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July 2011

10 Best Value Cities for 2011

4. Colorado Springs, Colo.

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Colorado Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau

Population (metro): 608,000

Unemployment rate: 9.3%

Cost-of-living index: 92.0

Median household income: $56,576

To keep employment rising, Colorado Springs woos companies with tax incentives and a highly educated workforce (nearly 36% of residents are college grads, compared with 28% nationwide). It's a regional hub for Hewlett-Packard, T-Mobile and Progressive Insurance, among other big national employers.

The average home sale price is under $230,000; monthly rent on a two-bedroom apartment is less than $800. Utility costs are exceptionally low, about $222 per month for electricity, water and gas and trash collection. And the setting at the foot of the Rocky Mountains is spectacular.

Learn more about Colorado Springs:

Best Value Cities 2011: Read about Colorado Springs' affordability & culture

VIDEO: Take a walking tour of Colorado Springs