City named one of best for college grads

Colorado Springs made Kiplinger’s list of top cities for college graduates, despite citywide concerns about retaining young professionals.

Colorado Springs is the smallest city on the list, and shares the honor with New York City, Charlotte, Baltimore, San Francisco and Philadelphia.

Also on the list: Washington, D.C., Omaha, Neb., Seattle and Boston.

The city was lauded for its “vibrant, tech-based economy plus rock-bottom living costs.” Editors at Kiplinger also praised strong incomes and low rent.

“Major companies like Hewlett Packard, Verizon Communications and FedEx have corporate offices here,” according to the press release announcing the winners. “The area features dozens of restaurants, bars, art museums and concert halls within a walkable, nine-block radius. And with the Rocky Mountains looming over the city, Colorado Springs is an outdoor enthusiast’s delight.”

Cons for the city included a high unemployment rate for low-skilled workers, limited public transit and a low median income. Pros were an abundance of parks, hiking rails and recreation centers. Kiplinger also noted Colorado Springs’ low crime rate and “high percentage of residents ages 20 to 24, compared to other cities on our list.”

Kiplinger used the same criteria as it used for its “best cities of the next decade” list: healthy economies fueling new job growth, then refined the search by looking at rent affordability, access to public transportation, overall cost of living, culture, nightlife and the percentage of people ages 20 to 24.

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