Which city is safer, Colorado Springs or Lincoln?

Lincoln is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 70 versus 137 in Colorado Springs — 49% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.

Which city has better schools, Colorado Springs or Lincoln?

School composites are close: A- in Colorado Springs and A- in Lincoln. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

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City comparison

Colorado Springs, CO vs Lincoln, NE

Colorado Springs, CO versus Lincoln, NE is a real move, not a trivia matchup. This comparison uses the same 2026 neighborhood report data we publish on each city page — typical rent, median household income, crime indexes, school composites, and typical weather — so you can see which city actually fits how you live, work, and spend. Typical rents sit near $1,735 a month in Colorado Springs and $1,141 in Lincoln, and median household income lands at $79,026 versus $67,846. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

Colorado Springs takes job market and weather, while Lincoln takes affordability and safety. The widest gap is crime index, where Lincoln leads by 49% — the kind of spread you feel in a monthly budget or a nightly walk, not just on a chart. Read the category rows as a filter: if cheaper housing would change your life more than a stronger job market, weight rent first. If you are moving with kids, weight schools and crime. If you picked a city after one good weekend, use the weather and income rows to test whether that weekend survives a full year.

Numbers below are citywide, not a guarantee about the street you will actually live on. Two ZIP codes in Colorado Springs can feel further apart than Colorado Springs and Lincoln do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Colorado Springs and Lincoln reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Full Colorado Springs report Full Lincoln report

Colorado Springs, CO

Rent: $1,735/mo
Median income: $79,026
Crime index: 137
Schools: A-
Weather: 77°F

Lincoln, NE

Rent: $1,141/mo
Median income: $67,846
Crime index: 70
Schools: A-
Weather: 79°F

Rent

34% cheaper

Lincoln rent is 34% cheaper than Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs

$1,735/mo

Lincoln

Winner

$1,141/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $1,141 a month in Lincoln versus $1,735 in Colorado Springs, so Lincoln is 34% cheaper. That's roughly $594/month back in your pocket — $7,128/year. Over five years that's $35,640 you could redirect toward a down payment, travel, or investments. Housing is the bill you pay before groceries, childcare, or a social life, so that gap shows up in how often you eat out and how panicked a rent hike feels. If you already have a high-paying offer in Colorado Springs, the extra rent can be rational. If you do not, Lincoln is the easier city to land in without blowing up your budget.

Median income

16% higher

Colorado Springs's median income is 16% higher than Lincoln

Colorado Springs

Winner

$79,026

Lincoln

$67,846

What this means for your life

Median household income is $79,026 in Colorado Springs versus $67,846 in Lincoln, so typical pay runs 16% higher in Colorado Springs — about $11,180 more household income a year. Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, Colorado Springs is the stronger labor market on paper. Lincoln can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.

Crime index

49% lower crime

Lincoln's crime index is 49% lower than Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs

137 (100 = avg)

Lincoln

Winner

70 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

Lincoln's crime index is 70 versus 137 in Colorado Springs (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 49% lower in Lincoln. That gap is meaningful day-to-day — it affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Lincoln is the easier city. Colorado Springs can still work if you pick the right pocket — just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.

School scores

Neck and neck

Colorado Springs and Lincoln are about even on school scores.

Colorado Springs

A- · 84/100

Lincoln

A- · 84/100

What this means for your life

School composites are effectively even (A- in Colorado Springs, A- in Lincoln). For families with kids this is a warning if you assumed one city was obviously better — at this range the campus, not the city name, decides it. Tour the zoned elementary you would actually use.

Typical weather

6% more comfortable

Colorado Springs weather is 6% more comfortable than Lincoln

Colorado Springs

Winner

77°F typical

Lincoln

79°F typical

What this means for your life

Colorado Springs scores 6% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 77°F in Colorado Springs and 79°F in Lincoln. Colorado Springs reads as warm weather most of the year; Lincoln reads as warm weather most of the year. The comfort edge is real but not a personality transplant. If you already know you want Lincoln's season, a modest index lead should not talk you out of it. If you are undecided, Colorado Springs is the city where the forecast fights you less.

Fit check

Who should choose Colorado Springs

Career-focused movers who want salary upside plus year-round outdoor access

It is also a match for career-focused movers who want salary upside and year-round outdoor access. Median household income runs 16% higher ($79,026), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two — around 77°F. That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.

Open the Colorado Springs report →

Fit check

Who should choose Lincoln

Families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy

Lincoln is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 34% cheaper here at about $1,141 a month. Choose Lincoln if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.

Lincoln is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 49% lower than Colorado Springs (70 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.

Open the Lincoln report →

Bottom line

Colorado Springs vs Lincoln, called

If safety is your priority, Lincoln is the clear choice.

If the job market matters more to you, Colorado Springs pulls ahead.

For most movers comparing these two cities, Lincoln offers the better overall package.

Common questions

Colorado Springs vs Lincoln FAQ

Is Colorado Springs cheaper than Lincoln?: No. Lincoln is cheaper: typical rent is $1,141 a month versus $1,735 in Colorado Springs — 34% lower. Median household income is $79,026 in Colorado Springs compared with $67,846 in Lincoln, so Colorado Springs has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, Colorado Springs or Lincoln?: Lincoln is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 70 versus 137 in Colorado Springs — 49% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.
Which city has better schools, Colorado Springs or Lincoln?: School composites are close: A- in Colorado Springs and A- in Lincoln. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

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