A few suggestions.
If you want to stay close to Denver, but be outside the city then Parker is slightly to the South East, and has a smaller town feel.
Farther South on the I is Castle Rock. Expensive, but still small.
Even smaller towns are Monument, Larksburg, and others that are tiny.
Colorado Springs is varied because it is fairly large but spread out. It is a very Conservative town that is heavily influenced by all the different Christian groups that have planted their HQs there.
Security is south of the Springs, but that is pretty much a Military outcropping of the Springs itself. Still some nice parts, but high crime rate and property values are not the greatest because of all the transient military members moving in and out.
Then there is Peublo. It is getting bigger every year, and has a mix of very old industrial areas and newer areas.
I personally lived in the Springs for about 18 years. I moved up to Centennial near C470 and Smokey Hill road about 4 years ago. I moved because the job market in the Springs was terrible at the time, and it has not improved much. I am an Engineer, and in the Springs that means Government contract work is the primary employer. Since I served my time in the Air Force, I no longer had any desire to be involved with the waste and bad practices of government contracts. The bonus is I live in a quiet area with access to everything Denver offers, but since I work 35 miles from where I live that means dealing with the traffic everyday. I found back ways to work, and my morning and afternoon rides to and from work take under an hour and are what keep me sane.
The riding just outside Denver, and in the whole area, is great. Mountains with lots of twists and turns one day, and then open plains for slow cruises the next. About the only thing you cannot get is an ocean front ride.
If you have any specific questions, send me a PM or post them here.