Is Fresno cheaper than Colorado Springs?

Yes. Typical rent in Fresno is $1,421 a month versus $1,750 in Colorado Springs — 19% cheaper. Median household income is $70,991 in Fresno compared with $72,400 in Colorado Springs, so Colorado Springs has the stronger local pay picture.

Which city is safer, Fresno or Colorado Springs?

Neither city has a meaningful citywide edge. Crime indexes are 32 in Fresno and 32 in Colorado Springs (100 = national average). Compare neighborhoods, not slogans.

Which city has better schools, Fresno or Colorado Springs?

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

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City comparison

Fresno, CA vs Colorado Springs, CO

Fresno, CA versus Colorado Springs, CO 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 $1,421 a month in Fresno and $1,750 in Colorado Springs, and median household income lands at $70,991 versus $72,400. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

Fresno takes affordability, while Colorado Springs takes job market and weather. The widest gap is typical weather, where Colorado Springs leads by 60% — 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 Fresno can feel further apart than Fresno and Colorado Springs do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Fresno and Colorado Springs reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Full Fresno report Full Colorado Springs report

Fresno, CA

Rent: $1,421/mo
Median income: $70,991
Crime index: 32
Schools: A-
Weather: 87°F

Colorado Springs, CO

Rent: $1,750/mo
Median income: $72,400
Crime index: 32
Schools: A-
Weather: 73°F

Rent

19% cheaper

Fresno rent is 19% cheaper than Colorado Springs

Fresno

Winner

$1,421/mo

Colorado Springs

$1,750/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $1,421 a month in Fresno versus $1,750 in Colorado Springs, so Fresno is 19% cheaper. A meaningful but not dramatic gap. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets. Over a year the spread is about $3,948 — enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. Fresno still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in Colorado Springs.

Median income

2% higher

Colorado Springs's median income is 2% higher than Fresno

Fresno

$70,991

Colorado Springs

Winner

$72,400

What this means for your life

Median household income is $72,400 in Colorado Springs versus $70,991 in Fresno, so typical pay runs 2% higher in Colorado Springs — about $1,409 more household income a year. The income edge is modest. Treat it as extra negotiating context, not a reason to ignore rent, schools, or climate. Remote workers especially should not treat citywide pay as a personal raise if their employer will not localize salary.

Crime index

Neck and neck

Fresno and Colorado Springs are about even on crime index.

Fresno

32 (100 = avg)

Colorado Springs

32 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

Fresno and Colorado Springs post similar crime indexes (32 vs 32, where 100 is the national average). A small gap at the city level can still hide a huge neighborhood spread. Walk the specific block, check lighting and late-night activity, and use each city's full report for violent vs. property crime instead of stopping at the headline index.

School scores

Neck and neck

Fresno and Colorado Springs are about even on school scores.

Fresno

A- · 84/100

Colorado Springs

A- · 84/100

What this means for your life

School composites are effectively even (A- in Fresno, A- in Colorado Springs). 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

60% more comfortable

Colorado Springs weather is 60% more comfortable than Fresno

Fresno

87°F typical

Colorado Springs

Winner

73°F typical

What this means for your life

Colorado Springs scores 60% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 87°F in Fresno and 73°F in Colorado Springs. Fresno reads as hot, long summers; Colorado Springs reads as warm weather most of the year. Climate affects quality of life more than most people anticipate when planning a move. Consider how much time you spend outdoors and whether extreme heat or cold impacts your mood or productivity. Colorado Springs is the better default if you want year-round outdoor access. Fresno can still be right if you love that climate on purpose — beach heat, dry heat, or a real winter — but you cannot return a city's weather.

Fit check

Who should choose Fresno

People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Fresno

Fresno is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 19% cheaper here at about $1,421 a month. Choose Fresno if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.

Open the Fresno report →

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 2% higher ($72,400), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two — around 73°F. That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.

Open the Colorado Springs report →

Bottom line

Fresno vs Colorado Springs, called

If weather is your priority, Colorado Springs is the clear choice.

If cost of living matters more to you, Fresno pulls ahead.

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

Common questions

Fresno vs Colorado Springs FAQ

Is Fresno cheaper than Colorado Springs?: Yes. Typical rent in Fresno is $1,421 a month versus $1,750 in Colorado Springs — 19% cheaper. Median household income is $70,991 in Fresno compared with $72,400 in Colorado Springs, so Colorado Springs has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, Fresno or Colorado Springs?: Neither city has a meaningful citywide edge. Crime indexes are 32 in Fresno and 32 in Colorado Springs (100 = national average). Compare neighborhoods, not slogans.
Which city has better schools, Fresno or Colorado Springs?: School composites are close: A- in Fresno and A- in Colorado Springs. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

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