Best place to live Colorado

[HighDesertSage]

Here’s some advice from a fellow Kentuckian who just spent the last 2.5 years living south of Denver in Castle Rock. We just moved back to KY this summer. Moved for a job that after two years would allow me to work from home full time, and had the wife not missed her family like crazy, we might still be there, but the flexibility allowed us to move back. I loved it out there, but it’s not the CO of 10, or even 5 years ago. People are EVERYWHERE, you just can’t seem to get away from the crowds anymore. Pollution along the front range is starting to get seriously bad, inverted smog during the winter is the new normal. Housing has gone nuts, even in Castle Rock, our home increased 100k over the 2.5 years we were there.

Probably the biggest thing, for me at least, living along the front range makes getting into the mountains for a quick hunting trip impossible. I never knew how much I missed my quick squirrel/rabbit and even deer hunts where I could just drive out and go. Those types of hunts aren’t possible if you live within an hour of DIA unless you settle in somewhere like Franktown or Elizabeth, but then your even further from the mountains.
If you guys love KY, I’d just keep the Rockies as a vacation destination, until you don’t need to live an hour from an airport. Once that requirement is off the table, the whole west opens up, and places like Pinedale, WY and Red Lodge, MT become incredible options.

Oh come on man quit telling people pinedale is nice. Ignore him. It’s sucks and the winters are brutal.

 

[JDB9818]

Born and raised here, I’d say nowhere in Colorado is a good answer for me!

 

[Eagle]

You have a special dog there keep us posted, hope you’re a good shot

Oh come on man quit telling people pinedale is nice. Ignore him. It’s sucks and the winters are brutal.

It's been 5 years since I was last up there, but I've heard it's starting to get more crowded, relatively speaking of course. It's honestly one of a handful of what I consider small "mountain towns" that I hope I can convince the wife to live in for 6 months a year after the kids have moved out, but that's 20 years away, haha.

 

[5MilesBack]

Sounds like you need the security of being around like minds.

There is security in like-minded people and sanity in a community. That's the way most of Colorado used to be until the early 90's when all the lunatics starting moving in. Back then even the Democrats (outside of Denver and Boulder) were level-headed. Those Dems back then were more conservative than the Republican Party of today. There's a new breed of lunacy that has over-taken our state and nation.

 

[5MilesBack]

Oh come on man quit telling people pinedale is nice. Ignore him. It’s sucks and the winters are brutal.

It used to be a great place.....like so many other places in the West, until all the oil and gas folks came in. I'm not anti oil and gas, but that influx can sure ruin a place in a hurry. There's a theme that is prevalent.......a bunch of people move in, and the places go to crap.

 

[HighDesertSage]

It's been 5 years since I was last up there, but I've heard it's starting to get more crowded, relatively speaking of course. It's honestly one of a handful of what I consider small "mountain towns" that I hope I can convince the wife to live in for 6 months a year after the kids have moved out, but that's 20 years away, haha.

I love that country up there. I didn't make it back this year, but last summer I went through. It was definitely more touristy than I remember. Biggest thing that stuck out to me was how busy the trailheads where. It kind of sadly reminded me of CO.

 

[Felix40]

It’s funny to me how all of these “best place to live in Colorado” threads start off with the requirement of being in a metro plex. Why move to Colorado to live next door to 3 million other people? I would have thought the emphasis on a forum like this would be living in the mountains.

Id be looking for small towns like Meeker, Hotchkiss, Monte Vista, Yampa....spots that you would actually know your neighbors and be able to get outside within minutes of the house.

 

[bcimport]

I left CO a decade a go and when I go home to visit it is really shocking how much it’s changed. I grew up in Colorado Springs and have lived in Durango, Woodland Park and Pueblo West. If you have work flexibility I would get away from the front range completely if you’re convinced it’s the place for you. I moved to BC and just laugh when folks up here talk about hunting pressure and people in the woods. You don’t know how good it is until you have something to compare it too.

 

[brsnow]

It’s funny to me how all of these “best place to live in Colorado” threads start off with the requirement of being in a metro plex. Why move to Colorado to live next door to 3 million other people? I would have thought the emphasis on a forum like this would be living in the mountains.

Id be looking for small towns like Meeker, Hotchkiss, Monte Vista, Yampa....spots that you would actually know your neighbors and be able to get outside within minutes of the house.

Those towns are filled with drug issues.

 

[Felix40]

Those towns are filled with drug issues.

Yeah...probably less drugs in Denver.

 

[brsnow]

Yeah...probably less drugs in Denver.

Per capita, no doubt.

 

[brsnow]

There is security in like-minded people and sanity in a community. That's the way most of Colorado used to be until the early 90's when all the lunatics starting moving in. Back then even the Democrats (outside of Denver and Boulder) were level-headed. Those Dems back then were more conservative than the Republican Party of today. There's a new breed of lunacy that has over-taken our state and nation.

I don’t live in the 80’s still, mullet is gone. I certainly have no desire to live in the past.

 

[justinspicher]

I love living in Colorado. Sure, it has issues, but control what you can and ignore the reat as best you can. I can hunt from august to april, be in the mountains all year and do what I want in most cases as I live in the mountains. I chose this, just like anyone else can.

 

[Kevin_t]

I lived in hotchkiss area for a couple years . I thought it was fine ....

I avoid the front range at all costs


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[cnelk]

To put it in perspective, ask yourself if you’d move to California.
Nice weather, mountains etc.

Calirado isn’t much different any getting worse all the time.

 

[Trogon]

Stay away from Denver unless you are a leftwing liberal snowflake and need the security of being surrounded by like minds.

Except for all of the Roksliders?

 

[5MilesBack]

I don’t live in the 80’s still, mullet is gone. I certainly have no desire to live in the past.

You must have lived in a different part of the past than I did then (obviously if you sported a mullet). I'd trade it all today to have some sort of sanity left in America again, for my kid's and their future family's sake.

 

[kid44]

Longmont, Mead, Berthoud, Broomfield all north of Denver, plenty f good areas to the south and west too.

 

[joshbru970]

All,
Other than the military, I’ve lived in Kentucky my whole life (39 yo). My family of wife and 2 kids (9 boy) (5 girl) recently went to Denver and hiked in RMNP, Red Rocks and had a great time. I’ve been a few other times. We are seriously contemplating a move there. I don’t think we can afford the house we would need in Denver. What towns should we look into most? I’ve been looking at Aurora, Longmont, Greeley to name a few. Need access to Denver airport within ~an hour. Would like good schools. Obviously, hunting, fishing, I kayak fish and Mountain Bike. Any opinions are appreciated.

I have lived in Colorado for 5 years. A few years in northern colorado - Fort Collins (lively college town), a farm town called milliken and now 30 miles south of denver in sedalia (horse country foothills). Look at websites like citidata and google to learn more about where your living.

anywhere within 50 miles of the airport is an hour away.

northern colorado is cheaper unless you want to be more in the plains not as close to the mountains. I would look at any farm town east of i25 north of denver and it will fit your bill. Locals complain colorado has gone to shit, when in reality its a growing state that only has 5.6 million people total and 4-5 million of that is in the front range(denver). It is all perspective. good luck man

 

[butcherboy]

There are always good little towns in most states away from metro areas. All places have their problems. Some more so than others. Just depends on what you want. Are you set on living close to a major airport and deal with wackos or commute to a closer airport that will fly you into Denver with a short layover?

I drive 45 minutes north to Durango airport then fly to Denver. Short layover and fly wherever I want. This beats driving 3 hours south to Albuquerque to fly and then end up with a layover anyways. Lots of little towns in southern CO with a short drive to Durango or Grand Junction.