Colorado Front Range vs. Western Slope for Retirement (Denver, Colorado Springs: rent, house prices)

[CthePlanner]

Having lived in the Chicago metro area all of our lives, we know we don't want to retire here. We look forward to escaping the high taxes, rising crime, brutal winters, boring landscape (except for Lake Michigan and its shoreline), etc.

We're considering CO, but have never been there. Brother moved to Loveland a few years ago and loves it. I'm concerned about the snowfall, which he says melts away win a day or two. Also concerned about hail storms and less moderate weather, overall in that area.

Which has the most moderate weather, the front range or the western slope?

Based on that, which towns or cities are good for retirees?

We figure we'll be able to afford a house in the range of 300-400k. Would like a decent lot for vegetable and flower gardening. Would love to never have to shovel snow or have the driveway plowed.

Being dog owners, nice walking trails or hiking areas is good.

Access to good hospitals and medical services is important.

Not too far from a major airport, as we'll fly to LA and Chicago to visit relatives, and elsewhere for vacations.

Golf courses, the more the merrier.

Don't want city living, but more suburban or near rural areas.

Moderate weather and reasonable housing costs are key.

All insights are appreciated.

[zenith32]

"Reasonable housing costs" really don't exist in Colorado anymore unless you move to the far eastern part of the state or you're buying a seriously dilapidated building or a lot in a really undesirable area. Consider Wyoming for cheaper housing, though there are no major airports anywhere in Wyoming and access to certain medical services may be difficult. I grew up in Longmont, spent 24 years there, roughly halfway between Loveland and the northern Denver suburbs, and left Colorado a few years ago to escape the rapidly declining air quality, the rapidly increasing traffic, and the ever increasing cost of living (other personal reasons applied but these were two fairly big ones). Your desire to be near a major airport will pretty much lock you into staying in or near either Denver or Colorado Springs, both of which are highly congested and overpriced. There are plenty of trails and dog parks, though. Grand Junction is the only major populated area west of the continental divide and while they do have decent hospitals and an airport I do not believe it is anything more than a small municipal airport.



On a similar note, there's almost nowhere in Colorado where shoveling or plowing your driveway won't be a semi-regular occurrence. Light snow, a few inches or less, tends to last only a day or two at most in areas that get direct sunlight, but there's always those one or two much larger snow storms that'll dump a foot or more of snow overnight. That takes a lot longer to melt off. On the other hand, summers in Colorado tend to be brutally dry and regularly see 90+ highs, sometimes for weeks on end. Then there's also the wildfires and the smoke that blankets the state for days and days, often coming from as far as California. As far as other severe weather goes, Weld County has the highest tornado count of any county in the United States and hail storms do happen fairly frequently east of I-25 during storm season, although hail rarely gets bigger than golf ball sized and is mostly pea-sized when it does happen.

If you really want to move to Colorado, I suggest spending a week there in February or March and a week there in August. Personally though, I don't think you'll find much of anything that suits all your needs anywhere in that state.

[NW Crow]

Never shovel or plow snow? Stay out of Colorado.

Spots around Greeley average 30-40 inches per year but got 60 once 10 years ago. Some spots near Grand Junction average 15-20.

Small town / rural 10-30 miles to Greeley (except to west) might barely be in price range. Same for near Fruita or Loma. Maybe outside Delta.

Learn about what water you can and can't use.

Consider lower elevation parts of Arizona, New Mexico or Oregon like north of Wickenburg AZ, Aztec NM or Prineville OR. Or perhaps north of Weiser ID or Twin Falls area.

[pikabike]

You won’t escape rough winters (albeit maybe not as bad as Chicago’s), rising crime, summer extreme heat and hailstones (bad for veggie gardens), or horrendous winds. You forgot to add DROUGHT to the list of real threats. Over the entire state and much of the western US, and getting worse.

Those %#@.*#! golf courses are one of the worst offenses to CO’s environment, what with the excess pesticides and sucking of water from the dwindling supplies. The greens are not naturally green here, not by a long shot.

The climate is changing such that the western US is getting dryer and hotter, while the southeastern US has been getting wetter. Better prospects there (and lower taxes/house prices) for lots of golf courses, lawns, easy veggie and flower gardening.

Why do people jump on CO as their garden of Eden without ever having even visited, let alone visited during representative times for all seasons???!!

That brother bit about the snow melting right away is only true sometimes, and only in some areas. Sounds like realtorspeak.

[zenith32]

Originally Posted by pikabike

Why do people jump on CO as their garden of Eden without ever having even visited, let alone visited during representative times for all seasons???!!

I tell people around where I live in Oklahoma now that I spent years trying to leave Colorado and the usual response I get is "omg why it's so pretty and nice and rah rah rah" and my first question is typically "have you ever actually been there?" and either they say no or they tell me they spent a weekend in Breckenridge, Durango, Estes, or some other touristy town and then when I tell them what just rent tends to go for in the lesser known or lesser popular parts of Colorado I am often met with disbelief. Then I show them images of the infamous Denver brown cloud...


Colorado used to be a great place to raise a family. Then things went from great to okay/passable. Now it only really sounds good on paper and even then only if you've managed to somehow stay completely ignorant of its many current problems.


I'll grant that Colorado does have some fantastic scenery and a lot to offer to those with $$$, but unless you're pulling upper 5 digits or 6 digits at minimum and have all your other affairs in order, it isn't worth it. Hasn't been for a long time.

[otowi]

Based on what you said in your post, I think the Western Slope may be more your speed, but pay attention to elevation. Maybe look at Grand Junction or Delta.

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by otowi

Based on what you said in your post, I think the Western Slope may be more your speed, but pay attention to elevation. Maybe look at Grand Junction or Delta.

Agree. I think $300k-$400k prices people out of the Front Range. The wish list tends to favor the Western Slope, and the Grand Junction area is a good place to check out.

[bluescreen73]

You need to come visit. The Western Slope is probably the closest to your wants, but it isn't utopia. It's very rural and very isolated. There are no major airports, and if you want big city amenities you'll be several hours from Denver, Salt Lake City, or Albuquerque. Coming from Chicago, urbanity on the Western Slope is almost non-existent, and many places will seem very barren compared to the Upper Midwest.

FWIW, I would rather have a 90+ degree day here than an 80 degree day in a place with crappy humidity like Chicago. Our summers are hot, but the shade brings real relief here. Humidity sucks.

[StealthRabbit]

Just choose west Loveland / Marianna Butte. Walking distance to Big T river trail system.... And live happily ever after.

Not cheap anymore, but you have to pay the price of admission for desirable spots. Or wait for a correction (desirable spots will endure RE corrections).

Loveland is really quite nice and handy for active retirees. We have been gone from Masonville for 30yrs, but still retain properties in NoCo and visit friends nearby + Estes at least 1x / month, and sometimes for moths at a time. Much too crowded to move back, but a nice place to have second homes. Many friends in NoCo are Illinois escapees. Quite a few came in the 1960s and 1970s. Illinois friends also like Las Cruces / old mesilla NM, (less snow, more desert terrain) and several relocated near our Hill Country Texas home. Great sunrises and sunsets in all these areas, and nice for active seniors..

One advantage of Loveland, is that it is close to WY! I often ride or drive up through Buckhorn canyon, to Poudre, then Waldon to Encampment / Snowy Range / Saratoga.

Vedauwoo is close-by too.

[NW Crow]

Loveland median home price is $420-430k according to 2 sources.

Denver area averages 155 nights below 32. Mornings warm up but can start cold and might stay that way. Twenty some days dont get to 32 for a high. Average of 7 nights get below zero.