Colorado Springs has more middle-income listings, but housing gap remains

Colorado Springs has more homes listed within reach of middle-income buyers than it did a year earlier, but the improvement remains partial. A separate City housing assessment points to a much broader need affecting renters, homeowners and prospective buyers across income levels.

A June 30, 2026, Realtor.com analysis of the 2026 Housing Mismatch Report found that 7.40% of Colorado Springs homes listed for sale in March 2026 were affordable to buyers earning about $75,000. The comparable share was 5.30% in March 2025.

Realtor.com estimated that Colorado Springs was still short 1,485 affordable listings for buyers at that income level. The market’s Listing-Income Alignment Score was 70.50%, meaning the distribution of available listings remained less closely matched to local household incomes than the report’s 100% proportional-distribution benchmark.

More affordable listings, but not a balanced market

The 7.40% figure applies to homes offered for sale. It is not a count of rental units, all homes in Colorado Springs or all households in the city.

The Listing-Income Alignment Score compares the distribution of listing prices with the distribution of household incomes. The National Association of Realtors says the score is designed to show how well listings match what households at different income levels can afford. A 100% score represents a proportional match in the report’s methodology; Colorado Springs’ 70.50% score remained below that level in March 2026.

The year-over-year increase therefore shows a specific improvement in purchase opportunities for middle-income buyers. It does not mean the market has reached balance. The estimated 1,485-listing deficit indicates that the supply of qualifying for-sale options still fell short of the report’s comparison level.

The City’s assessment measures a broader housing need

The City of Colorado Springs and El Paso County Regional Housing Needs Assessment presents a separate picture. The assessment covers current and future housing needs within Colorado Springs and unincorporated El Paso County and is intended to evaluate housing challenges, gaps and opportunities.

The City’s assessment estimates a current housing shortfall of 27,712 units. Within that broader estimate, it identifies a need for 2,979 units for households earning 120% to 200% of area median income, the assessment’s middle-income tier, and 5,237 units for households earning 81% to 120% of area median income, its moderate-income tier.

Those figures are estimates rather than a real-time count of vacant homes or available listings. The City’s presentation says the assessment uses the most current data available from multiple sources, with reference years varying by source; the approved local summary identifies much of the underlying data as covering 2023 through 2025. The assessment is broader than the Realtor.com/NAR measure because it considers housing needs across income groups and tenure types, including renters and homeowners.

Why the two shortage figures cannot be added

The 1,485-listing figure and the City’s 27,712-unit estimate answer different questions.

The Realtor.com/NAR analysis focuses on the affordability and distribution of for-sale listings for households earning about $75,000. The City’s assessment estimates housing need across multiple income bands and includes rental and ownership needs. The measures also differ in geography, reference periods and methodology. They should not be combined or treated as interchangeable.

What the numbers mean for Colorado Springs residents

For middle-income buyers, the March 2026 data show more qualifying listings than in March 2025. But the 70.50% alignment score and estimated listing deficit show that purchase options still did not match local incomes as closely as the report’s benchmark.

For renters, current homeowners and workers considering a move to Colorado Springs, the City’s broader assessment shows why one improvement in for-sale inventory does not resolve local housing pressure. The listing data do not establish that rents will fall, that every income group has enough housing or that households will receive immediate relief.

Colorado Springs has moved in a better direction on one measure of middle-income purchase availability, but the City’s broader estimated housing gap remains substantial. The two reports together describe a partial improvement in the for-sale market—not a resolution of the city’s housing affordability problem.

Sources

• Realtor.com Colorado Springs middle-income housing analysis
• City of Colorado Springs Regional Housing Needs Assessment
• City housing-needs assessment informational presentation
• National Association of Realtors Housing Mismatch Report