Colorado Springs, Colorado, is where a rugged history, canyons, grasslands, and urban luxuries meet. The 195.8 square-mile city was developed in 1859 next to the Rocky Mountains. Today, it offers suburban living near the state capital, Denver, which is about a 90-minute drive away. Residents include everyone from college students to retired couples, as well as military families connected to nearby Army, Air Force or Space Force hubs. Its median age is 34.7 (2022).

Kicking off the day with a run on a nature trail and wrapping it up sipping a craft beer is one way to enjoy living in Fort Collins, Colorado. The 58.4 square-mile city was founded as a U.S. Army outpost in 1864. Today, flat downtown streets laid out in a grid pattern attract both pedestrians and cyclists alike. Its median age is 29.9 (2022), with manufacturing and service-related businesses dominating its economy.