum. Typically, there are 23.6 days with highs below freezing and 5.2 nights with lows below zero degrees Fahrenheit (18 °C). 

The city receives 38 inches (97 cm) of snow per season, but the mountains to the west frequently receive more than triple that amount. March is the snowiest month in the area, both in terms of total accumulation and the number of days with measurable snowfall. Snowfall is typically moderate and only lasts briefly on the ground due to direct sunlight. In addition, eight of the top ten 24-hour snowfalls have happened between March and May. The summers are hot, with July being the warmest month with an average temperature of 70.9 °F (21.6 °C) and 18 days with highs of 90 °F (32 °C) or higher each year. Because of the area's high elevation and aridity, nights are often cold and the low temperature rarely rises over 70 °F (21 °C). The city mostly experiences dry weather, but small afternoon thunderstorms are frequent, especially in July and August when the North American monsoon brings the majority of the city's yearly rainfall. 

On average, the first freeze of the fall and the final freeze of the spring fall on October 2 and May 6, respectively, while the average window for measurable snowfall (0.1 in or 0.25 cm) runs from October 21 to April 25. The most recent extreme temperature was 101 °F (38 °C) on June 21, 2016, while extreme temperatures have ranged from 27 °F (33 °C) on February 1, 1951, and December 9, 1919. 

Economy 

The military, high-tech business, and tourism are what propel Colorado Springs' economy forward, in that order. The service industries are expanding throughout the city. Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak in June 2019, the unemployment rate was 3.3%. In June 2022, the state's unemployment rate was 3.4%, compared to 3.6% nationally. 

Military 

Nearly 45,000 soldiers will be on active duty in Colorado Springs as of 2021. There are thousands of reservists in addition to more than 100,000 veterans. More than 40% of the Pikes Peak region's GDP comes from the armed forces and defense contractors. 

The majority of the military facilities dedicated to space service are located in Colorado Springs, including Peterson Space Force Base, Schriever Space Force Base, Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station, U.S. Space Command, and Space Operations Command. They are in charge of cyber missions, space operations, and intelligence collecting. 

The headquarters of the United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), Space Operations Command, and Space Deltas 2, 3, and 7 are located at Peterson Space Force Base. The 302nd Airlift Wing, an Air Force Reserve unit, is based in Peterson and transports people and goods as well as fighting wildfires. 

Space Deltas 6, 8, and 9 as well as Joint Task Force-Space Defense are under the control of Schriever Space Force Base. The Cheyenne Mountain Complex houses the NORAD and USNORTHCOM Alternate Command Center. The Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station has been run by Space Operations Command inside the mountain range. The Air Force stated on January 13, 2021 that Space Command would relocate permanently from Colorado Springs to Huntsville, Alabama, starting in 2026. However, the decision might be overturned by Congress. 

At Fort Carson, Army divisions are stationed and trained. After the Second World War, the City of Colorado Springs donated property, which was used to build the United States Air Force Academy. 

Defense Industry 

Some of the biggest employers in Colorado Springs are defense contractors, which contribute significantly to the city's economy. Despite some military companies leaving or shrinking their city campuses, there has been a very minor increase in growth. Northrop Grumman, Boeing, General Dynamics, L3Harris Technologies, SAIC, ITT, Lockheed Martin, and Bluestaq are notable defense companies based in the city. Colorado Springs serves as the home base for The Space Foundation. 

High-Tech Industry 

A sizable portion of Colorado Springs' economy still depends on the production of sophisticated electrical equipment. Between 2000 and 2006, the high-tech sector's overall presence in the Colorado Springs region declined (from about 21,000 to around 8,000), with major declines in information technology and sophisticated electronic equipment. The ratio of high-tech jobs is expected to continue declining based on current patterns. 

The following high-tech businesses have ties to the city: In 2008, the telecoms company Verizon Business employed almost 1300 people at its peak. For the computer industry, Hewlett-Packard still maintains a small sales, support, and engineering department for SAN storage.  

The SNIA Technology Center is located at the Storage Networking Industry Association. The research and development branch for oscilloscopes at Keysight Technologies is situated in Colorado Springs. Keysight Technologies was established as a publicly traded business in 2014 after being spun out from Agilent, which was itself separated from HP in 1999. In 2009, 250 people worked for Intel. The centralized unemployment offices, social services, El Paso County offices, and a bitcoin mining facility are currently housed in the former Intel complex. A company that makes chips is called Microchip Technology (formerly Atmel). Sanmina-SCI purchased the Apple Inc. building in 1996. 

Sports 

Olympic Sports 

The United States Olympic & Paralympic Training Center, as well as the offices of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee and the United States Anti-Doping Agency, are located in Colorado Springs, also known as Olympic City USA. 

Additionally, Colorado Springs is home to more than 50 non-Olympic national sports organizations. There are several non-Olympic sports represented here, such as USA Ultimate, the National Strength and Conditioning Association, Sports Incubator, and others. 

The 1962 World Ice Hockey Championships were held in Colorado Springs and Denver. 

The U.S. Figure Skating Championships and the World Figure Skating Championships have both been held in the city six times and five times, respectively. The Broadmoor Skating Club, a renowned training facility for the sport, and the World Figure Skating Museum and Hall of Fame are also located there. The Four Continents Figure Skating Championships and Skate America have both recently taken place in the Broadmoor World Arena. 

Population 

Colorado's El Paso County is home to the city of Colorado Springs. El Paso County's County seat is located there as well. It will have a population of 497,720 in 2023, making it the 39th-largest city in the United States and the second-largest in Colorado. Colorado Springs' population has grown by 3.92% from the most recent census, which showed a population of 478,961 in 2020, and is now rising at a pace of 1.27% year. 2,552 people live in every square mile of Colorado Springs, which spans more than 195 miles. 

With a poverty rate of 13.72 percent, Colorado Springs' average household income is $84,708. The median monthly cost of rent in recent years has been, and the median value of a home is. In Colorado Springs, the median age is 34.7 years, 33.3 years for men and 36.4 years for women. 

At the foot of one of the most iconic mountains in the Americas, Pikes Peak, Colorado Springs is the most populous city in El Paso County, Colorado. 

Top 2 News Websites 

KRDO 

Get frequent updates, news, and much more from Colorado Springs by subscribing to KRDO News. 

KOAA5 

In Southern Colorado, KOAA5 is the leading local news source and NBC affiliate. The Colorado Springs Tech Center, off Rockrimmon Road, houses the cutting-edge studio for KOAA5. Find out the latest news and weather information for Canon City, Woodland Park, Pueblo, Colorado Springs, and the entire Southern Colorado region. 

Current City Mayor 

In April 2019, John Suthers easily won re-election to serve as mayor for a second time. 

Suthers' first term as Colorado Springs' 41st mayor began in May 2015. With the approval of voter-supported Ballot measure 2C, which introduced a temporary sales tax increase and produced $50M annually to fund extensive road reconstruction throughout the city, Suthers catalyzed unprecedented infrastructure improvements during his first four years in office. Ballot Measure 2A, which restored the city's disbanded stormwater enterprise and put the city on the path to creating one of the best stormwater systems in the country, was another initiative that Suthers was successful in getting voter approval for. His first tenure also saw the completion of four City for Champions projects, the annexation of Banning Lewis Ranch, a marked improvement in ties between the administrative and legislative parts of government, and revivals at the Colorado Springs Airport and Downtown Colorado Springs. In addition, the City produced more employment during his first term than were required for sustainable growth, averaging over 6,000 each year. 

Suthers offers decades of management and government experience. Suthers served as Colorado's attorney general from 2005 to 2015 before being elected mayor. The Colorado Attorney General's office developed a reputation for quality under Suthers' direction. He received the Kelly-Wyman Award in 2012, which is the National Association of Attorneys General's highest distinction. 

In 2001, President George W. Bush appointed him as the United States Attorney for Colorado, and the US Senate unanimously approved him before he was made Attorney General. Suthers was chosen by Governor Bill Owens to serve as Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Corrections, which has its headquarters in Colorado Springs, in 1999. He oversaw an enterprise with 6,000 personnel and a budget of more than $500 million in that capacity. 

He was chosen as the 4th Judicial District's district attorney in 1988, representing Teller and El Paso counties. He oversaw Colorado's largest and most successful prosecution office for the following eight years. He also held the positions of president of the El Paso County Bar Association and the Colorado District Attorneys Association during that time. 

Suthers, a lifelong resident of Colorado Springs, attended St. Mary's High School after finishing elementary school there. He earned magna cum laude degree from the University of Notre Dame and placed in the top quarter of his University of Colorado law school class. He went home after receiving his degree and worked as a deputy district attorney in Colorado Springs before spending ten years at the Sparks, Dix, and Enoch law business. 

Janet, John's wife, is a Colorado Springs native who graduated from UCCS with an MBA and worked for Agilent Technologies until her retirement. She has been an active member of the community for her whole life, serving on the City Planning Commission and the District 12 School Board. John and Janet are the parents of two successful daughters and two adorable grandchildren.