I'm going to apply for a position with the Corps of Engineers in CS.  I would move up from a GS13 to a GS14.  I had lived in Albuquerque area for 9 years, and now the Baltimore - DC area for 3.5 years.  

I love living out west.  Getting up to sunshine almost everyday.  Low humidity, mountains, wild life, and off roading.  It's great.  NM has lots of problems, but I miss it.

CS would have more affordable housing than Maryland.

For all the reasons you mentioned, it's great.  

Colo Springs is a bit eclectic, IMO.  Military bases, lots of churches.  Somewhat conservative.  Pretty, with Pikes Peak looming to the West.  Downtown has a fair amount of homeless, but where doesn't?  

It's growing like mad, too.  Many homes going in out East.

i spent a lot of time in COS for work a few years ago.

really like it.

would move there in a heartbeat.

Longtime resident of the state and the town.  I hardly recognize the place anymore.  Way too many people, not enough water, Californication continues, Colorado is being loved to death.  Still and all, I'd rather be right here in the Springs than most anywhere else in the state.  I love the climate, for the most part.

lost a windshield in a company rig in COS in 2019.

CS has more housing options than many of the front range Colorado cities.  Some of that is due to the frequent turnover in military families changing their tours of duty.  I compare it to San Antonio, TX in that regard.

Our daughter and family just bought a house is CS three months ago and got a pretty good deal for what they needed.  The east central side of CS has some decent established neighborhoods, and also new construction the further east you go.  They live on Enchanted Circle West.  Look in the area with E. Platte Ave to the south, Marksheffel Road to the east, East Woodmen Road to the north and I-25 to the west.  Avoid getting too close to the downtown area as some of those neighborhoods have gone downhill in recent years.  If you want to live outside the city, look to the north around the Monument area.

We also have three other kids living in CO, one in Denver, one in Fort Collins and one in Basalt and we have a home in the Breckenridge area.  We're not experts on CO real estate but have kept up with the trends over the past 6-8 years.  Let me know if you need any help.

Youtube link thingy is wonky today

https://youtu.be/qJFMywIKzSI

I love it here. I would live on the north end and/or east end of town. We are spoiled here with all of the great outdoor activities and weather (95% of the time).

I used to say don’t go south of Platte. I’m starting to think of adjusting my advice to south of Woodmen.

CS is diverse.  I live in a house built in the 1950s.  Wide streets, lots of street parking, no HOAs.  Before you buy with an HOA, ask for a report on punitive actions taken inside the HOA.  HOAs can impose fees and foreclose if the fees are not paid, can get ugly.  At the very least, do some knock and talks around the neighborhood.  
I'm contrary to the previous advice given, I like living near the center of town where I can walk for a cold soda or bag of chips.  The bedroom communities up North are overpriced imho, with dense neighborhoods, HOAs and loads of Karens married to Air Force colonels who think they own the planet.
There's a good competition scene along the front range, find matches on practiscore.  There's events every weekend justabout.

I've lived here for 13 years. Very diverse city, lots of Christians, athletes, and military here. Sizeable asian population.

Tons of places to go running and walking.

The last year the weather has been kinda crappy, it's cold and windy most of the year. Whoever programmed the traffic lights is an asshole. A lot of semi-retarded transplants have come here recently.

Houses are expensive. It depends what you are looking for, but a nice 4BR in a nice neighborhood could run you $700k.  A starter home is around $400-450k in a decent neighborhood. Properly taxes are low.

More or less
Resident since 2000
My house is east of town in the county and went from $1/4mm in 2017 to $1/2mm in December 2021. Obviously cooling off now but housing is whack

Space force based, ft carson etc.
I remember when Falcon was a cowboy town and marksheffel was dirt

District 20 is the prized school district so housing in that district is extra whack but colorado let’s you “choice” your kids into other districts so it’s not as crazy as it could be