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Neighborhoods & Schools

What is it like to live in Monument, Colorado?

By Weldon Hobbs · Team Hobbs Realty
Published · Last reviewed

Monument is a smaller town on I-25 just north of Colorado Springs, with less commercial activity than the city, though that's changing as more businesses come in. Whether it fits comes down to the lifestyle you want. Taxes follow a home's value, but the special districts, HOA dues, and insurance vary from one Monument-area home to the next, so I recommend comparing the full cost of each home. Most of Monument is in Lewis-Palmer District 38, and the north side tends to get more winter weather; verify the school district for each address.

Where Monument is

The Town of Monument sits along I-25 in northern El Paso County, north of the Air Force Academy and Colorado Springs and south of the Douglas County line. Baptist Road and Highway 105 are its main I-25 interchanges. The name "Monument" is often used for a wider area than the town itself, including Jackson Creek, Woodmoor, Gleneagle, and other nearby neighborhoods, some inside the town and some in unincorporated El Paso County. Which side of that line a home is on changes who provides services and which taxes apply.

For hospital care, the closest full hospitals are in north Colorado Springs: Children's Hospital Colorado, Colorado Springs, which has a dedicated pediatric emergency department, and UCHealth Memorial Hospital North, both on Briargate Parkway. UCHealth also runs a freestanding emergency room on Meadowgrass Drive near Interquest Parkway. Check the drive from the specific home.

Monument or Colorado Springs?

It really depends on the lifestyle you're looking for. Colorado Springs is a bigger city, with more shopping, dining, jobs, and services close by. Monument has less commercial activity, although that's changing as new businesses and commercial buildings come in. In 2025, for example, a developer proposed a roughly 30-acre commercial center at the I-25 and Baptist Road interchange; check its current status with the Town if it matters to you.

What tends to matter most when you're comparing the two:

  • Your daily drives. Many Monument residents commute south into Colorado Springs or north toward Denver, so test your routes at the times you'll drive them. Commute times by area gives estimates.
  • The full cost of the specific home, not the town or city as a whole (see below).
  • The school district for the address.
  • Winter weather and the drive over Monument Hill.

Neighborhoods in and around Monument

Monument-area homes range from older homes near the historic downtown to large-lot properties and newer subdivisions. Some areas have their own pages:

  • Woodmoor, east of I-25, in unincorporated El Paso County.
  • Jackson Creek, with shopping, schools, and quick access to I-25.
  • Gleneagle, south of Monument near the Air Force Academy.
  • Black Forest, to the southeast, with wooded acreage, wells, and septic systems.

Check the year built and lot size for any home on the El Paso County Assessor's property record.

Special districts, HOA, and property tax costs

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

Taxes are tied to a home's value, but the rate applied to that value depends on which districts the home sits in, and in the Monument area those vary a lot:

  • Town of Monument. Homes inside town limits pay the Town's levy; homes in unincorporated areas pay El Paso County's rates instead.
  • Triview Metropolitan District. Triview serves residential areas of Monument east of I-25 and north of Baptist Road, including Sanctuary Pointe and neighborhoods along Jackson Creek Parkway. It provides water, wastewater, roads, parks, and open space, and it levies its own property tax on top of the Town's (about 20.5 mills in its 2025 budget, as reported by Our Community News). Confirm whether a specific address is inside the district.
  • Water and sanitation districts. Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District serves an unincorporated area east of I-25 near Monument. Other homes are served by other districts or by private wells and septic systems.
  • School and fire districts. The school district levy and the fire protection district levy also differ by address.
  • HOA dues. Many subdivisions have an HOA, and dues and what they cover vary widely. Ask for the documents and dues for the specific home.

The El Paso County Treasurer's and Assessor's sites list the taxing authorities for any address. Why two similar homes can have very different property taxes shows how to compare them, and what a metro district is explains how to check for one.

Schools

Most of Monument is in Lewis-Palmer School District 38, while some nearby areas, such as Gleneagle, are in Academy District 20. District boundaries don't follow the Monument name or zip code, so verify the district and schools for the specific address with the district before you buy. Neighborhoods by school district explains how to check.

Winter weather and Monument Hill

Weather can change a lot from one part of the region to another. In my experience, the north side tends to get more winter weather: it can be snowing in Monument while the south and east sides of Colorado Springs stay dry.

The drive on I-25 over Monument Hill, between Monument and Castle Rock, can be hard in winter. The Colorado Department of Transportation regularly warns drivers about storm conditions on I-25 in the Monument Hill area. If you'll commute north, check COtrip.org before you go, and plan for days when leaving early or working from home makes more sense.

Parks, trails, and open space

  • The New Santa Fe Regional Trail, an El Paso County gravel trail on a former railroad route, starts in Palmer Lake and runs south through Monument, with trailheads at Third Street and at Baptist Road. The section through the Air Force Academy has been closed by military order, so check current conditions.
  • Palmer Lake Recreation Area, a 36-acre regional park just north of Monument at the foot of the mountains.
  • Fox Run Regional Park, an El Paso County park southeast of Monument, with about four miles of multi-use trails, a dog park, and playgrounds.
  • Neighborhood parks. Triview Metropolitan District maintains about 10 parks and playgrounds and large areas of open space in its part of Monument.

Check every home, every time

Every home is different, and every neighborhood is different. The HOA, insurance, special districts, the age of the home, and the age of its systems all matter, so it's worth checking each one every time.

The Colorado contract builds in time to do that. Under the standard Colorado purchase contract, you have deadlines to:

  • inspect the home (§ 10.3),
  • review the HOA documents (§ 7.4), and
  • confirm you can get insurance you're comfortable with (§ 10.5).

By each deadline, you can end the contract if you're not satisfied, in your sole subjective discretion, and your earnest money is returned when you terminate on time. How earnest money works explains the protection.

How to decide whether Monument fits

  • If you want a smaller-town setting with I-25 access north and south, Monument is worth a look. Drive your commute in winter conditions before you decide.
  • If you want the most shopping, dining, and services close by, compare Monument with north Colorado Springs neighborhoods such as Briargate and Flying Horse.
  • If the monthly budget matters most, compare the special districts and HOA for each exact address, inside and outside town limits.
  • If schools are part of your decision, confirm the district for each address, since it can differ between neighboring areas.

If you're weighing a Monument home against homes in Colorado Springs, let's compare the full cost of each together.

What could change the answer

  • Whether the home is inside Town of Monument limits or in unincorporated El Paso County.
  • The metro district, water and sanitation district, and HOA for the specific address.
  • The exact school district for the address.
  • How often you'll drive I-25 over Monument Hill, especially in winter.
  • New commercial and residential development near the home.

When to talk with a professional

Check the property's taxing districts with the El Paso County Assessor or Treasurer, and ask any metro or water district for its current budget and fees. Review the HOA documents. Get a homeowners insurance quote early. Hire an independent home inspector. Verify schools with the district. And work with a local real estate professional who can compare Monument homes with homes in Colorado Springs, including the full cost.

About the author

Weldon Hobbs is a Colorado Springs REALTOR® and co-founder of Team Hobbs Realty. He is a member of The Platinum Group, REALTORS®, Colorado Springs' #1 independent brokerage, which pairs deep local expertise with premium marketing exposure. A U.S. Air Force Academy graduate and retired Air Force veteran, he and his family made more than 10 military moves. Since 2006, he and his wife, Kristen, have bought and sold their own homes, managed a portfolio of rental properties, and guided others through their own real estate decisions. He has also helped both family members and clients downsize, where the decisions are often complex and the process can feel overwhelming. Drawing on his background as a PMP® (Project Management Professional), he helps people break those decisions into clear, manageable steps.

Since beginning his real estate career, he has ranked in the top 7% by sales volume among the more than 4,000 members of the Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS®. He works with military families, seniors and downsizing clients, luxury and premium home sellers, and people relocating to Colorado Springs. He developed the Life → Wealth → Real Estate™ method, hosts the national YouTube channel Life & Real Estate After 50™, and holds an MBA along with the SRES® (Seniors Real Estate Specialist®), MRP (Military Relocation Professional), and Certified Financial Coach credentials. More about Weldon

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