From top 5 to 406? Colorado Springs takes shocking nosedive in “Best Places to Live” ranking

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – It’s a dramatic fall that has residents and city officials asking, what happened?

Colorado Springs, ranked #3 in the nation just last year by U.S. News & World Report for "Best Places to Live, has plummeted to #406 in the latest release.

The rankings, which consider factors like affordability, desirability and quality of life, are used nationwide as a snapshot of where people want to live and why.

The list compares more than 850 cities across America. Of note, however, last year it only compared 150.

So why the drop?

"Colorado Springs was in the top 16% for crime, which is not really a designation that you want to see when looking for a place to live," said Erika Giovanetti, Consumer Lending Analyst with U.S. News & World Report.

According to Giovanetti, both violent and property crime rates are significantly higher here compared to other mid-sized cities.

"A lot of those cities are about the same size or smaller than Colorado Springs. And in fact, a lot of them are smaller," Giovanetti said.

But it’s not just crime.

Colorado Springs finds itself in a unique and somewhat difficult position. She says we're classified as a mid-sized city, but coming with a big-city price tag – without the consistent support of a major metro job market.

"The job market doesn't always support that, unfortunately," Giovanetti added.

Cities that topped the list this year all had certain things in common: low crime, strong or nearby job markets, and better affordability, three checkboxes Giovanetti says Colorado Springs currently struggles to fill.

In response to the plummeting ranking, a city of Colorado Springs spokesperson shared the following statement with KRDO13 on Wednesday:

"Colorado Springs is often recognized in national publications for our quality of life, desirable location, and amazing attractions. We also recognize there are many great places to live across the country, and they also deserve to be recognized for the qualities that make them shine."

Stay up to date with the latest local news, sports, and investigations by downloading the KRDO13 app. Click here to download it from the Apple App Store. Android users can download it from Google Play here.