Median Household Income: $50,892 (2008)

Unemployment Rate: 4.3% (2008)

Ethnicity:
White (78.6%)
Hispanic American/Latino (14.1%)
Black/African-American (6.8%)
American Indian/Native American (0.9%)
Asian (2.8%)
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (0.2%)
Other (6.4%)
Two or more races (4.3%)

Area in Square Miles: 194.05

Street Miles: 1,576 (2009 est.)

Parkland Acres: 15,266 (2008 est.)

7.4% Sales Tax Distribution: City (2.5%); County (1.0%); State (2.9%), PPRTA (1.0%)

City Property Tax Rate (2008, for taxes paid in 2009): 4.944 mills

Median Sale Price of a Single-Family Home in El Paso County (2003): $261,925

Property Taxes Paid on a $261,925 House in School District 11 based on 2008 Mill Levy Rate: $1,266 total; City share is $103

Serious Crimes per Thousand: 46.5 (2007) compared to 2006 national average of 66.0 for cities 250,000-499,999; crimes include murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, and auto theft

Major Industries:
Aerospace / Defense / Homeland Security
Biotechnology / Medical Device Manufacturers
Customer Service Operations
Data Networking / Storage
Information Technology
National Sports Governing Bodies and Sports Organizations
Nonprofit National Organizations
Semiconductor Manufacturers, Research & Development
Specialty Metals Manufacturing

Major Attractions:
Garden of the Gods
US Air Force Academy
US Olympic Training Center
Pikes Peak - America's Mountain
Sky Sox Minor League Baseball

Average # of Days of Sunshine: 247

Average Annual Precipitation: 17.4 inches

City Overview
Although many towns and cities in Colorado were settled by miners and ranchers, Colorado Springs' appeal was climate and culture. General William Jackson Palmer founded Colorado Springs in 1871, envisioning a resort community always in view of Colorado's famous Pikes Peak. Within seven years, the Antlers Hotel was built; and by 1918, the renowned Broadmoor Hotel was constructed, making Colorado Springs a tourist destination. At an elevation of 6,000 feet, the area also became a health mecca where thousands of people came to relieve their tuberculosis in the dry mountain air. Colorado Springs is located at the foot of Pikes Peak, 70 miles south of Denver. With a 2006 estimated population of 392,164 and a land area of 193.03 square miles, Colorado Springs is the State's largest city in terms of land and second only to Denver in population.