Is Colorado Springs Safe? (2022 Crime Rates And Crime Stats)

If you are thinking about visiting Colorado Springs and have some qualms about the safety of the city, we got you covered.

We are going to deep dive into the statistics, look at some maps, graphs and talk to the residents of the city to give you a better understanding of how safe Colorado Springs really is.

Is Colorado Springs, Colorado Safe To Visit?

Statistically speaking, Colorado Springs is a moderately safe city. In 2021, Colorado Springs had a violent crime rate of 578.36 per 100,000 people. Colorado Springs violent crime rate is comparable to cities like Seattle, Boston and Las Vegas.

Here’s a scale to give you some perspective on Colorado Springs’s violent crime rate:

Colorado Springs, Colorado Crime Stats

Here’s a breakdown of all the crimes in the city for 2021 compared to 2020:

	2020	2021	Percent Change
Homicide	36	38	6%
Rape	400	400	0%
Robbery	376	369	-2%
Aggravated Assault	2,084	1,992	-4%
VIOLENT CRIMES TOTAL	2,896	2,799	-3%
Burglary	2,588	2,376	-8%
Larceny/Theft	11,374	10,665	-6%
Motor Vehicle Theft	2,432	2,542	5%
Arson	153	180	18%
PROPERTY CRIMES TOTAL	16,547	15,763	-5%
TOTALS	19,443	18,562	-5%

*All data is from the FBI UCR*

Colorado Springs, CO Crime Rates

Colorado Springs’ Violent Crime Rate

In 2021 Colorado Springs reported 2,799 violent crimes and had a violent crime rate of 578.36 per 100,000 people.

Year over year violent crime has decreased by 5%.

*Violent crimes include; homicides, rape, robbery and aggravated assaults and the violent crime rate is calculated by dividing the number of reported crimes by the total population; the result is multiplied by 100,000.

Colorado Springs’ Murder Rate

In 2021, Colorado Springs reported 38 murders and had a murder rate of 7.85 per 100,000 people.

Year over year violent crime has increased by 6%.
Colorado Springs has a similar homicide rate to cities like Las Vegas, Jacksonville and Dallas.

Colorado Springs’ Property Crime Rate

In 2021 Colorado Springs reported 16,394 property crimes and had a property crime rate of 3,257.11 per 100,000 people.

Year over year property crime in Colorado Springs has decreased by 8%.
Colorado Springs property crime rate is similar to Chicago, Savannah and Jacksonville.

*Property crimes include; burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson and property crime rate is calculated by dividing the number of reported crimes by the total population; the result is multiplied by 100,000.

Colorado Springs crime rate vs other cities in Colorado (2020)

Here’s a graph showing you the violent crime rates of the most populous cities in Colorado in 2020. Colorado Springs’s violent crime rate ranked 4th highest among all cities.

Colorado Springs, Colorado vs The Most Dangerous Cities in the United States (2020)

Here’s a list of the top 19 most dangerous cities in the United States ranked by violent crime rates. Colorado Springs’s violent crime rate is 4x less than Memphis, the most dangerous city on the list.

Neighborhoods with the most violent crime in Colorado Springs

Here’s a maps showing you the neighborhoods where violent crime is concentrated in 2021.

Downtown – 294 violent crimes
Rustic Hills – 193 violent crimes
Southborough – 166 violent crimes
Ivywild – 163 violent crimes
Austin Estates 156 violent crimes
Pikes Peak Park North – 149 violent crimes
Valley Hi – 142 violent crimes
Knob Hill – 138 violent crimes
Gateway Park – 131 violent crimes

(source)

Here’s a map a resident of the city created to show you the ‘good’ and ‘bad’ parts of the city

Is Downtown Colorado Springs safe?

Downtown Colorado Springs is generally a safe area to visit. At night we recommend that you take some precautions in regards to staying in well populated places, not straying off the beaten path and not walking by yourself at night.

At night, avoid straying too far south, as the further south you go, the sketchier the neighborhood becomes.

Is the public transportation in Colorado Springs safe?

The public transportation system in Colorado Springs is handled by Mountain Metro and it offers many routes that interweave throughout the entire city. The Mountain Metro is generally safe to use during the commuting hours (7am – 7pm), however we do not recommend that you use metro late at night.

What do residents of Colorado Springs say about it’s safety?

"Colorado Springs is safe. I have never remotely felt in danger of in fear for my life."
"For the most part Colorado Springs is a pretty safe and welcoming city."
"Generally speaking, the southwest side of the city is the best part of the city. The southeast side of town is the area with highest crime rates."
"Broadly speaking, the north and west are better than the south and east."
"I have lived all over this country and Colorado Springs is by far this is the safest place I have ever been."
"For its size, Colorado Springs crime rate is much better than comparable cities. I feel safer here than I do in many smaller cities I’ve lived in, and definitely safer than all of the larger cities that I’ve lived in."
"Compared to New Orleans or Detroit, Colorado Springs is Candyland. Night and day difference."
"In Colorado Springs you can pick a direction and walk for more than an hour at night and never fear for your life. Can’t say the same Chicago or Detroit. You really have to go out there and seek crime to find it out here."
"Anyone that says Colorado Springs is unsafe has never left the city and should stop consuming sensationalized news story."
"Crime here isn’t a major concern for me. I’ve lived in cities where hearing gunshots whiz by was a nightly occurrence and I’ve yet to hear anything remotely close to gunshots in Colorado Springs."
"In my opinion Colorado Springs is not dangerous, even in the “worst” parts of the city is not that bad."

Is Colorado Springs safe at night?

Colorado Springs is generally safe at night as long as you avoid the problem areas. Be aware that streets and squares that are perfectly safe to visit in the daytime can be questionable and sketchy at night.

At night we recommend that you take a few extra precautions by staying in well populated places, not straying off the beaten path and not walking by yourself.

Tips to stay safe while visiting Colorado Springs, Colorado

Thoroughly research the city before you arrive. Figure out the good and bad parts of the city and adjust your travels accordingly.
Save the sightseeing for the daytime and stay out of the sketchy neighborhoods at night.
Park in lighted/high traffic areas when possible.
Although Colorado Spring is a generally safe city, you should always be aware of your surroundings.

Facts about Colorado Springs, CO

The population of Colorado Springs in 2021 was 483,956 and is the 40th most populous city in the United States.
The racial makeup of the city was Hispanic or Latino 17.6%, 68.6% White, 6.5% African American, 0.8% Native American, 2.9% Asian, and 5.9%% from two or more races.
The median income for a household in the city was $64,712. The per capita income for the city was $34,076.
93.9% of residents 25 and older is a high school graduate. 39.9% of residents 25 and older has a bachelors degree or higher.
11.7% of the population live below the poverty line.
The median home value in Colorado Springs is $425K in 2022.
In 2022, the average rent for a Colorado Springs 2-bedroom apartment is $1,700
The median age in the city is 35 years old.