Moving To Monument On Military Orders: Housing And Commute Guide
If military orders have you headed to the Colorado Springs area, Monument may already be on your shortlist. It offers a different feel from many in-town options: more suburban, more spread out, and still close enough for some base commutes. If you are trying to balance housing choices, commute time, and day-to-day logistics, this guide will help you sort through what matters most. Let’s dive in.
Monument sits along I-25 in El Paso County, about 20 miles north of Colorado Springs and 53 miles north of Denver. The town describes itself as a community with a small-town feel, beautiful surroundings, and easy access to outdoor recreation, which helps explain why it comes up so often in PCS searches for the Pikes Peak region. You get a more residential setting while still staying connected to the larger Colorado Springs job and service area.
Monument is also growing quickly. According to Census QuickFacts for Monument, the population reached 13,408 in the July 1, 2024 estimate, up 28.9% from the 2020 census base. That kind of growth often signals strong buyer interest, but it can also mean more competition when you are trying to secure a home on a military timeline.
If you picture newer suburban homes, you are generally on the right track. The town’s long-range planning work shows Monument’s housing leans heavily toward detached homes, and a 2025 existing-conditions report says nearly 60% of housing was built since 2010. That same report notes about 76% of units are single-family detached, while multifamily options remain a relatively small part of the market.
That matters if you are relocating on orders and hoping for lots of rental variety. Monument tends to read more like an owner-focused suburban community than a dense rental market. Census data shows an owner-occupied housing rate of 76.1%, which supports that overall picture.
Monument is not a low-cost market, so this decision deserves a realistic look. Zillow’s March 31, 2026 market snapshot puts the average home value at $755,938, with homes going pending in about 40 days. Realtor.com’s March 2026 summary shows a median listing price of $792,141, 369 homes for sale, and only 15 rentals, which suggests renters may face limited choices.
Rent figures vary by source, but the pattern is still useful. Census QuickFacts shows a median gross rent of $1,929 and median monthly owner costs with a mortgage of $2,683. Zillow’s rental data places average rent at $2,495, while Realtor.com reports a median rent of $2,800, so the exact number depends on the dataset and property type.
For a shorter assignment, renting may be the lower-friction path because it can reduce the risks tied to closing costs, financing, and resale timing. For a longer stay, buying may still make sense if you want more stability and a wider selection of detached homes. The right answer depends on your orders, budget, and timeline.
One of the biggest surprises for relocating families is how limited the rental supply can be. Realtor.com reported just 15 rentals in its March 2026 Monument market view, and the town’s planning report says vacancy is around 3%. Zillow also describes Monument’s rental market as warm.
In practical terms, that means you may need to start your search early and stay flexible. If you need a larger home, a fenced yard, or a narrow commute target, you may not have many choices at one time. Fast decisions are often part of the process in a market like this.
For many military households considering Monument, the U.S. Air Force Academy is the easiest fit. A route estimate from Monument to USAFA shows about 10 miles and 13 minutes by car. That makes Monument especially attractive if your duty station is at the Academy.
That said, not every Monument address performs the same way. A separate Monument-area apartment listing cited in the research shows a representative home at 27 minutes to USAFA, which is a good reminder that your exact neighborhood matters. Access to I-25, your location within Monument, and time of day can all shift the experience.
Fort Carson is still workable from Monument, but it is a longer daily drive. A route estimate from Monument to Fort Carson shows roughly 28 miles and 31 minutes by car. Because Fort Carson sits on the southwest side of Colorado Springs, your drive pattern is generally longer and more dependent on southbound traffic.
For some households, that tradeoff is still worth it if Monument’s housing style and setting are a better match. For others, the longer daily commute may outweigh the benefits. This is one of those decisions that usually comes down to your schedule, tolerance for drive time, and how long you expect to stay.
Schriever is usually the toughest major installation commute from Monument. A PCS area guide for Schriever Space Force Base says Monument is about 45 minutes away, and that the drive can stretch to about an hour in winter. Since Schriever is east of Colorado Springs, Monument’s location north along I-25 is simply less convenient.
If Schriever is your assignment, Monument can still work for some families, but you will want to test the commute honestly. Winter conditions, shift times, and your exact route can make a meaningful difference. This is where a map estimate is helpful, but a location-specific commute discussion is even better.
If you want the quick version, Monument is usually the strongest fit for USAFA, still reasonable for Fort Carson, and generally the least convenient for Schriever. That is not a rule for every address or every schedule, but it is a useful starting point based on the available commute data.
This simple ranking can save you time during a PCS search. Instead of assuming all Colorado Springs-area suburbs will work the same way, you can narrow your housing search based on your actual duty station first. That often leads to better choices and fewer surprises.
This is one of the most important Monument-specific details to know before you buy or rent. Not every property with a Monument, CO 80132 mailing address is actually inside the Town of Monument limits. According to the town’s Do I Live in Monument? page, some 80132 addresses are in unincorporated El Paso County.
Why does that matter? Services can differ depending on where the property sits. Water, road maintenance, policing, snow removal, and district responsibilities may not be the same from one neighborhood to the next, even if the mailing address says Monument.
The town notes that some east-of-I-25 neighborhoods may fall under special districts like TriView Metropolitan District or Village Center Metropolitan District. In those areas, services such as water, sewer, road maintenance, snow removal, and parks may be handled by the district instead of the town. That is not automatically good or bad, but it is something you should confirm before making a decision.
For a PCS move, this can affect your monthly costs and your expectations after move-in. It is smart to verify who handles what, especially if you are comparing two homes that seem similar on paper. Small service differences can have a real impact over time.
Monument is primarily served by Lewis-Palmer School District 38. The National Center for Education Statistics district profile lists it as a regular local district with 10 schools serving grades PK-12 and a physical address in Monument. The Colorado Department of Education also lists Lewis-Palmer 38 among its 2024 districts Accredited with Distinction, according to the research provided.
For many relocating households, school logistics are part of the overall move plan. Even so, it is best to verify the assigned school and district boundaries for any specific property you are considering. Address-level confirmation is especially important in growing areas.
Monument can be a strong relocation option, but it rewards a careful process. The best approach is to compare homes by duty-station commute, rental or purchase timeline, and jurisdiction details rather than relying on the mailing address alone.
A smart PCS search checklist often looks like this:
Timing matters too. The Department of Defense notes that BAH data collection uses local rental housing and utility costs, with nationwide collection taking place during the peak PCS season in spring and summer. In a market that already has tight rental supply, that seasonal pressure can make the search feel even more competitive.
Monument works best for military households who want a more suburban setting, newer housing stock, and a location that lines up well with USAFA or, for some buyers, Fort Carson. It is generally a tougher fit for Schriever because of the longer and less convenient commute. Housing also leans heavily toward owner-occupied single-family homes, so both buyers and renters should be prepared for a market that may move faster than expected.
If you are relocating to the area on military orders, the best next step is to narrow your search by duty station, monthly budget, and exact service area. When you want local guidance on Monument and the wider Colorado Springs market, Savvy Property Group can help you compare neighborhoods, verify the details that matter, and move forward with confidence.
From our upscale and extensive marketing and home staging services on our listings, to our individually tailored home-buying services and our expertise in real estate negotiations, we want you to have a 5-star experience working with us. We are proud to say that is what we have consistently delivered, and as a result have worked with many of our clients in multiple transactions over the years.