Living in Denver -- is there a catch ?

Question

It seems like a GREAT place to live.

Excellent climate...
Low cost of living...
Naturesque; Great public park system...
Fresh air...
Decent job market...
Crime rate not terrible...
Culture...

Is there a catch? It seems like a great place to live.

I don't mind the cold. In fact, I absolutely love cold, and snow.

The only thing I can really think of negative is getting used to thin air (I live at sea level), and the whole sunshine/UV ray deal.

Answer 1

We live in NJ, but have had a second home in Colorado for almost 20 years. We try to get out about three times a year, and miss it when we don't get there.

I'll answer your question by re-telling a story I once heard:
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A fellow walked into a church in LA and told the priest that he wanted to talk to God. The priest told the guy that they had a phone that would allow him to speak to God, but that it cost $5000! The guy didn't have $5000 so he left.

Then he walked into a church in NYC and told that priest there that he wanted to talk to God. The priest told the guy that they had a phone that would allow him to speak to God, but that it cost $10,000! The guy didn't have $10,000 so he left.

Then the guy walked into a church in Denver and told that priest that he wanted to talk to God. The priest told him that they had a phone that would allow him to speak to God, and that it only cost $1.00.

The fellow said to the priest that he didn't understand how that was possible, since the call costs $5000 in LA and $10,000 in NYC.

Here it comes - get ready
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The priest responded to him that in Colorado its a local call!

Answer 2

No catch - Denver is fantastic place to live! And you forgot - close skiing locations and real close to Rocky Mountain National Park. And you can see the mountains!! And you'll love the dry air. You might be thirsty at first, and your skin might get kind of dry, but you'll acclimate quickly. You can never go back to humidity after you've spent a summer in a low-humidity location. The dry heat is amazing, and the nights cool down beautifully in summer. And whenever it rains, it cools down outside (instead of just getting sticky like in humid places). With about 300 days of sunshine a year, it's gorgeous. And the UV ray thing isn't that bad. Typical procedure for anywhere - if you're going to be outside for a long time, just put on some good SPF and a hat and sunglasses. But it's not like if you're outside for 10 minutes you'll be burnt. And Denver is a perfect place for snow - but it doesn't stick around long - it usually snows in the evening or at night and you'll wake up to it in the morning. Then, the sun will come out during that day or the next and the snow will melt away. Are you ready for a white Christmas? :-)
And it's overall a beautiful city with lots to see and do. They just put in a new light-rail system that's amazing!
Nope, no catch. ;-)

Answer 3

I saw you were from New York City so yes, cost of living would be lower for you I imagine. When we came here it was the opposite.
If all the things you listed are what you are looking for, then it is a great place to live. It may be quite a culture shock for you though I would think.
Up here in Boulder things are more on the liberal side if that's more appealing to you. Otherwise the state is pretty conservative.
And the winters here compared to what you may be used to would be much, much better I would think.
The sun is intense!
One of my favorite things to do on a Saturday or Sunday when the weather is nice is to go to the Lazy Dog in Boulder, up on the roof top, have a beer and look out at the Flatirons and down on all the people and kids playing in the water fountain on the Pearl Street Mall. It is wonderful.....

Answer 4

Everything's relative... the cost of living, particularly real estate, is much lower than where I came from (Boston & Wash. DC) Your list of advantages is right on - these things are very appealing and are true! There's no issue whatsoever of getting used to the altitude in the city of Denver itself. It's not THAT high and if you're in good health, you honestly won't notice it. You will notice the dry climate, though, and you really have to work at staying hydrated to avoid feeling unwell. Yes, the sun's rays are stronger - so you wear a hat and use sunscreen, even in the winter, esp. if you go skiing. Not a big deal.

The disadvantages I found are: conservative politics and religious nuts are more prevalent here (who knows, maybe you'd like that!) Denver's kind of a small town and after awhile, a lot of people know your business (can be a pro or con). Culture can be in short supply, sometimes - we don't get that many independent films and stage shows or art exhibits, at least not at first. Public transportation is OK if you're traveling from the suburbs to downtown during rush hour, but at other times or other locations, it's pretty sparse.

No place is Nirvana, but Denver's got a lot of things going for it. It's not for everyone, but it's OK by me!

Answer 5

Basically, I like living in Denver only because I enjoy outdoor sports (climbing and skiing). I have an investment banking job where I have to relocate often and have lived in Chicago, San Francisco, and NYC in the past 4 years. Denver is inferior to all of the previously mentioned cities in terms of culture, rowdiness/partying, diversity, and unique urban feel. Denver is a newer city and lacks the identity that the older/established above mentioned cities have. Almost everybody you meet in Denver is not actually from Denver, they are transplants from other cities. Additionally, Denver lacks identity because it has a population of only 600,000 but the metro area's population is approx. 2.5 million. In other words, Denver is very sprawled out and full of strip malls with national chains (Chilis, Applebees, etc) as opposed to unique neighborhoods with interesting shops and restaurants. Even downtown areas such as Lodo, didn't form naturally, instead Lodo was basically built by real estate developers who said "let's build apartment complexes, and leave the pipes exposed and call them lofts so we can charge more money for them." Overall, Denver is no different than any other urban sprawl area in the country.

With all that said, I love living in Denver because I can ski at least 2 days a week in the winter and climb outside 3 days a week in the summer and still make the same income as someone who lives in Chi, NYC, or San Fran. However, if I weren't into outdoor sports, I wouldn't like it here as Denver isn't that great compared to other urban centers in the US. But hey, everywhere has its pros and cons.

P.S. Someone above said the Denver airport is a con... I strongly disagree and think the airport here is a major pro. It's a hub for United and Frontier so you can easily get cheap flights (usually $200 or less) to any major city in the US. Plus, parking is only $5 a day, so, it's very easy to just park your car, go somewhere for the weekend, and have your car waiting when you get back. Whereas, most cities you have to take a cab to and from the airport, which is a pain in the a**.

Answer 6

It isn't quite paradise...but it's close!

The cost of living is avrerage.

The climate isn't as great as you suggest. It snows...a lot. And the winters can be dry, windy, and downright cold. But it is probably one of the best climates you'll find across the country.

The natural surrounding are reallly fantastic.

Fresh air? Well, better than a lot of places. But Denver has a notorious 'brown cloud' especially in the winter and there are several days throughout the year when the smog is so bad they recommend people don't spend much time outdoors. But most of the year, yes, indeed, the air is decent.

Decent job market? Yep.

Crime rate is average.

Culture? Well, there's your drawback. There really isn't any. Unless you're coming from Des Moins or Provo you are going to find the Denver metro area largely a cultural wasteland. It is often the biggest complaint from those from the coasts or a larger midwestern city.

Despite recent funding initiatives and various attempts at building faciliites and attracting cultural events, culture in Denver largely means "good worship music at church," "Broncos games," and "a good hike."

You just have to realize that Denver is really just a midwestern city with small town attitudes and a western flair. It's all about faith, family, and football and sophistication just isn't our thing.

It all obviously depends on what you're looking for. Denver is DEFINITELY not at all like Boston or Chicago or LA or San Francisco or anything like that. Denver's lack of nightlife and major suburban-orientation turns a lot of people off. Some people say that even urban Denver is really just like a suburb--surrounded by another giant mess of suburbs. It gives Denver sort of a clean, traditional, white bread, conservative feel. Some people find that utterly boring. But lots of people see that sort of an environment one that is easy in which to thrive.

People are friendly and welcoming--though a little reserved--and if you find a good job you'll probably love it. I'll caution you that Denver is way better for families than singles. You can enjoy Denver even if you're single--but if want to meet a spouse definitely look to the churches as that's where lots of the weekend action takes place. There are few places in America so good to raise a family. And you'll defintely find that Denver is the sort of place where people are geared towards getting married and getting on with having kids. And, I think, you'll find that to be a generally positive atmosphere.

Good luck and welcome!

Answer 7

i will in basic terms talk for Denver. that's positive place while you're into the exterior. inspite of the shown fact that, you should want to contain your self with activites as I relatively have chanced on that's difficult to make acquaintances until you have lived right here for relatively it sluggish. it is likewise between the "healthiest" places to stay, between the backside obseity expenditures interior the US. quite some bike trails, large interest branch, inspite of the shown fact that, no longer many "natives" stilllive right here and persons that are "natives" will carry it agaisnt you which you're no longer. The state is extensively republican, yet with the vast quantity of "transplants" that have moved right here interior the previous 2 a protracted time, that's growing to be to be extra democratic daily. Denver is likewise technically the "severe desolate tract", so that's totally dry, very low humidity, i could advise a hummidifier interior the iciness or you will ask your self your self once you walk around the room in many circumstances sufficient that that's irrating. inspite of the shown fact that, low allergeies are a great situation besides. Denver had 4 seasons, inspite of the shown fact that it is not unusal to have or no longer that's 60 or 70 in Decemeber. We get snoe, inspite of the shown fact that it does not final all that long on the floor. some days of light and that's all long gone. All in all i like it!

Answer 8

The cost of living isn't so low. Housing prices are pretty outrageous when compared to my hometown, and I found the houses to be very plain with very small kitchens when I was looking there. Traffic is a stone b$($( and prices for groceries and other things are higher than some places. There's a state income tax and a city work tax.

You are right about all the other stuff, though.

Answer 9

I moved from Orlando to Denver two years ago and it was a little bit hard because I miss my friends, etc...This city has a lot to offer.

Answer 10

We moved here from New Jersey in 1991. Best thing we ever did, loved it then , love it now, would never move . You'll get used to the thinner air in a week