Sun Mountain StaysPeterson Space Force Base · U.S. Space Force
PCSing to Peterson Space Force Base? Start here.
Peterson Space Force Base sits on the east side of Colorado Springs, right next to the Colorado Springs Airport, and is part of the Peterson-Schriever Garrison. It sees steady PCS and assignment turnover year-round. Because the base is on the east side of town, most Guardians and their families look at east-side neighborhoods to keep the daily commute manageable.
Who is here
What Peterson is, and what that means for your housing search.
Peterson runs on a steady, mission-driven rhythm rather than big seasonal swings. Knowing that helps you plan a housing search with less guesswork.
A Space Force garrison hub
Peterson anchors the Peterson-Schriever Garrison and hosts a mix of Space Force, joint, and support missions. That means consistent PCS and assignment demand across the year rather than a summer-only rush, so east-side housing stays in fairly steady demand.
Families and single Guardians alike
You will find dorm residents and multi-year families both. If you have dependents, your decisions come down to the familiar trio of schools, commute, and space, which tends to point east-side families toward the neighborhoods nearest the base.
East-side location drives the commute
Peterson sits by the airport on the east side, so living east of downtown keeps the daily drive reasonable. Families can and do live elsewhere in the metro, but that adds real time to a morning commute, which is worth weighing before you sign anything.
Housing and BAH
On-base, off-base, and how BAH actually works.
You have two broad paths: privatized housing on the installation or renting or buying off base. Neither is automatically the right one. It depends on your timeline, your family, and what is available when your orders land.
On base
Peterson has privatized on-base housing run by a residential partner, with a waitlist you join through the housing office. Your BAH generally goes to rent and included utilities, and you are close to work. Availability moves with the season, so check your options early rather than assuming a place will be open the week you arrive.
Off base
Off base, most Peterson families look east, toward the neighborhoods nearest the base and airport, to keep the commute short. You keep your BAH and take on the lease or mortgage, deposits, and utilities yourself, in exchange for more choice on schools, price, and space. Many Guardians rent for a first tour, then buy once they know the east side.
There is no one BAH figure to hand you. It depends on your rank, whether you have dependents, and the installation ZIP code, and the DoD updates it every year. Run your exact number on the official DoD BAH calculator before you build a housing budget.
Where families live
Neighborhoods near Peterson Space Force Base.
Honest commute bands and the school district for each. Confirm the exact boundary for your street, and try the neighborhood finder to sort by what matters to you.
- FountainModerate commute
South of the city off I-25 and Highway 85/87, the closest established community to Fort Carson's main gate.
- Security-WidefieldModerate commute
Between Fort Carson and Peterson, a practical value pick with quick access to both.
- Southeast Colorado SpringsModerate commute
Central-southeast, roughly equidistant from Fort Carson and Peterson.
- Downtown / CentralModerate commute
The urban core, a flexible central base with the widest furnished-rental supply.
- Cimarron HillsClose to the gate
Directly east of the city adjoining Peterson, the shortest hop to the Peterson gate.
- Powers CorridorClose to the gate
The Powers Boulevard housing-and-retail spine on the east side, central to Peterson and Schriever.
- Stetson HillsClose to the gate
Newer northeast neighborhoods with quick Powers access to Peterson.
- Springs RanchClose to the gate
Established east-side community minutes from Peterson.
- Falcon / Meridian RanchModerate commute
The eastern Falcon area, the practical home base for Schriever with new-build value.
- BriargateModerate commute
North-side master-planned area in District 20, popular with Academy families.
Your first week
In-processing at Peterson, step by step.
Your unit will run the specifics, but the early sequence for a new arrival is broadly the same. Use this as a checklist and confirm details with your sponsor and the official links below.
- Report in and start in-processing per your orders, coordinating with your sponsor on the local details.
- Update DEERS and get or renew ID cards for you and every dependent so base access and benefits are current.
- Visit the housing office early to see on-base availability and get referral help for east-side rentals.
- Register your vehicle and confirm what you need for base access and Colorado registration.
- Look up school zones for the east-side neighborhoods you are considering and start enrollment once you have an address.
- Set up TRICARE and connect your family with base and community support services.
You already own here
Own a home in the Colorado Springs metro? We will manage it.
Keep it earning while you are stationed here, or after you PCS out, instead of a rushed sale or an empty house. Local, founder-led, full-service management: guests, dynamic pricing, in-house cleaning, and STR compliance handled to one standard, with an intentionally small book so your home is never one of hundreds.
Talk to us about managing itYou are buying as you transition
Buying a home as you move to Colorado Springs?
Before you close, get a free and honest read on what a property could earn as a short-term or furnished rental and the local rules that would apply, so you buy with the numbers in hand, not a hunch. Run any Colorado Springs address in a couple of minutes.
Get a free earnings and compliance readCommon questions
Moving to Peterson, answered.
Where do Peterson families usually live?
Because Peterson sits on the east side by the airport, most families look at east-side neighborhoods to keep the commute short. Some live elsewhere in the metro for schools or price and accept a longer drive. It really comes down to how much the daily commute matters to your household.
On-base housing or rent off base near Peterson?
Both are common. On-base is convenient and your BAH typically covers rent and utilities, but there can be a waitlist. Off base keeps your BAH and gives you more choice on schools and space. Many Guardians rent for a first tour, then decide about buying once they know the east side.
How much is BAH at Peterson SFB?
There is no flat figure, because it changes by rank, dependent status, and ZIP code and is reset each year by the DoD. Instead of trusting a secondhand number, run your exact rate on the official DoD BAH calculator linked above before you set your housing budget.
Is Peterson close to Schriever?
They are part of the same Peterson-Schriever Garrison, but Schriever is a separate installation about ten miles further east. If your work touches both, factor that in when you pick a neighborhood, since something in the eastern part of the metro can shorten a drive to either one.
Can I look at neighborhoods before I report?
Often yes, and it is worth it. A short furnished stay near the base lets you drive the east-side neighborhoods, check schools, and sign a lease you have actually walked, rather than committing sight unseen from out of state. Coordinate the timing with your sponsor around your report date.