What is it like to live east of Powers Boulevard in Colorado Springs?

The biggest draw east of Powers Boulevard is value: you can often get more house for your money than in many other parts of Colorado Springs. Some buyers also find it easier to get to Peterson and Schriever Space Force Bases from there. The trade-offs are worth weighing: many newer sections are in metro districts that add to the tax bill, the drive across town to I-25 or the west side takes longer, and older and newer areas differ a lot. Most of the area is in District 49; verify yours.

Where "east of Powers" is

Powers Boulevard runs north and south along the east side of the city, and most of what people call "east of Powers" is the large stretch between Powers and the city's eastern edge, from around Woodmen Road on the north to the airport area on the south. It includes older established areas and newer master-planned communities, plus Cimarron Hills, an unincorporated area of El Paso County east of Powers and north of Peterson Space Force Base.

Peterson Space Force Base and the Colorado Springs Airport are at the south end of the corridor, and Schriever Space Force Base is farther east along Highway 94. Downtown, the north side, I-25, and the mountains are all on the other side of town.

What draws people here

Value. In my experience, value is what draws most buyers to the east side. You can often get a newer or larger home for the same budget than in many areas closer to I-25 or the mountains.

Drive times to the east-side bases. Some buyers find it easier to get to Schriever and Peterson from here. Drive times depend on the route and the time of day, so drive yours at rush hour before you buy. Commute times by area gives estimated drive times from across the city.

Everyday convenience along Powers. The Powers corridor has shopping, restaurants, and services along most of its length.

The trade-offs to weigh

That value comes with trade-offs, and I make sure buyers weigh each of them before they decide:

• Metro districts in the newer sections. Many newer east-side communities were built with metro districts, special districts that add their own property tax to pay for roads, water and sewer lines, parks, and other infrastructure. Two homes at the same price can have very different yearly bills. What a metro district is explains how to check.
• The drive across town. If you work, worship, shop, or spend free time on the north side, the west side, downtown, or along I-25, you'll be driving across the city to get there. Test those routes before you decide.
• Older and newer areas are different purchases. Older east-side neighborhoods often have no metro district and lower special-district costs but older roofs and systems; newer communities have younger homes but more district and HOA costs. Compare the full monthly cost and the age of the home together.

Areas east of Powers

Homes range from the 1970s and 1980s in the older areas to new construction in the newest communities. Roughly:

• Older established areas, such as parts of Cimarron Hills and Springs Ranch, with homes from the 1970s through the 1990s.
• Areas built from the 1990s and 2000s, such as Stetson Hills and Claremont Ranch.
• Newer master-planned communities, such as Wolf Ranch to the northeast and Banning Lewis Ranch farther east, where new homes are still being built.

These eras are approximate, and neighborhood names don't always match how a home is taxed or which school district it's in. Check the year built for any home on the El Paso County Assessor's property record.

Cimarron Hills is outside city limits. Homes there are in unincorporated El Paso County, and many get water and sewer service from the Cherokee Metropolitan District rather than Colorado Springs Utilities. County rules and the district's rates apply, so confirm the utility provider for any address.

Roads, the airport, and noise

• Powers Boulevard carries heavy traffic. Homes that back to Powers or to the major cross streets hear more of it, so visit at rush hour.
• The Powers Boulevard and Airport Road interchange. The Colorado Department of Transportation replaced the signalized intersection there with a diverging diamond interchange, a $46 million project that began in 2024 and was reported substantially complete in September 2026.
• Aircraft noise. The Colorado Springs Airport and Peterson Space Force Base share runways at the south end of the corridor. How much aircraft noise a home hears depends on its location relative to the flight paths. The City's zoning code has an airport overlay tied to the airport's noise contours, and some properties near the airport have a recorded avigation easement. If a home is near the airport, ask about the overlay, check the title documents for any easement, and visit at different times of day.
• Development is ongoing. New phases are still being approved and built on the far east side, so a home near open land today may have construction or new homes next to it later.

Parks, trails, and everyday amenities

• The Sand Creek Trail follows Sand Creek in two main segments, one between Woodmen Road and Barnes Road on the north, passing Stetson Hills Open Space, and one running east from El Pomar Youth Sports Park toward Wildflower Park on the south.
• Neighborhood parks and community amenities vary a lot. Some master-planned communities have pools, recreation centers, and trails paid for through the metro district or HOA. Ask what's included with the specific home and what it costs.
• Shopping and restaurants line the Powers corridor.

For hospital care, St. Francis Hospital is on Woodmen Road near Powers Boulevard, UCHealth runs a freestanding Emergency Room–Powers on North Powers Boulevard, and UCHealth Memorial Hospital Central has a full emergency department. Check the drive to the hospitals that matter to you from the specific home.

HOA, special district, and property tax costs

Even a paid-off home isn't free. Taxes, HOA dues, special district levies, and insurance continue every year, so I recommend knowing the full monthly cost of any home before you decide.

• Metro districts are common in the newer communities, and their levies vary by district, even within one community.
• HOAs vary from none in some older areas to master associations in the newer ones. What to review before buying a home in an HOA explains what to look for.
• Utilities may come from Colorado Springs Utilities or a separate district, depending on the address.

The El Paso County Treasurer's or Assessor's site lists the taxing authorities for any address. Why two similar homes can have very different property taxes shows how to compare them.

Schools

Most of the area east of Powers is in Falcon School District 49, but parts are in Colorado Springs School District 11 and other districts. District lines don't follow neighborhood names or Powers Boulevard, so verify the district and schools for the specific address with the district before you buy. Neighborhoods by school district explains how to check.

Insurance

Hail is a fact of life across Colorado Springs, and the roof's age and material are a big part of any quote. Get a homeowners insurance quote on the specific home early in your search. Why insurance varies so much between Colorado Springs homes explains the factors.

Check every home, every time

Every home is different, and every neighborhood is different. The HOA, insurance, metro district, the age of the home, and the age of its systems all matter, so I recommend checking all of them every time.

Colorado's standard purchase contract builds in time to do that. By deadlines you negotiate, you can review the inspection results (§ 10.3), the HOA documents (§ 7.4), and the property insurance you can get (§ 10.5), and you can end the contract if you're not satisfied with any of them, at your sole discretion. If you terminate properly by the deadline, your earnest money is returned. How earnest money works in Colorado Springs explains that protection.

How to decide whether the east side fits

This is where my Life → Wealth → Real Estate™ method helps you make an informed decision:

• Life first. Where do you work, and where do you spend your time? If most of your life happens on the east side, the value is easier to capture. If it happens across town, count the drive as part of the cost.
• Then wealth. Compare the full monthly cost, including any metro district levy, HOA dues, and insurance, and think about how long you're likely to stay. A newer home with district costs and an older home that needs updates can come out close.
• Then the real estate. Once the first two are clear, choose the area and the specific home, new or resale. New construction or resale walks through that choice.

What could change the answer

• Whether the home is in a metro district, and its levy.
• Where your work and daily life are, and the drive from the specific home.
• The age of the home and its roof and major systems.
• How close the home is to Powers, the airport, or future development.
• The exact school district and schools for the address.

When to talk with a professional

Check the property's tax districts with the El Paso County Assessor or Treasurer, and ask any metro district for its current budget. Get a homeowners insurance quote early. Hire an independent home inspector, including on newer homes. Verify schools with the district. And work with a local real estate professional who can compare east-side homes with others in your price range, including the full monthly cost.

Sources

• Colorado Department of Transportation, CO 21 Powers Boulevard & Airport Road Interchange: https://www.codot.gov/projects/co21powersairportrdinterchange/about
• Federal Aviation Administration, Part 150 noise compatibility status for Colorado (Colorado Springs Municipal Airport): https://www.faa.gov/airports/environmental/airport_noise/part_150/states/co
• City of Colorado Springs, Unified Development Code (Airport Overlay, Sec. 7.2.601): https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/coloradospringsco/latest/overview
• Cherokee Metropolitan District, About: https://cherokeemetro.specialdistrict.org/about
• Trails and Open Space Coalition, Sand Creek Trail: https://trailsandopenspaces.org/trail/sand-creek-trail/
• UCHealth, Memorial Hospital Central emergency care: https://www.uchealth.org/locations/uchealth-emergency-department-memorial-hospital-central/
• El Paso County Treasurer, certified mill levies by taxing entity: https://treasurer.elpasoco.com
• El Paso County Assessor (property records): https://assessor.elpasoco.com
• Falcon School District 49: https://www.d49.org