Move Restricted by Zip Codes (Colorado Springs, Security-Widefield: renting, crime, houses)

[sometimessoup]

Hi everyone, thanks in advance for any advice you may have. My husband has a job offer in Colorado Springs. We are considering moving our family there, but we are restricted to living in certain zip codes as part of the job requirement (they don't allow exceptions). These are the zip codes:
80911
80906
80916
80909
80910
80903
80905
80925
80817

My main concern for our family is safety. I realize that is really subjective, but am looking for your opinions. Are there any of these you would rule out based on safety? Any you would rate high on the safe list? Would you live in one of those zip codes, which ones? I keep reading how the south/east/southeast is less desirable and higher crime, so I am leery about it, having never been to the area. His company will fly us out to pick out a home a month or so before moving, but we have to decide if we are going on very short notice, so no time to travel there first.

As for other info, we would like our investment to be in an area that would hold it's value since we may likely move again at some point years down the road. He would work from home mainly with some travel within these zip codes a few times a week, so commute really isn't an issue. We homeschool (secular), so we aren't concerned with schools, just the area in general. Our absolute max price for a home would be around $300k, we'd like to stay below that if possible. Our house now is much lower but our taxes are much higher, so I think we can go up some in price there. Renting is an option, but usually we buy when moving because of the relocation benefits his company offers. We enjoy doing fun things with the kids often, but don't mind driving and I understand it is pretty easy to get to all areas around town. A park or two close by would be nice though as we go often. A quieter area would be nice as well, but mainly I just want to know that we would feel safe walking around the neighborhood, running errands, etc.

Thank you so much for any help/input! I'm looking forward to the opinions.

[ryanek9freak]

Out of all those, the best are 80903 (that's downtown area) parts of 80906 are great, basically stay out of any neighborhood that's zoned for Harrison district 2 schools and you'll be ok. 80906 is a strange zip code, it encompasses some of the most wealthy areas in the Springs (Broadmoor) and some of the worst (Stratmoor)

80905 is Ivywild area, again, older homes but very nice, still considered west side.

80925 is southeast of the airport, some nice homes out there but....you're out there. Might as well be west Kansas.

80817 isn't even Colorado Springs, that's Fountain.

When it all boils down to it though, if you just avoid zip codes 80910 and 80916 at all costs, the rest will be ok (with the exception of anywhere in the Stratmoor neighborhood)

[Vision67]

How can a job force you to live in a certain zipcode area?

Do they also tell you what kind of car to buy?

Weird.

[otowi]

I live in 80911 and love it - great community down here, slightly less expensive housing, too. 80817 is about the same but has higher taxes because it is incorporated and we're not. This area tends to be very easy in terms of resale and renting due to proximity to military bases, too. But you probably should do some Google Map viewing in Street View at least - different people like different kind of neighborhoods.

[TCHP]

You've got the entire cross section of the southern portion of the city. Some areas are great, some are not, and prices will be all over the map depending on where you look.

I'd echo ryanek9freak and say places within 1 mile of of Academy Blvd in 80910 and 80916 and the Stratton Meadows area are ones I'd avoid.

$300k price will probably prevent you from finding something you like in 80903 and the central and western parts of 80905 and 80906.

There are a number of newer places for reasonable prices in the eastern parts of 80911, 80817, and the western parts of 80925 where all three intersect. You might like the smaller town feel of the places in Security-Widefield-Fountain. They have some decent regional parks that way and are a quick dash to the interstate to go anywhere else you want to visit.

Agree with otowi on using google maps street view to remote view neighborhoods.

[sometimessoup]

Originally Posted by ryanek9freak

Out of all those, the best are 80903 (that's downtown area) parts of 80906 are great, basically stay out of any neighborhood that's zoned for Harrison district 2 schools and you'll be ok. 80906 is a strange zip code, it encompasses some of the most wealthy areas in the Springs (Broadmoor) and some of the worst (Stratmoor)

80905 is Ivywild area, again, older homes but very nice, still considered west side.

80925 is southeast of the airport, some nice homes out there but....you're out there. Might as well be west Kansas.

80817 isn't even Colorado Springs, that's Fountain.

When it all boils down to it though, if you just avoid zip codes 80910 and 80916 at all costs, the rest will be ok (with the exception of anywhere in the Stratmoor neighborhood)

This is EXACTLY the kind of info I was looking for. Thank you so much!
If we didn't mind driving, do you think the 80925 is fine? The problem is how out there it is? There seems to be more home for the money there, but I guess once you figure in gas for driving all the time, maybe not.
For the 80910/80916 areas, is this unsafe as in I'm going to get gunned down/sexually assaulted walking in the neighborhood or like, my car will get broken into, or there are a lot of drugs, etc. or is it just really run down and not desirable?

I'm just curious the level of crime like compared to here so I can wrap my mind around it. I looked at all the crime safety maps recommended on these forums but it is really hard to tell because it just looks like crime everywhere there when they put up the events and then the ones with the color gradients on the map are good but it just seems very random where they say the crime is worse. We live near Atlanta, but our suburb feels extremely safe, I never really worry anywhere I would go as to safety (well, OK the Wal-Mart parking lot after dark is a bit scary), but there are definitely areas of it I wouldn't want to live because it is run down.

Originally Posted by Vision67

How can a job force you to live in a certain zipcode area?

Do they also tell you what kind of car to buy?

Weird.

That is how I feel, too! It is incredibly annoying. If the employee is willing to drive to their jobs, why does it matter where they live? They used to say you just had to live within 50 miles of the bulk of the work, now they specify zip codes. It really bothers me. I'm not sure what the consequence is if you don't, but it's a huge company, I doubt they would keep us around.

Originally Posted by otowi

I live in 80911 and love it - great community down here, slightly less expensive housing, too. 80817 is about the same but has higher taxes because it is incorporated and we're not. This area tends to be very easy in terms of resale and renting due to proximity to military bases, too. But you probably should do some Google Map viewing in Street View at least - different people like different kind of neighborhoods.

Yes, the 80817 is just an allowed zip code. I believe 80816 is on there, too, but that's the only one I left off because I think that may be an error on their part. That is even further out it seems, which we don't mind the driving if that is the only issue with it. Thank you for the info on the taxes, that is super helpful, as well as your other info. I really appreciate it!

[sometimessoup]

Originally Posted by TCHP

You've got the entire cross section of the southern portion of the city. Some areas are great, some are not, and prices will be all over the map depending on where you look.

I'd echo ryanek9freak and say places within 1 mile of of Academy Blvd in 80910 and 80916 and the Stratton Meadows area are ones I'd avoid.

$300k price will probably prevent you from finding something you like in 80903 and the central and western parts of 80905 and 80906.

There are a number of newer places for reasonable prices in the eastern parts of 80911, 80817, and the western parts of 80925 where all three intersect. You might like the smaller town feel of the places in Security-Widefield-Fountain. They have some decent regional parks that way and are a quick dash to the interstate to go anywhere else you want to visit.

Agree with otowi on using google maps street view to remote view neighborhoods.

Thank you! This is really helpful as well, great info. So you feel the whole zip codes aren't out for 80910/16, just towards the intersection of where they meet near Academy? Do you think the rest of those zip codes are OK? And Stratton Meadows, that is in 80905 if I am seeing that correctly, good to know about that area!

I like the info about the western parts and the parks. We do enjoy the small town feel. Thanks again!

[sometimessoup]

OK I can't figure out how to edit the original post. But we just got word that it is 80816 that is one of the zip codes and 80817 is not an acceptable zip code, so I guess Fountain is out. 80816 seems so out there compared to the rest of them that I thought it was an error, my apologies.

[otowi]

I would not rule out any zip code in its entirely, personally. The level of crime is not overly extreme anywhere, imho, and crime still happens even in the best of areas of course. But some areas are indeed more rundown or have a more transient population, etc. That can even vary block by block.

[dr.frog]

IMO there is no place in Colorado Springs where I'd feel unsafe. Remember that most crimes involving shootings or sexual assault are domestic violence or otherwise involve people who already know each other, not random people getting attacked on the streets.

OTOH, some neighborhoods are definitely nicer places to live than others. Google street view can be really useful -- are the commercial streets full of pawn shops and boarded-up storefronts? Are the houses on the residential streets decrepit-looking with yards full of weeds or junk cars?