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Living in
Black Forest.
Black Forest is an unincorporated community in El Paso County, CO. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in Black Forest
Living in Black Forest means embracing a genuinely rural lifestyle about 15 minutes north of Colorado Springs, where a median household income of $145,460 and median home values around $856,200 reflect a community of established professionals and families who've deliberately chosen space and quiet over urban convenience. The area is 100% rural, spread across 64,000 acres of ponderosa pine forest, so you're looking at a real car-dependent lifestyle with that 30-minute average commute—this isn't a place where you can walk to dinner or spontaneously run errands. The job market is stable (4.1% unemployment), but most people here either work in Colorado Springs or have remote positions; the area itself doesn't have a commercial center to speak of.
Black Forest at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
48.4 yrs
Poverty Rate
5.0%
Foreign-Born
5.3%
Broadband Internet
96.6%
of households
Population Growth
+4.1%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics5.3% foreign-born, most often from Canada
Who lives in Black Forest: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Black Forest, the largest foreign-born group is from Canada (24.9%), and 1.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
23.6%
of residents
65 and Older
20.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
31.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
13.6%
of households
Married Couples
74.1%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.85
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Living
Rent, home values, and income in Black Forest
In Black Forest, home values are 59% above the CO average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
29.1%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
15.2%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
100.7
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,335
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
95.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1996
median year built
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for CO
Unemployment in Black Forest and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in El Paso County, which includes Black Forest, is close to the CO average.
Unemployment rate
Black Forest: El Paso County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
El Paso County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Black Forest is about 2% of El Paso County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Black Forest Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Colorado Springs, CO metro area
Commute30.1 min avg
How Black Forest residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Black Forest, most residents drive alone to work (65%), and 52% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 14 mi
City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport (COS)
Small hub1.2M passengers boarded in 2025
- 58 mi
Denver International Airport (DEN)
Major hub40.0M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyabout average for violent crime
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the El Paso County Sheriff's Office, which covers Black Forest, is close to the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
320
per 100,000 residents
About average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
969.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by El Paso County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate)
Natural DisastersHail most common — 37 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
94.1 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
El Paso County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In El Paso County, which includes Black Forest, the most common type is hail, with 37 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 37 | Hail | None reported |
| 2024 | 47 | Heavy Snow | None reported |
| 2023 | 60 | Heavy Snow | None reported |
| 2022 | 40 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 34 | Hail | None reported |
| 2020 | 45 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 53 | Hail | $100,000 |
| 2018 | 43 | Hail | $343.1M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
5 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
El Paso County, county-wide
Black Forest is about 2% of El Paso County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality46 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in El Paso County, which includes Black Forest, is typically good — 249 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
46
Good Days
249
per year
Moderate Days
116
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
El Paso County, county-wide
Black Forest is about 2% of El Paso County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate83°F summers, 19°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Black Forest has warm summers (avg high 83°F) and very cold winters (avg low 19°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
61°/32°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
83°/53°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
65°/36°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
45°/19°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
19.0"
Annual Snowfall
101.7"
Hot Days/Year
4
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
180
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
114
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 45°F | 19°F | 0.60" |
| Feb | 45°F | 19°F | 0.76" |
| Mar | 54°F | 26°F | 1.44" |
| Apr | 60°F | 31°F | 2.14" |
| May | 69°F | 40°F | 2.44" |
| Jun | 80°F | 50°F | 1.99" |
| Jul | 85°F | 55°F | 3.06" |
| Aug | 83°F | 54°F | 3.06" |
| Sep | 76°F | 47°F | 1.67" |
| Oct | 65°F | 35°F | 0.99" |
| Nov | 53°F | 26°F | 0.81" |
| Dec | 45°F | 19°F | 0.64" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Black Forest
Uninsured
6.3%
of residents
No hospitals inside Black Forest's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Children's Hospital Colorado - Colorado Springs
Childrens · ER available · 4.2 mi away · Colorado Springs
Peak View Behavioral Health
Psychiatric · ER available · 5.4 mi away · Colorado Springs
St Francis Hospital - Interquest
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.1 mi away · Colorado Springs
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education15.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Black Forest
Black Forest's student/teacher ratio is 15.5:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 56.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
3
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
56.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Black Forest (within 15 miles)
Colorado Technical University-Colorado Springs
11.7 mi awayPrivate for-profit · 4-year · 28,086 students · in-state tuition $12,752 · 26% graduate · median earnings $44,720 (10 yrs after entry)
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
9.9 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 8,697 students · in-state tuition $10,345 · 48% graduate · median earnings $61,386 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,014 students · in-state tuition $73,566 · 87% graduate · median earnings $70,914 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 284 students · in-state tuition $10,482 · 28% graduate · median earnings $44,955 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, 32 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Black Forest
Black Forest has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument (32 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
National Monument
32 mi awayBent's Old Fort National Historic Site
National Historic Site
96 mi awayGreat Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve
National Park & Preserve
97 mi awayCities Near Black Forest
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Black Forest?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Black Forest FAQ
Is Black Forest, Colorado safe?⌄
Black Forest is policed by the El Paso County Sheriff's Office, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 320 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 969 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Black Forest, Colorado?⌄
El Paso County, which includes Black Forest, has an unemployment rate of 4.1%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
How is the commute in Black Forest, Colorado?⌄
The average commute in Black Forest is 30 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from