If you search for Air Force bases in Colorado, you will find one surprise right away. Today only one installation in the state carries the Air Force name: the U.S. Air Force Academy. Peterson, Schriever and Buckley were Air Force bases for decades, but in 2021 they were renamed Space Force Bases.
Airmen and Guardians still serve side by side at all of them, and many Air Force members get PCS orders to these posts every year. PCS stands for Permanent Change of Station, the military's term for an assigned move. This guide covers what each installation does, where it sits, and what your housing allowance covers nearby.
Air Force Bases in Colorado, at a Glance
| Installation | Nearest city | Host unit | Main mission |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Air Force Academy | Colorado Springs (north) | 10th Air Base Wing | Educates and trains future Air Force and Space Force officers |
| Peterson Space Force Base | Colorado Springs | Space Base Delta 1 | Hosts NORAD, U.S. Northern Command and Space Force headquarters units |
| Schriever Space Force Base | About 10 miles east of Colorado Springs | Space Base Delta 41 | Flies the GPS satellite constellation |
| Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station | Colorado Springs | Space Base Delta 1 | NORAD and USNORTHCOM alternate command center |
| Buckley Space Force Base | East of Denver | Space Base Delta 2 | Space-based missile warning; home of the 140th Wing |
Colorado's Air Force and Space Force installations. Sources: Air Force Academy and Space Force fact sheets.
Colorado is also home to the Army's Fort Carson. For every installation in the state, see our guide to what military bases are in Colorado.
The U.S. Air Force Academy
The Academy sits just north of Colorado Springs at the base of the Front Range. Its campus covers 18,500 acres, and more than 4,000 cadets are enrolled, per the Academy's visitor page and its About page.
President Dwight D. Eisenhower authorized the Academy on April 1, 1954, and the cadet wing moved onto the permanent campus in late August 1958, per the Air Force Academy fact sheet. The 10th Air Base Wing is the host wing that runs the base itself, per the 10th Air Base Wing fact sheet.
Orders here usually mean a faculty, staff, coaching or support job. Families tend to look at northern Colorado Springs, Monument and nearby communities along Interstate 25. Our Air Force Academy PCS guide covers neighborhoods and schools.
Peterson Space Force Base
Peterson is on the east side of Colorado Springs and shares its runway with the Colorado Springs Airport. It opened as an Army airfield on April 28, 1942, became Peterson Air Force Base in 1976, and was renamed Peterson Space Force Base on July 26, 2021, per the Peterson history fact sheet.
The host unit, Space Base Delta 1, has more than 2,800 military and civilian members and supports nearly 17,000 people, per the Space Base Delta 1 fact sheet (current as of November 2025). Its partners include:
- North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and U.S. Northern Command
- U.S. Space Command
- Space Force Combat Forces Command and Space Training and Readiness Command (STARCOM) units
- The Air Force Reserve's 302nd Airlift Wing
STARCOM's headquarters moved to Patrick Space Force Base, Florida, on July 18, 2025. The command still lists its Space Deltas 11 and 12 at Schriever Space Force Base, per STARCOM's command overview. That headquarters move is separate from the U.S. Space Command move to Alabama.
One change to watch: U.S. Space Command is moving its headquarters to Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. The move is gradual. About 10 percent of the command was working at Redstone by late summer 2026, with a goal of at least half by the end of 2028, per a Department of War release and the Space Command newsroom. That move does not include NORAD, USNORTHCOM or Peterson's other Space Force units. If your orders are to Space Command, ask your sponsor where your job will be. Our Huntsville neighborhoods guide covers the other end of that move.
Our Peterson and Schriever PCS guide covers housing on the east side of town.
Schriever Space Force Base
Schriever sits about 10 miles east of Colorado Springs, per the Schriever installation page. It became Schriever Space Force Base on July 26, 2021.
Since June 18, 2025, the base has its own host unit, Space Base Delta 41, per the Space Base Delta 41 activation story. Schriever is best known as home of the GPS Master Control Station, where the 2nd Space Operations Squadron flies the Global Positioning System satellites, per the Space Force GPS fact sheet.
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Most Schriever families live in eastern Colorado Springs, Falcon or Peyton, which keeps the drive short.
Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station
Cheyenne Mountain is the famous command center built inside a mountain on the southwest side of Colorado Springs. It became fully operational as the NORAD Combat Operations Center on February 6, 1967. Today it serves as the alternate command center for NORAD and USNORTHCOM and a crew training site, while day-to-day operations run from Peterson, per the Cheyenne Mountain installation page.
Buckley Space Force Base
Buckley sits east of Denver in Aurora. It became Buckley Air Force Base in 2000 and was renamed Buckley Space Force Base on June 4, 2021, per Buckley's renaming story.
The host unit, Space Base Delta 2, supports space-based missile warning, space surveillance and space communications. The base has about 3,000 active duty members from every service, 4,000 Guard and Reserve members and 2,400 civilians, per the Space Base Delta 2 fact sheet. It also serves about 88,000 retirees, veterans and family members in the region.
Buckley is also the Air Force's flying home in the Denver area. The Colorado Air National Guard's 140th Wing flies F-16s there and stands alert to defend the Front Range, per the 140th Wing fact sheet. Our Buckley PCS guide covers Aurora and the Denver suburbs.
What BAH Covers Near Colorado's Air Force Bases
BAH is Basic Allowance for Housing, the monthly amount the military pays you toward housing when you live off base. It is based on your pay grade, whether you have dependents, and your duty station's rate area. It is not based on the rent you actually pay.
Colorado's installations fall into just two rate areas. The Academy, Peterson, Schriever and Cheyenne Mountain all use the Colorado Springs rate. Buckley uses the Denver rate. Here are 2026 monthly rates, with dependents first and without second, from the official DTMO BAH rate lookup run by the Defense Travel Management Office.
| Rate area | Installations | E-5 | E-7 | O-3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Springs (CO046) | USAFA, Peterson, Schriever, Cheyenne Mountain | $2,358 / $1,860 | $2,487 / $2,166 | $2,595 / $2,397 |
| Denver (CO045) | Buckley | $2,841 / $2,148 | $3,114 / $2,568 | $3,207 / $2,979 |
2026 BAH with dependents in Colorado's two rate areas. Source: DoD DTMO BAH rate lookup.
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We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe anytime.An E-5 with dependents gets $483 more each month at Buckley than in Colorado Springs. That gap reflects Denver-area housing costs, so a higher allowance does not always mean more house. Rates reset every January. See our explainer on 2026 BAH rates to look up your own.
Wondering what your BAH buys near your gate? Talk with a Colorado Springs agent who works with military families. There is no cost and no obligation.
Life Near Colorado's Air Force Bases
Altitude and weather. Colorado Springs sits above 6,000 feet. Expect strong sun, dry air, fast-changing weather and real snow in winter, often followed by sunny days that melt it quickly.
Two very different markets. Colorado Springs is one large metro with many military neighborhoods, since Fort Carson is there too. Buckley families live in the bigger and pricier Denver metro.
Buying versus renting. A VA loan is a home loan backed by the Department of Veterans Affairs that usually needs no down payment. Our guide to how much house you can afford on BAH helps you set a budget. Colorado also offers property tax relief to some veterans; see our Colorado veteran property tax exemption guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Air Force bases are in Colorado?
Only one installation still uses the Air Force name: the U.S. Air Force Academy. Peterson, Schriever and Buckley were Air Force bases until 2021, when they became Space Force Bases. Air Force members still serve at all of them.
Is Peterson still an Air Force base?
No. Peterson Air Force Base was renamed Peterson Space Force Base on July 26, 2021. It still hosts Air Force units, including the Air Force Reserve's 302nd Airlift Wing.
Which Colorado base has the highest BAH?
Buckley Space Force Base, in the Denver rate area. For 2026 the with-dependents rate is $2,841 for an E-5, $3,114 for an E-7 and $3,207 for an O-3.
Is U.S. Space Command leaving Colorado Springs?
Its headquarters is moving to Redstone Arsenal in Alabama in phases, with at least half of the command planned there by the end of 2028. That move does not include NORAD, U.S. Northern Command or Peterson's other Space Force units. Separately, STARCOM's headquarters moved to Florida in July 2025, while its Space Deltas 11 and 12 are based at Schriever. If you have orders to either command, confirm your duty station with your sponsor.
Does the Air Force still fly fighters in Colorado?
Yes. The Colorado Air National Guard's 140th Wing flies F-16s from Buckley Space Force Base.
Know someone with Colorado orders? Share this guide with your military network.
This content is for informational purposes. Consult a professional for personal financial decisions.
