Fort Collins vs Southern WY

[Hnthrdr]

Yeah, I am very much a live and let live dude. Classic liberal / libertarian mindset (not leftist coercion of liberal), you do you and I'll do me. Boulder hippies were fine doing their own thing in their city, the leftist shift is not fine cause they are trying to make state level changes that one can't just turn off the TV over cause it impacts the things that are a major aspect of our lives, not something trivial.

Early 00’s this was very much the Co vibe. Which was why it was the first to legalize weed, which in hindsight was a giant net negative… the live and let lives seemingly got a giant influx of the “I know better than you’s”

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

You'll get a 4.4% raise moving to Cheyenne. (No state income tax).

Better make that 4.85% (assuming you are a W2 employee), we have a 4.4% income tax but also we now have a 0.45% "mandatory FMLA insurance premium", since its insurance it isn't federally tax deductible but it is not voluntary either, *cough* TAX! *cough*.

 

[Fever Buck]

Better make that 4.85% (assuming you are a W2 employee), we have a 4.4% income tax but also we now have a 0.45% "mandatory FMLA insurance premium", since its insurance it isn't federally tax deductible but it is not voluntary either, *cough* TAX! *cough*.

Yep. Also just called some daycares and they are $1200/month cheaper than Denver/Ft Collins. We’d save about $14.5k per kid per year in Cheyenne. Just crazy.

 

[fngTony]

Yep. Also just called some daycares and they are $1200/month cheaper than Denver/Ft Collins. We’d save about $14.5k per kid per year in Cheyenne. Just crazy.

Our day care rates are insane. They just built a new one by me that looks like a resort in Vail, a simple structure would be just fine. The other driving factor is Colorado is liability insurance crazy.

 

[RufusB.Marion]

I’m outside of FoCo in the county - closer to Laporte than downtown FoCo.

I bought my house 35 years ago that’s on a short dead end gravel road. (Equity $$$!!!)
I can shoot my bow in my big yard, I have chickens and a shop.

You really can’t beat the weather here but even that is getting outweighed by other factors.

Not sure if I could honestly recommend moving here anymore. But I have my little slices of heaven in both Colorado and Wyo, so I’m one of the lucky ones.

Good luck with your search

Love Laporte, Jealous. Renting up by Horsetooth rn, have been looking heavily by Laporte and Bellvue. Super cool area.

 

[Fever Buck]

Our day care rates are insane. They just built a new one by me that looks like a resort in Vail, a simple structure would be just fine. The other driving factor is Colorado is liability insurance crazy.

Yep. I was curious as to why it’s nearly double compared to other states we’ve looked at. It’s a significant factor for my family.

 

[Hnthrdr]

love the Laporte and Livermore area… that and west Loveland/berthoud would be where I would choose to live if I stayed in Co, but I’m anchored down here for the foreseeable future…

 

[wytx]

You do not want to commute on I-80 or I-25 to Cheyenne for work.

As far as the hunting near Cheyenne , lol, yeah no good hunting anywhere near there. Might have to drive a whole 45 minutes, or much less.

Cheyenne has plenty of decent and good restaurants, not near the meth issues as FC and way less homeless issues.
Yes we go down there to shop and bust our butts to get back to Wyoming asap.

Wind blows everywhere, not just Wyoming.

 

[307]

The commute from FC to Cheyenne isn't bad. There are a couple of days that it's a "no go" but there haven't been that many in the last year. Driving across FC can seem to take as long as the I-25 trip to Cheyenne.

Cheyenne is much lower cost of living in every way, FC has more "town stuff" including all shopping and restaurants. FC sucks up a lot of Cheyenne $ in restaurants, which is why there aren't many great options in Cheyenne, shopping is similar.

Cheyenne will be growing steadily due to the influx of cloud computer farms and the Air Force nuclear missile renovations in the next couple of years. It's expected to significantly increase rental and housing prices when it gets going.

Cheyenne schools do NOT suck. I have direct experience and would prefer them over FC schools.

Cheyenne is limited in terms of resources compared to FC. Trails, parks, and water are all really great in FC, and pretty minimal in Cheyenne. Probably a lot more stuff for little kids to do (parks are amazing) in FC since you mentioned daycare. Cheyenne has a great archery club with an amazing indoor range for very cheap/year.

The wind blows 6 months of the year in Cheyenne, Nov-May and it's mostly a non issue the other 6 months of the year.

There's probably more but if you have specific questions, feel free to ask or PM.

 

[307]

Howdy folks, I have a job opportunity up in Cheyenne WY. As much as I’d like to become a WY resident, I’ve heard that it’s not a great place to live. My family and I live west of Denver (so I’m aware of the negatives to living in CO) and are thinking we could just move to Fort Collins and I’d commute to Cheyenne.

Anyone have any opinions on Fort Collins vs Cheyenne? Anyone done the commute? Any overall thoughts on Fort Collins as a whole? Areas to avoid, good restaurants, things to do, etc?

Any opinions would be great, expecting the offer for the job to come this week and we’d be needing to make a move pretty soon afterwards.

Have also edited the thread title to include Southern WY. I’m open to moving there as well if it’s a good fit. My long term plan is to end up in WY, so I’d love to be able to do it sooner.

I would not like to commute from Laramie to Cheyenne. I80 is closed at the summit very frequently throughout the winter. The drive on 25 to FC is much easier, so if I were you, I'd rule out Laramie, even though it's a pretty cool place.

Unless cost of living isn't a big concern for your family, I'd live in Cheyenne, it's a lot higher in FC. Easy to drive to fc for fun, restaurants, etc.

 

[Mojave]

Assuming you have experience with Cheyenne, what are the negatives in your opinion?

1. People that aren't from Wyoming! But they are mostly retired military, ex-fire, ex police types from California. So that's ok.

2. It feels like it's 200 miles to good hunting. Not really but it feels like it is.

3. It feels like it's 150 miles to good fishing.

4. No public land near Cheyenne.

5. Too close to Colorado.

6. Too close to Texas.

7. Too close to Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota but so is all of Wyoming.

8. Close to Fort Collins prices.

9. Everyone that just moved there acts like they are a freaking Wyoming native, and live in the real west.

10. Of the biggest towns in Wyoming, it is the worst. But since there are really only Casper, Cheyenne, Rock Springs and Laramie, it's not like it's a hard sell. It is still better than anyplace in Colorado unless you own 10,000 acres and have a $1,000,000 annual income.

 

[TaperPin]

Another huge advantage to living on the Wyoming side is your kids will travel for sports and activities to other Wyoming towns and get to know the entire state. Boys and girls across the state enjoy fly fishing, archery, shooting, camping, skiing, mountain biking, etc. Kids in Colorado only interact with other Colorado schools.

My ex wife reminded me how much she enjoyed the Cheyenne ice rink as a kid and even competed as a teenager. Skating isn’t my thing, but it’s one more thing to do regardless of the weather outside.

In the summer there’s great fly fishing at the little high lakes in the Snowy’s - close enough to make a day trip of it. Even Curt Goudy (sp?) state park has a lot of stockers at the inlet.

There’s a lot of old west history just north of Cheyenne - many international tourists fly to Denver specifically to head up into Wyoming and hit the historical spots on up through the black hills.

If your kids are college bound, I predict you’ll find a lot more opportunities for high school kids to earn college credit and get into summer programs at the University of Wyoming. The difference between UW and CSU couldn’t be more different. CSU wants kids to get in and get out quick. There’s a lot more flexibility to the type of programs in Wyoming.

 

[cnelk]

I will say, I see plenty of Wyoming license plates at Colorado dispensaries.

So I guess it’s not all ‘groceries’ Wyo comes to Colorado for.

 

[Phaseolus]

Thanks. We have looked at Wellington as well. I’m open to it. Seems like nice rural spot.

What are the reasons you’d prefer Cheyenne? I’ve heard the wind is an absolute deal breaker for most.

The wind in Wellington is similar to Cheyenne.

 

[wyogoat]

Another huge advantage to living on the Wyoming side is your kids will travel for sports and activities to other Wyoming towns and get to know the entire state. Boys and girls across the state enjoy fly fishing, archery, shooting, camping, skiing, mountain biking, etc. Kids in Colorado only interact with other Colorado schools.

My ex wife reminded me how much she enjoyed the Cheyenne ice rink as a kid and even competed as a teenager. Skating isn’t my thing, but it’s one more thing to do regardless of the weather outside.

In the summer there’s great fly fishing at the little high lakes in the Snowy’s - close enough to make a day trip of it. Even Curt Goudy (sp?) state park has a lot of stockers at the inlet.

There’s a lot of old west history just north of Cheyenne - many international tourists fly to Denver specifically to head up into Wyoming and hit the historical spots on up through the black hills.

If your kids are college bound, I predict you’ll find a lot more opportunities for high school kids to earn college credit and get into summer programs at the University of Wyoming. The difference between UW and CSU couldn’t be more different. CSU wants kids to get in and get out quick. There’s a lot more flexibility to the type of programs in Wyoming.

And consider the Hathaway scholarship program for college level education in Wyoming.

 

[Mojave]

I will say, I see plenty of Wyoming license plates at Colorado dispensaries.

So I guess it’s not all ‘groceries’ Wyo comes to Colorado for.

My nephew is a pot head, he has been caught a couple of times buying in Colorado. I think they are looking for his car on a regular basis now.

 

[Fever Buck]

The wind in Wellington is similar to Cheyenne.

Good to know.

 

[Phaseolus]

Good to know.

I once saw bricks roll in a wind storm on Owl Canyon road just north of Wellington.

 

[gman82001]

I will say, I see plenty of Wyoming license plates at Colorado dispensaries.

So I guess it’s not all ‘groceries’ Wyo comes to Colorado for.

You should see the fireworks stands here

 

[SilentPursuit]

Howdy folks, I have a job opportunity up in Cheyenne WY. As much as I’d like to become a WY resident, I’ve heard that it’s not a great place to live. My family and I live west of Denver (so I’m aware of the negatives to living in CO) and are thinking we could just move to Fort Collins and I’d commute to Cheyenne.

Anyone have any opinions on Fort Collins vs Cheyenne? Anyone done the commute? Any overall thoughts on Fort Collins as a whole? Areas to avoid, good restaurants, things to do, etc?

Any opinions would be great, expecting the offer for the job to come this week and we’d be needing to make a move pretty soon afterwards.

Have also edited the thread title to include Southern WY. I’m open to moving there as well if it’s a good fit. My long term plan is to end up in WY, so I’d love to be able to do it sooner.

Come to Weld County, we are the red headed stepchild of northern Colorado. If you like wind then go to Wyoming. Shoot me a DM if you like to hunt either way. I’m 30 min from Fort Collins, Greeley, and Cheyenne. I would not want to live in FOCO but surrounding areas are great. Look along 85 it’s a straight shot into Cheyenne. Some of the best speed goat hunting in CO is right there too although you need like 3-4 points to draw now.