Colorado
Buckley Space Force Base
📍 Aurora, Colorado
Home to Space Delta 4, Buckley provides missile warning and space surveillance capabilities for the U.S. Space Force in the Denver metro area.
BAH Rates
MHA: CO004 Rates as of 2026
E-1 with Dependents$2,187/mo
E-5 with Dependents$2,568/mo
E-5 without Dependents$1,896/mo
O-3 with Dependents$3,234/mo
O-3 without Dependents$2,625/mo
Housing
View full housing guide →- On-base: Privatized housing managed by Hunt Military Communities — Aurora Highlands neighborhood with 400+ homes ranging from duplexes to single-family; modern construction built in the 2000s-2010s
- Off-base: Most families live in Aurora, Centennial, Parker, or southeast Denver metro; BAH for Denver area is strong ($2,200-$3,200/month); competitive rental market
- Wait times: On-base wait lists are short (2-4 months) due to moderate demand and ample inventory
- Top pick: Southlands area of Aurora and Centennial — 10-15 min commute, excellent Cherry Creek Schools, newer subdivisions with parks and trails
- Note: Denver's housing market is hot — off-base buyers should expect competition and rising prices; Aurora has more affordable options than Denver proper
Neighborhoods
View full neighborhoods guide →- Southlands (Aurora) — 10 min southeast, master-planned community with shopping, dining, and entertainment district, Cherry Creek Schools, very popular with Buckley families
- Tallyn's Reach / Saddle Rock — Southeast Aurora, 15-20 min, larger lots with mountain views, top-rated Cherry Creek Schools, quiet suburban feel
- Centennial — 15-20 min southwest, strong Arapahoe County schools, established neighborhoods with mature trees, convenient to the Denver Tech Center
- Parker — 20-25 min south, small-town roots with rapid growth, excellent Douglas County schools, more house for the money at the cost of a longer commute
- Stapleton / Central Park — 15-20 min northwest in Denver, urban-suburban blend, newer construction, walkable with parks and pools, popular with young families
Schools
View full schools guide →🏫 Elementary Schools
Vassar Elementary⭐ 6/10
Aurora Public Schools, close to base
Dakota Valley Elementary⭐ 7/10
Cherry Creek SD, ~5 mi south
Meadow Point Elementary⭐ 7/10
Cherry Creek SD, newer facility
Coyote Hills Elementary⭐ 7/10
Cherry Creek SD, top-rated area
🏫 Middle Schools
Mrachek Middle School⭐ 4/10
Aurora Public Schools, closest to base
Fox Ridge Middle School⭐ 7/10
Cherry Creek SD, strong STEM
Liberty Middle School⭐ 7/10
Cherry Creek SD, high parent satisfaction
🏫 High Schools
Rangeview High School⭐ 5/10
Aurora Public Schools, diverse
Cherokee Trail High School⭐ 7/10
Cherry Creek SD, strong athletics/academics
Grandview High School⭐ 8/10
Cherry Creek SD, top-rated, ~6 mi south
Gates & Commute
- Main Gate (Mississippi Ave) — Primary entry from E-470 toll road and Mississippi Avenue, 5-15 min peak waits (6:00-8:00 AM), 24/7 operations
- Commercial Gate (6th Ave) — Secondary entry primarily for deliveries and construction traffic, restricted hours
- Tip: E-470 is a toll road that saves significant time for Parker/Centennial commuters; ExpressToll passes are worth the investment ($35 annual transponder)
- Tip: Buckley is conveniently located — 25 min to downtown Denver, 20 min to DIA, 15 min to the Denver Tech Center
Internet Providers
- Xfinity (Comcast) — Dominant provider across Aurora/Denver metro; cable/fiber up to 1.2 Gbps; reliable and widely available
- CenturyLink / Quantum Fiber — DSL and expanding fiber coverage; up to 940 Mbps fiber in select neighborhoods (Southlands, newer Centennial subdivisions)
- Ting / Metronet — Fiber providers expanding in select Denver metro areas; check per-address availability; fastest option where available
- Starlink — Available but generally unnecessary given strong urban broadband coverage
- Top pick: Xfinity cable for most areas; Quantum/Ting fiber if built out at your address
Shopping & Dining
- On-base: Small AAFES Exchange and commissary — more limited than larger bases; many families supplement with off-base shopping
- Southlands — 10 min away: outdoor lifestyle center with Target, Best Buy, AMC theater, and 50+ restaurants/shops in a walkable Main Street layout
- The Gardens on Havana — 15 min; mix of big-box retailers, restaurants, and services along the Havana Street corridor
- Denver Tech Center — 15 min southwest; major employment hub with upscale dining, shopping, and Park Meadows Mall (Colorado's largest)
- Groceries: On-base commissary; off-base King Soopers (Kroger), Safeway, Sprouts, Costco, and H Mart (Korean/Asian grocery) all within 10-15 min
Gyms & Recreation
- Buckley Fitness Center — Well-equipped gym with cardio, free weights, group classes; smaller than larger AF bases but well-maintained
- Outdoor Recreation — Equipment rental (camping, snowshoes, skis), discounted ski lift tickets, and local hiking/biking trip coordination
- On-base: Bowling alley, sports fields, outdoor running track, 24/7 fitness annex for shift workers; no golf course on base
- Cherry Creek State Park — 15 min south; 880-acre reservoir with boating, swimming beach, fishing, miles of trails, campground, and a model airplane field
- Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge — 10 min north; free entry, bison herd, birding, and 10+ miles of hiking/biking trails on a former chemical weapons site turned nature preserve
- Colorado Rockies and skiing: Eldora (1.5 hrs), Loveland (1.25 hrs), Arapahoe Basin (1.5 hrs), Breckenridge and Keystone (1.75 hrs)
Jobs & Spouse Employment
- On-base: GS and NAF positions through USAJobs; USSF space operations support, AAFES, and MWR hire locally
- Denver Tech Center (DTC) — 15 min southwest; major corporate hub with defense contractors, tech, finance, and telecom (Comcast HQ, Liberty Media, Arrow Electronics)
- Denver defense corridor: Lockheed Martin (Littleton/Waterton Canyon, 30 min), Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, and Ball Aerospace all have major Denver-area operations
- Aerospace: Colorado's second-largest industry; Buckley's space and missile warning mission creates demand for cleared engineers and analysts
- Remote work: Excellent broadband everywhere; Mountain Time Zone suits both coastal schedules; strong remote-work culture in Denver metro
- Employment Readiness: Airman & Family Readiness Center offers career counseling, federal resume workshops, and local hiring events
Local Attractions
- Denver — 20-25 min to downtown: Union Station, LoDo (Lower Downtown), Denver Art Museum, RiNo Art District breweries, Coors Field (Rockies), and Ball Arena (Nuggets/Avalanche)
- Red Rocks Amphitheatre — 30 min west in Morrison; world-famous outdoor concert venue and park with hiking trails among stunning red sandstone formations
- Rocky Mountain National Park — 1.5 hrs northwest; Trail Ridge Road (highest continuous paved road in the U.S.), alpine lakes, elk herds, and 350+ miles of hiking trails
- Mount Evans Scenic Byway — 1.5 hrs west; highest paved road in North America (14,130 ft), mountain goats and bighorn sheep visible from the road
- Cherry Creek State Park — 15 min south; Denver's backyard playground for boating, swimming, camping, and trail running/cycling
- Weekend trips: Boulder (45 min), Colorado Springs (1 hr), Summit County skiing (1.5 hrs), Estes Park (1.5 hrs), Royal Gorge (1.5 hrs)
Area Maps
Photo Gallery
base
Buckley Space Force Base in Aurora, Colorado
neighborhood
Southlands master-planned community, popular Buckley family neighborhood
housing
On-base family housing at Buckley Space Force Base
nature
Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge near Buckley
downtown
Downtown Denver skyline, 25 minutes from Buckley
restaurant
Dining in the Denver Tech Center near Buckley