Located at the base of Pikes Peak about 70 miles south of Denver at an elevation of 6,035 ft. is the beautiful city of Colorado Springs. With majestic Pikes Peak at 14,110 feet above sea level serving as its natural backdrop, it is no wonder that Katherine Bates was inspired to write America the Beautiful when she stood atop that Peak in the summer of 1893. The climate of Colorado Springs is relatively mild and dry since the city is protected from harsh weather by the Rocky Mountains in the west. At this high altitude, the oxygen is less dense so humidity levels are low. Add to that an average of 300 days of sunshine a year and words like “unbeatable” come to mind.

But don’t just ask the residents, check out the rankings. Car & Driver Magazine ranked Colorado Springs as one of the top 10 Best Driver’s Cities in America; Forbes.com ranked Colorado the 4th Best State for Business and Colorado Springs the 3rd Best City for a Housing Recovery and 9th Best “Bang-for-the-Buck”. Cities that made the top 10 have solid housing markets, relatively stable employment, low cost of living, and short commutes compared to other major U.S. cities. Maybe that’s why LiveScience.com ranked Colorado as 4th Happiest State.

Colorado Springs offers a competitive and diverse economy with services and supplies for virtually any industry. The city’s primary employers include 27 Fortune 500 companies and represent sectors ranging from aerospace & biochemistry to defense and semiconductor manufacturing. The military presence accounts for 40% of the economy with a diversity of missions and service personnel. Five military installations include Fort Carson, The Air Force Academy, Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station, Peterson Air Force Base and Shriever Air Force Base.

Recently featured on CBS Sunday Morning, Colorado is identified as the least obese state in the nation as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Colorado Springs was identified as “Thin City”. Jogging, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding and rock climbing are a way of life and one-tenth of a percent of sales tax raises 6 million dollars a year for trails, open spaces and parks. In fact, any new development must contain a park by law, which is why Colorado Springs boasts 124 neighborhood parks. Not to mention world-class ski resorts where fresh powder is usually on the menu. Healthy. Happy. Colorado Springs. Unbeatable.