Military relocation to Colorado Springs

A PCS guide to Colorado Springs for military families: the installations, choosing where to live relative to your base, on- and off-base housing, schools, spouse employment, and military-connected community resources.

Evergreen guide. We write what stays true; prices, hours, rules and venue details change constantly — verify current specifics with official sources before relying on them.

One of the most military-connected cities in America

Colorado Springs is home to an unusually dense cluster of military installations and commands for a city its size, and that shapes the local economy, culture and community in ways few newcomers fully expect (jobs & economy covers the economic side; this page is for the PCS logistics).

The installations

Fort Carson — a major US Army installation south of the city;
Peterson Space Force Base — on the east side, home to a range of space and support missions;
Schriever Space Force Base — further east of the city;
The US Air Force Academy — north of the city, both a service academy and a significant local landmark and employer;
Space Command's presence reinforces the city's identity as a hub for the military space mission.

Choosing where to live relative to your base

Because the city is spread out and car-dependent (getting around), your assigned installation should weigh heavily in where you choose to live — a neighborhood that looks great on a map can mean a genuinely long daily commute depending on which base you're posted to and which corridor you'd be driving. Check current commute times at the actual hours you'd be traveling before signing a lease, and see neighborhoods and surrounding towns for options near each installation.

Housing: on-base vs off-base

Installations generally offer some on-base or privatized housing alongside the option to live off-base using your housing allowance. Availability, waitlists and the specific allowance for your rank and dependent status all change, so contact your installation's housing office directly and compare against current off-base rental and purchase costs before deciding.

Schools for military kids

Frequent moves make school transitions a bigger part of military family life than most, and interstate compact agreements exist specifically to help smooth the transfer of school records, course credit and eligibility for military-connected students between states. See schools for the district-by-district picture, and ask any school directly about their experience supporting military transfers.

Spouse employment

Frequent relocation makes portable, remote-friendly careers especially valuable for military spouses, and the city's growing remote-work population reflects that reality. Some employers and programs specifically support military spouse hiring and licensing transfers across state lines — worth researching directly for your field. See jobs & economy for the broader local market.

Healthcare

Military treatment facilities serve service members and, often, dependents, alongside the wider civilian healthcare system in the city — see healthcare for the civilian-side overview, and confirm your specific coverage details with your installation before you move.

Community

The depth of military and veteran community here is a genuine draw in its own right — family readiness groups, veteran-owned businesses, and a large population of veterans who chose to stay after their service here all make the transition easier than in most cities. Getting settled covers finding community more broadly.

Housing allowances, base services, healthcare coverage and school-transfer specifics change and depend on your rank, orders and dependents — verify everything directly with your installation and personnel office.