Drought committee meeting with farmers. Springfield, Colorado, 1936
Springfield’s story
139 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1936.
- 1887Springfield is settled
SpringfieldCO
A town of 1,293, settled in 1887. 3 times the nonprofits per person than the typical Colorado town.
Photo: Jeffrey Beall · CC BY 3.0
Population
1,293
2025 Census estimate · −2.9% since 2020
Median home value
$134K
Census ACS
Household income
$48K
median
Median age
41.5
years
Jobs based here
679
Balanced
Is Springfield a good place to live?
Springfield’s best subject grades are an A− for cost of living and an A+ for civic life; its weakest is a D for incomes. Springfield’s average trip to work is 9 minutes, below both Colorado’s towns (25 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). On cost of living, just 8 of Colorado’s 217 towns do better. Springfield is more walkable than 68% of U.S. towns. On civic life, just 4 of Colorado’s 146 towns do better. Springfield has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Springfield stand out
Where Springfield beats most towns.
Small town
1,293 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
How Springfield grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Colorado), ordered by how far Springfield is from typical.
Jobs & incomeDOpen →Cost of livingTypical home $134K, 2.9 years of the county’s $46K median household incomeA−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.9 of 20; 3.2% of households have no car; 11.1% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB+Open →SchoolsCOpen →HealthLess healthy than 66% of U.S. towns; Southeast Colorado Hospital District 0.4 miles awayCOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 49% of U.S. communities; drought tops the listB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksC−Open →HistoryCOpen →Civic life15.9 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsA+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Springfield: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Springfield, and how to reach them.
PowerCity of SpringfieldEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterTown of Springfield water system1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers59% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Springfield’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Colorado you can register online until 8 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 8 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereBaca County Clerk and RecorderBaca County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2025
ZIP code8107381073 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Springfield.
SchoolsC
Public schools in Springfield fall behind 67% of Colorado districts
Its public schools are run by the Springfield School District No. Re-4. Its two schools are below.
33%of CO districts it outscoresCSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 156 | D |
| Springfield Junior/Senior High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 6–12 | Grades 6–12 | 128 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CO on state tests and graduation
HealthC
Compared with most of Colorado and the rest of the country, more of Springfield’s adults report frequent physical distress
17% of Springfield adults report frequent physical distress, above both the Colorado town median (12%) and the median of U.S. towns (14%). 24% of adults say their health is fair or poor in Springfield. Springfield beats the Colorado average on 2 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 15.
34%healthier than U.S. townsCHealth Grade
| Springfield | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 12% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 15% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 11% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 37% | 27% | 35% |
26 measures vs. Colorado
2 better9 too close to call15 worse
| What stands out | Springfield | CO |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 15% | 19% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 76.3% | 69.5% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 20.6% | 9.2% |
Southeast Colorado Hospital District
0.4 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
In Springfield, expect four seasons and hot summers
Springfield has chilly winters and hot summers, with very little rain. Springfield’s July high is 92°F.
23″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter19–48°
Spring36–68°
Summer59–90°
Fall38–70°
Oct 10
typical first frost
May 3
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
More of Springfield’s working residents work locally than in the typical Colorado or U.S. town
58% of Springfield working residents work locally. Since 2013, Springfield has added 80 jobs, to 679 in 2023. The median household income in Springfield is $48,000.
58%work in town
| Springfield | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 58% | 7.7% | 8% |
| Median household income | $48,000 | $95,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 13% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Springfield58%
Lamar3%
Walsh3%
Colorado Springs2%
Pueblo2%
1 mi
median commute distance
679
jobs based in Springfield
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 68% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Safety
Crime reported in Springfield
Springfield's reported crime rate is well below Colorado's. Among 94 Colorado towns, just 1 have a lower property crime rate than Springfield. Most reported incidents are property crimes.
| Springfield | Colorado towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 3.1 per 1,000 residents | 15.2 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.8 per 1,000 residents | 2.3 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Springfield0.8
Colorado4.4
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Springfield3.1
Colorado22.4
U.S.15.5
1
violent crimes reported in 2025
4
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B−
Moderate risk in Springfield, with drought at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 51% of U.S. communities.
49risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
DroughtInland floodingStrong wind
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Springfield
17pages on Springfield
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Springfield; the nearest are
Lamar Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Lamar45.9 mi$4,550 in-state tuitionOklahoma Panhandle State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Goodwell, OK77.9 mi$8,092 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Springfield residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Colorado.
About Springfield
Town in Colorado, United States
Springfield is a statutory town in, the county seat of, and the most populous town in Baca County, Colorado, United States. The population was 1,325 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1888
- Area
- 1.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 4,360 ft
- ZIP code
- 81073
- Area code
- 719
Questions about Springfield
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Springfield, CO a good place to live?
3 times the nonprofits per person than the typical Colorado town.
Is Springfield, CO expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A−.