Colorado Springs CO vs San Marcos TX — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

Colorado Springs, CO

Colorado · Population: 483,099

  • Median HH Income$83,198
  • Median Home Price$451,202
  • Unemployment5.5%
  • Bachelor's+41.9%

San Marcos, TX

Texas · Population: 99,507

  • Median HH Income$64,146
  • Median Home Price$313,452
  • Unemployment3.2%
  • Bachelor's+24.9%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Colorado Springs
483,099
Colorado Springs +
San Marcos
99,507
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Colorado Springs
N/A
San Marcos
N/A
Median Age
Colorado Springs
35.6
San Marcos
35.2
San Marcos +
Foreign Born
Colorado Springs
7.4%
Colorado Springs +
San Marcos
5.8%
White
Colorado Springs
72.3%
Colorado Springs +
San Marcos
66.6%
Black
Colorado Springs
5.8%
Colorado Springs +
San Marcos
4.3%
Asian
Colorado Springs
3.0%
Colorado Springs +
San Marcos
1.4%
Hispanic
Colorado Springs
18.7%
San Marcos
42.2%
San Marcos +
Spanish at Home
Colorado Springs
N/A
San Marcos
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Colorado Springs
$83,198
Colorado Springs +
San Marcos
$64,146
Per Capita Income
Colorado Springs
$44,893
Colorado Springs +
San Marcos
$33,835
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Colorado Springs
$76,653
Colorado Springs +
San Marcos
$63,758
Unemployment Rate
Colorado Springs
5.5%
San Marcos
3.2%
San Marcos +
Poverty Rate
Colorado Springs
9.3%
Colorado Springs +
San Marcos
11.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
Colorado Springs
41.9%
Colorado Springs +
San Marcos
24.9%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Colorado Springs
$451,202
San Marcos
$313,452
San Marcos +
Homeownership Rate
Colorado Springs
61.3%
San Marcos
63.3%
San Marcos +

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Colorado Springs
512
San Marcos
442
San Marcos +
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Colorado Springs
3234
San Marcos
2339
San Marcos +

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Colorado Springs
28.4%
Colorado Springs +
San Marcos
33.6%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Colorado Springs
9.0%
San Marcos
7.9%
San Marcos +
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Colorado Springs
18.0%
Colorado Springs +
San Marcos
22.3%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Colorado Springs
9.9%
Colorado Springs +
San Marcos
19.7%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Colorado Springs
16.5%
Colorado Springs +
San Marcos
19.7%
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Colorado Springs
11.0%
San Marcos
11.0%
Tie

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Colorado Springs
49.0°F
Colorado Springs +
San Marcos
68.5°F
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Colorado Springs
16.5 in
Colorado Springs +
San Marcos
35.7 in

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Colorado Springs
6.2 µg/m³
Colorado Springs +
San Marcos
9.2 µg/m³
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Colorado Springs
75.0%
Colorado Springs +
San Marcos
55.0%

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Colorado Springs
24.1 min
San Marcos
19.0 min
San Marcos +

Which City is Right for You?

Colorado Springs leads in median household income at $83,198, while san Marcos offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $313,452. On public safety, San Marcos is safer with a violent crime rate of 442 per 100,000 residents, compared to 512 in Colorado Springs. San Marcos has a lower unemployment rate at 3.2%, and Colorado Springs has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 6.2 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Colorado Springs scores better with a lower obesity rate of 28.4%.

Compare More Cities

About Colorado Springs & San Marcos