First the backstory. Feel free to skip to the end for the question :)

I am a 30 year old guy who grew up in Central New Jersey and although I have made plenty of friends here, I have really never felt at home. It just seems like people are in a rush to get everywhere, so stressed, and not into the same way of life that I am, the weather is humid, and the cost of living is high.

I have always taken the safe route in life, rarely taking chances and also foregoing experiences/vacations until last year.
Ever since I was a child, I felt an attraction to the West, specifically Colorado. I had never visited CO until Feb 2020 for a weeklong snowboarding trip to Breck and absolutely loved it. Since then, I have taken a few other trips to different states and even Mexico (if you knew me, that would surprise you!)

For years, I knew that I did not want to stay in the Northeast but up until now I haven't felt like I was ready or had a good excuse to take the plunge and move.

I have been reducing the amount of "stuff" in my life for years to the point where I can now fit everything that I own in (or on) my 2011 Honda Fit.
I have paid off all of my debt, have over 6 months of my current spending in cash, and have a current NW around $282k with $120k of that in a taxable account.
I have a stable job as a Data Analyst that I have been working remote with since the pandemic hit.
I am single with no children or pets (but do have 2 small house plants)

I love walking, cycling, mountain biking, snowboarding, kayaking, hiking... basically all things active and outdoors.
I like to reduce the amount of my personal consumption and focus on the important things in life such as my relationships, health, and finances.
I am that guy in the neighborhood that always walks or bikes everywhere although I have a great car parked in the driveway.

Anyway, a good friend of mine asked what I thought about moving out west with him. We have both been feeling a bit... stuck lately.
Now that I am working remotely (I asked my employer to remain remote even after everyone returns to the office... request pending), I have someone to go and split costs with, and I really don't have much keeping me in the Northeast (family likely moving to South Carolina in the next few years), I am ready to take the chance.

There are so many places that I'm sure I would like but in an attempt to not get analysis paralysis, and actually commit to making a move, I decided to focus on Colorado Springs.
This came after doing some research on decent cost of living areas that are ideal for young active professionals who love the outdoorsy lifestyle such as myself (and my friend).
It seems like there are good job opportunities there if I do chose to get a job in the area (likely to be the case if my job denies my wfh request).

Ultimately, I want to buy a small multifamily house to house-hack in but first I want to start narrowing down where in Colorado Springs I would like to be.
I felt that it would be best for us to rent a 2 bedroom apartment for maybe a year in Colorado Springs to get a feel for the area and see if/where I would like to buy something down the road.

I am not a big city guy but do like downtown and suburban areas. I like being walk/bike distance to grocery stores, gyms, etc. For reference, I currently walk about 3.5 miles to the nearest Aldi to get groceries :D
I am okay spending a little bit more if that puts me in a better suited-for-me area but still want the rent to be reasonable.

For anyone familiar with the area, do you have any recommended areas that I should look further into or stay away from given the little bit of info that was shared above?

Thanks so much!


TLDR; looking for areas in Colorado Springs for a young, active professional to rent a 2br apartment