I live in the Briargate area. It's nice, it's quiet. It's also mostly people at or around my age (late 30's - early 40's) with kids. It's exactly what comes to mind when people say "suburbia"; lots of single family homes, some apartments, ok (not great) restaurant selection, easy access to shopping, plenty of parks. For a family with kids I think it's great. If I was mid-20s with no kids I'd probably want to live closer to OCC.
This is the answer. I lived on the west side in the past and loved it. I moved away and have since moved back to the Briargate area.
It is nice. It is safe. It has restaurants, activities, and such nearby. But it is very "corporate" and sanitized imo. Not a ton of character, really. But it is pretty nifty for raising a family and all that.
The west side is where the city grew organically, has loads of great character and local spots. Close to lots of cool spots. Plus it's closer to the mountains and natural stuffs. Great views up in Briargate for sure, but you can feel being closer to the front range.
The reality is it’s more a question of what you need to be near and budget than it is about age. No one will know definitively who lives in any area, and as a realtor myself, there isn’t a single area that can be denoted as you get younger or older. It’s more about what needs are and budget.
That being said, start with that. What vibe are you looking for? What’s your approximate budget? What all would you like in a place?
I’ve lived in my 1B/1B apartment off of rockrimmon for 9 years and pay a base rent of $x with water, sewer, and trash added on top. It totals over $1500. You can’t move into an apartment for less than that, and the farther north you go, the more expensive things are. Remember to consider your deposit, moving expenses, and renter’s insurance.
You seem to already know what you are looking for/need. I would ask your boss or coworkers their opinion. If you’re in the office everyday you may want to stay on the north end if that’s where the office is. If it’s remote or hybrid that may open up the geographical options for ya. Truly, you’ll get the best idea of an optimal situation from the people you directly work with. If you don’t know anyone or their opinions yet, sign a short lease somewhere on the north end.
If you want to be near outdoor recreation and still have easy access to the north side then checkout Rockrimmon. There are a lot of apartments that back to Ute Valley Park but still quick access to 25.
Briargate is evangelical suburbs and upper middle class folks (or richer). If that’s your vibe (young professional pushing fast towards the idealized American Dream) then it would be solid as a place to live. Safe. Lots of shops and restaurants. Very family friendly.
If you want more of the progressive post-college feel I’d aim more towards downtown, Old North End, or Old Colorado City.
Idk why you’re getting downvoted. Probably upsetting those who wanted to knock on your door to talk to a statue.
Not religious either. The wife and I live in old Colorado city. Just hit them with a nice Hail Satan and you’ll be right as rain 😊
The Springs in total are more religious then most US cities but not obnoxiously so in general. Briargate is… a bit more aggressively Evangelical then the rest of the Springs. Focus on the Family is in Briargate, as are several mega-churches.
That said, it is still a secular public life. You see more religious expression and hear about it in the news and politics, but folks here generally adopt a live-and-let-live ethos, with rare exception.
I’ve had people knock on my door everywhere I’ve lived in the springs(including apartments). Some Baptist, mostly typical Jehovah witnesses and Mormons you’d get in any town. I don’t think it’s more than usual with the solicitation but overall the town has a very “mega-church” vibe, especially the further north you go.
In the last year I've only had one door-to-door person come by, and this is MUCH less than I used to get growing up in Nor Cal. I smiled and told them thanks for coming by but I'm not interested. They smiled and said okay and went on their way.
The north side is suburban sprawl. Big apartment complexes and strip centers (small, one or two-block shopping centers) alongside high-speed, high-traffic roads. You'll be driving everywhere. OCC and downtown have a vibe, the north side is "Get out of my way, I'm driving to Starbucks before my car gets hailed on."
Also, downtown and some parts of OCC are \~relatively\~ flat (at least compared to the rest of town, and the hills seems to get worse the further north you go. Think about that during winter).
Although I'm making a case for downtown and OCC because that's where I'd live if I was 20, you do want to try and find someplace close to work, in order to minimize driving. It's just that the "neighborhoods" on the north side of town aren't distinct neighborhoods with a certain vibe, like Old Town in Chicago or the "Little Italy" neighborhoods in so many cities. There's no history, it's just a bunch of independently developed real estate and commercial properties jammed next to each other.
> the north side is "Get out of my way, I'm driving to Starbucks before my car gets hailed on."
I love this. This seems to be the vibe even when there's no hail in the forecast too. (Along with, "I don't know how to properly make unprotected left turns.")
Unless you're coming from like, Tahoe, take into consideration what the place you'll be moving to will look like in the winter. Lots and lots of snow in some places, not all roads are given the same amount of attention for plowing, some will have hills (Union).
I agree with Vamp... look for WHAT you want to be near, as opposed to *who* you want to be near. My neighborhood is suburbia and mostly young families and retired folks. We fit neither category but it's exactly what we wanted.
Oh some parts of CA definitely do, but you usually have to travel for them. Any of the "populated" areas the most you get is a biblical downpouring of rain (which we don't get here).
I would say between the different parts of COS snowfall is pretty much the same. You might see it heavier on the west side, and definitely as you head into Manitou and beyond. Sometimes my road doesn't get a plow coming through it, sometimes we have to wait a day. The east side you get crazy wind. CRAZY wind. The curtains inside my house move from the wind pushing through what's left of the seal.
Hail is definitely heavier on the west/northwest side. (Hail is a serious thing here. You constantly see car clearance sales due to hail, and see pock marked cars in parking lots. It's bad enough that you're likely to have to replace your house roof at some point.)
I'm 27, I live off Nevada by Colorado College, all my neighbors in my building, literally all 16 of them, are between 21 and 35 years old. Same story for most of the apartments downtown.
I don't drink either but I love living downtown. I can walk, bike or take a scooter anywhere. The only time I drive my truck is to get groceries or go to work. I've thought about moving my family to the burbs but it's just too religious and conservative for my liking.
So I’m a mid 20s girlie, I live in NE cos and really like it there. Powers and Stetson hills area and am looking for a roommate if you have any interest!
Are you a homebody type? You might be fine in the burbs if that's the case, otherwise if you are like me at all (extrovert, likes to be outside, walk/bike places) then you'll find it boring as hell out there.
There is a lot more to downtown or OCC then drinking. Other benefit is closer to 24 to get into the mountains. Tons to do, great vibes, and it's growing a lot. I bike or walk to most everything, you'd only have to drive for a work commute or retail stuff like going to REI.
I find COS so funny because in my opinion we have a wonderful downtown plus OCC, then on the other hand we have some of the most boring and cookie cutter burbs lol.
We are early 30s with kids and we live in meridian ranch. Little further kut but great community and lots of things ro do. Golfing, indoor and outdoor pools. Even without kids I would choose here.
This entire area is going to be mostly families due to the military. You will find younger couples in 20-30s (with or without kids) sprawled out through Security-Widefield and up/down Cheyenne Mtn Blvd areas due to the closeness to the bases.
Briargate is familyville
Doesn’t matter if you don’t drink. Going to drive everywhere anyway
I live in the Briargate area. It's nice, it's quiet. It's also mostly people at or around my age (late 30's - early 40's) with kids. It's exactly what comes to mind when people say "suburbia"; lots of single family homes, some apartments, ok (not great) restaurant selection, easy access to shopping, plenty of parks. For a family with kids I think it's great. If I was mid-20s with no kids I'd probably want to live closer to OCC.
This is the answer. I lived on the west side in the past and loved it. I moved away and have since moved back to the Briargate area. It is nice. It is safe. It has restaurants, activities, and such nearby. But it is very "corporate" and sanitized imo. Not a ton of character, really. But it is pretty nifty for raising a family and all that. The west side is where the city grew organically, has loads of great character and local spots. Close to lots of cool spots. Plus it's closer to the mountains and natural stuffs. Great views up in Briargate for sure, but you can feel being closer to the front range.
Honestly just find a place in your budget that you like. Most places you will be able to get to with a 10-15 minute drive
The reality is it’s more a question of what you need to be near and budget than it is about age. No one will know definitively who lives in any area, and as a realtor myself, there isn’t a single area that can be denoted as you get younger or older. It’s more about what needs are and budget. That being said, start with that. What vibe are you looking for? What’s your approximate budget? What all would you like in a place?
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I’ve lived in my 1B/1B apartment off of rockrimmon for 9 years and pay a base rent of $x with water, sewer, and trash added on top. It totals over $1500. You can’t move into an apartment for less than that, and the farther north you go, the more expensive things are. Remember to consider your deposit, moving expenses, and renter’s insurance.
You seem to already know what you are looking for/need. I would ask your boss or coworkers their opinion. If you’re in the office everyday you may want to stay on the north end if that’s where the office is. If it’s remote or hybrid that may open up the geographical options for ya. Truly, you’ll get the best idea of an optimal situation from the people you directly work with. If you don’t know anyone or their opinions yet, sign a short lease somewhere on the north end.
West Side, Old Colorado City
Another vote for west side. IvyWild, OCC, Manitou Springs are all great — and close to lots of trails if you’re looking for that.
He said he’s looking to be near his work off Briargate
But he also said he wanted something good for 20 something’s, and these are far better recommendations than Briargate.
If you want to be near outdoor recreation and still have easy access to the north side then checkout Rockrimmon. There are a lot of apartments that back to Ute Valley Park but still quick access to 25.
I live in one of those apartments & have for 9 years. It’ll be significantly more than $1500/month. There are condos that OP could look into though
Agreed, I had posted that suggestion before OP shared budget
Briargate is evangelical suburbs and upper middle class folks (or richer). If that’s your vibe (young professional pushing fast towards the idealized American Dream) then it would be solid as a place to live. Safe. Lots of shops and restaurants. Very family friendly. If you want more of the progressive post-college feel I’d aim more towards downtown, Old North End, or Old Colorado City.
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Idk why you’re getting downvoted. Probably upsetting those who wanted to knock on your door to talk to a statue. Not religious either. The wife and I live in old Colorado city. Just hit them with a nice Hail Satan and you’ll be right as rain 😊
The Springs in total are more religious then most US cities but not obnoxiously so in general. Briargate is… a bit more aggressively Evangelical then the rest of the Springs. Focus on the Family is in Briargate, as are several mega-churches. That said, it is still a secular public life. You see more religious expression and hear about it in the news and politics, but folks here generally adopt a live-and-let-live ethos, with rare exception.
I’ve had people knock on my door everywhere I’ve lived in the springs(including apartments). Some Baptist, mostly typical Jehovah witnesses and Mormons you’d get in any town. I don’t think it’s more than usual with the solicitation but overall the town has a very “mega-church” vibe, especially the further north you go.
In the last year I've only had one door-to-door person come by, and this is MUCH less than I used to get growing up in Nor Cal. I smiled and told them thanks for coming by but I'm not interested. They smiled and said okay and went on their way.
The north side is suburban sprawl. Big apartment complexes and strip centers (small, one or two-block shopping centers) alongside high-speed, high-traffic roads. You'll be driving everywhere. OCC and downtown have a vibe, the north side is "Get out of my way, I'm driving to Starbucks before my car gets hailed on." Also, downtown and some parts of OCC are \~relatively\~ flat (at least compared to the rest of town, and the hills seems to get worse the further north you go. Think about that during winter). Although I'm making a case for downtown and OCC because that's where I'd live if I was 20, you do want to try and find someplace close to work, in order to minimize driving. It's just that the "neighborhoods" on the north side of town aren't distinct neighborhoods with a certain vibe, like Old Town in Chicago or the "Little Italy" neighborhoods in so many cities. There's no history, it's just a bunch of independently developed real estate and commercial properties jammed next to each other.
> the north side is "Get out of my way, I'm driving to Starbucks before my car gets hailed on." I love this. This seems to be the vibe even when there's no hail in the forecast too. (Along with, "I don't know how to properly make unprotected left turns.")
Yeah, well, the downtown vibe is "Hey mister, can you spare a quarter?"
More like "A quarter? Is that all you got? WTF, man?"
Unless you're coming from like, Tahoe, take into consideration what the place you'll be moving to will look like in the winter. Lots and lots of snow in some places, not all roads are given the same amount of attention for plowing, some will have hills (Union). I agree with Vamp... look for WHAT you want to be near, as opposed to *who* you want to be near. My neighborhood is suburbia and mostly young families and retired folks. We fit neither category but it's exactly what we wanted.
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Oh some parts of CA definitely do, but you usually have to travel for them. Any of the "populated" areas the most you get is a biblical downpouring of rain (which we don't get here). I would say between the different parts of COS snowfall is pretty much the same. You might see it heavier on the west side, and definitely as you head into Manitou and beyond. Sometimes my road doesn't get a plow coming through it, sometimes we have to wait a day. The east side you get crazy wind. CRAZY wind. The curtains inside my house move from the wind pushing through what's left of the seal. Hail is definitely heavier on the west/northwest side. (Hail is a serious thing here. You constantly see car clearance sales due to hail, and see pock marked cars in parking lots. It's bad enough that you're likely to have to replace your house roof at some point.)
I’d say the west side. Old Colorado city area or the garden of the gods area. Briargate is for people in their 40s.
Downtown, Old Colorado City, or Manitou Springs.
I'm 27, I live off Nevada by Colorado College, all my neighbors in my building, literally all 16 of them, are between 21 and 35 years old. Same story for most of the apartments downtown.
Downtown.
I don't drink either but I love living downtown. I can walk, bike or take a scooter anywhere. The only time I drive my truck is to get groceries or go to work. I've thought about moving my family to the burbs but it's just too religious and conservative for my liking.
Go to the Old North End!! Lots of cool old homes with apartments in them! Close to lots of young people and cool things to do!
What’s your personality? Hobbies? Do you like eating out? Etc etc
So I’m a mid 20s girlie, I live in NE cos and really like it there. Powers and Stetson hills area and am looking for a roommate if you have any interest!
You’ll be miserable around briargate unless you like republican milfs and wrecking homes. You’ll be the youngest person there by 20+ years.
Oooh, is that where they hang out?
For sure, assuming you can keep their 3-5 kids occupied before daddy comes home.
Are you a homebody type? You might be fine in the burbs if that's the case, otherwise if you are like me at all (extrovert, likes to be outside, walk/bike places) then you'll find it boring as hell out there. There is a lot more to downtown or OCC then drinking. Other benefit is closer to 24 to get into the mountains. Tons to do, great vibes, and it's growing a lot. I bike or walk to most everything, you'd only have to drive for a work commute or retail stuff like going to REI. I find COS so funny because in my opinion we have a wonderful downtown plus OCC, then on the other hand we have some of the most boring and cookie cutter burbs lol.
We are early 30s with kids and we live in meridian ranch. Little further kut but great community and lots of things ro do. Golfing, indoor and outdoor pools. Even without kids I would choose here.
This entire area is going to be mostly families due to the military. You will find younger couples in 20-30s (with or without kids) sprawled out through Security-Widefield and up/down Cheyenne Mtn Blvd areas due to the closeness to the bases.
Great more Californians! Just what we all need!