What is like to live in Denver, CO?

Question

I mean really. I don't want somone to spout off crap from Wikipedia or some website that doesn't really delve into it.
I am looking for information on the best areas to live (cost, schools, diversity, cleanliness, safety), what the job market is like, what the weather is like, traffic conditions, the overall attitude of the people, etc.
Thanks!

Answer 1

I will answer from my personal perspective. My background: mid 20s, single male, professional job, for hobbies I am very outdoorsy (enjoy skiing/climbing) and I've lived in Chicago and San Fran for work prior to being sent to Denver.

Denver is a nice city to live in. It has a low cost of living (low property values/cheap property taxes), great weather (300 days of sun), close to mountains/skiing (about 60 miles to great skiing) and overall friendly people.

However, it lacks culture, diversity and an urban feeling compared to Chicago and San Fran (where I've lived in the past 5 years). In the CITY of Denver most people are relatively liberal and open minded. However, most people in the suburbs are conservative, closed minded and have a compete with the neighbors "keep up with the Jones's" mentality. Additionally, Denver natives have a wierd infatuation with the Broncos football team. Most people in San Fran and Chicago take football with a grain of salt, but Denver people take it way too seriously. As far as the job market, most people work corporate jobs and don't make a lot of money. I don't know what industry you are in, so, I can't tell you what the market is like for your industry.

My favorite neighborhoods in Denver are Washington Park, Lower Downtown, Highland and Cherry Creek. They all offer a somewhat unique/community feeling and allow you to walk to shops and restaurants. IMO, ALL Denver suburbs are terrible unless you enjoy living in a subdivision, eating at Chili's and driving from strip mall to strip mall to do your shopping.

Otherwise, the city is clean, traffic is not terrible compared to San Fran/Chicago. Schools are adequate but you may want to send your kids to private school if you want them to get a superior education. Property taxes are cheap.

Overall, I love Denver because I am outdoorsy and can have a balance of an urban lifestyle with an outdoorsy lifestyle and save a lot of money because it's cheap here compared to San Fran and Chi. Most people who are progressive but don't enjoy the outdoors don't like Denver. Hope that helps, remember, that's just my perspective and someone from Kansas/Nebraska may have a different view than me.

Answer 2

Denver may be the play where in actuality the glow may sunlight 300 days of year. Denver is a growing social scene, varied neighborhoods, and organic splendor mix for the world's most spectacular playground and with hotelbye you can see getting there. Denver is the place for: World-class attractions, organic miracles, flourishing arts world, lots of revolutionary and acclaimed restaurants and nightlife alternatives galore. Denver definitely first got it all. In Denver you can go to the Mount Evans and the Mount Evans Highway. The Mount Evans Highway is a periodic path which is closed during the winter months

Answer 3

I moved to the Denver area in March, from Michigan...so the cost of living is quite a bit higher than what I am used to...but you know what, the job market is booming compared to what I am used to as well (MI is #1 in unemployment currently and will be until Granholm is voted out of office).

I don't have kids in school, but my understanding is the schools are top notch. Highlands Ranch schools are some of the best in the nation.

Douglas County (South Denver area) was the fastest growing county in the nation last year in reagards to income and population.

I live in Littleton and I love it here. I can go into downtown whenever I choose, I can drive, take the bus, or take the 'Literail.' But if I never wanted to go into Denver proper I wouldn't need to. If I were looking for a place I would keep to the south and west of Denver...we never get hit hard by the storms, I haven't seen any flooding (there have been flash floods north of us) or high winds.

Highway traffic is bad during normal commuting times (you have 470, I 25, and I 70 which all basically circle the city) but knowing this you plan your day around it.

I have not met one rude or uppety person yet. Most people are like myself, transplants. I have only met one or two native Denver people since I have been here. I think that it makes it open and inviting because people know it is hard acclimating to a new area and they are nicer to you because of it. When we first came out to find a house we went to a local resturant and the nice young waiter gave us his phone number and told us to call him when we were moved and he would show us around the area...how many places will you find that???

I can't speak to the winters because I have not experianced one yet. I do know that they do not salt the roads here...they use mag-sulfate, they put it down before the snow comes so that it melts the snow when it comes down. I have been thru snow once here, and that system does not work so well. But my understanding is that it does not actually snow that much out here (though there were blizzards last winter, but being from Michigan I can handle snow so it doesn't bother me at all). The summer has been absolutly beautiful! Not too much rain (if anything would have liked to seen more rain), there is so much to do that you could do something different every week!

I never heard anything about a water shortage before we moved here and reading the answers to your question is the 1st I am hearing of it, so I don't know anything about that. I have heard of the "Denver Cloud" which is a fog of polution that our doctor warned us about where all the polutiants settle over Denver and you can't see the city until you get right up on it (he warned us because our kids have environmental allergies) but I have not seen or exprianced it...so I am not as worried as I was about it.

You would love it here if you came...how many places do you get so much city life and out door life right at your doorsteps!!!!

Answer 4

Of course much of these answers is subjective, but Ango-Americans in the City & County of Denver are now a minority.
The developers continue to build, build, build even though 25 years ago they were told there wasn't enough water to support all the projected growth. Guess what? They were right. Now, because of rampant building and the huge influx of people moving from other states, we have watering restrictions. In other words, those of us who have spent years and decades creating beautiful lawns and gardens are seeing them dry up. But at the new homes where sod has been laid, thay get more water to get their sod started.
The demand for now homes has driven the price through the roof and you can't hardly give and older home away. Traffic is terrible. Public transportation is okay for certain parts of the city.
The people have gotten to be real jerks. A lot of Denver sits in a low depression and in the winter we get these inversions and the pollution is so thick you can't see downtown Denver until you're within 3-4 miles of it. If you came from Jersey or LA or someof those places the cost of living won't be a problem until you discover that the wages are lower too. I read where one woman wrote that she and her husband moved from Southern California and didn't realize that it was going to cost so much to live out here. Funny, Californians are largely to blame for that. Jobs are not that plentiful unless you want to work for 10-12 dollars per hour and then you'll have to fight the illegal immigrants for them.

Answer 5

Denver is a great place to live if you choose a suburb. To live in the downtown area, is a choice that I would not make. There are so many exciting things to do in Denver and the RTD bus routes and new monorail system make it even easier to get where you want to go. The shopping is fabulous, the skiing and boarding are close and the arts are everywhere. Right now the Museum of Science has the Titanic display. Excellent Saturday afternoon. Don't like the Arts, try the Zoo or a Rockies game. Winter months the Avs and the Broncos receive a lot of attention. The school systems are great anywhere in Colorado. My bias answer... GO RAMS!!!! Beat the Buffs!!!!

Answer 6

i live in Highlands Ranch, Colorado
its about 30 minutes from Downtown Denver.
it has houses from $250,000 to $2,000,000
it is NOT dumpy at all.
Maybe the classiest suburb i've ever lived in. The education system is extremely important to the community and has amazing schools. The diversity is about 90% cocasian and 10% other. Job market is great. I personally think the weather couldnt be better. We get sunny and 70's almost everyday and an afternoon thunderstorm every few days that are never severe. Traffic is really no big deal. People are really friendly and its an amazing place to start a family! hope this helps you

Answer 7

if ur planning on moving here, find out what school ur gonna be going to. if ur school is in denver, dont live anywhere near capitol hill. its the ghetto!!! i would never live anywhere near there. its in the middle of downtown. and its not very clean, for being such a big city. i suggest looking for somewhere outside of denver. the denver area is a big and long stretch. i live in northglenn, which is like 10 minutes away from denver. the job market is alright. it could be better, because of gas prices and taxes. denver is actually a very expensive place to live in, thats my opinion. i was fortunate to find a 1 bd, 1 bath apartment for $450/month. free cable, water, heat and gas. I only pay rent and electric. before this place i was less the 1/4 mile away and was paying $800/month for 1 bd 1 bath. nothing was free. gated, beautiful and safe, but toooo much.

the average person, i dont know if it applies anywhere else in america, but i heard about it in CO, has to make @ least 42k a year to be able to afford a decent size home, car and be able to survive by themselves. the average person, realisticly, makes about 25-30k a year. there is no more of the upper, middle, and lower class anymore. ur either rich or poor. im considered poor.

in my opinion, minimum wage needs to go up, way up. the average single person should be able to afford a 1 bd, 1 bath apartment ( average cost is $700/month ), car payment ( $300-$400/month ), food, utilities, and put gas in their car ( full tank ). i make $12.00 an hour plus over time and double over time about other week and with my bf's income, and we're still considered poor. thats, myself alone, i bring home every week about $550 to $675 per week!!! after taxes!!!! no kids, no pets. just me and my bf.

sorry if i got off track...

all in all, denver is pretty cool. everyone, ( races ) gets along w/ each other. as long as u dont crack any racial jokes/remarks.

Answer 8

Well, I live in Denver. The downtown area is pretty dirty, but overall it's good. You can see the state capital building from a distance. There are sometimes traffic jams. Weather is: Cold and REALLY snowy in winter, warm/breezy in spring, hot in summer, hot/breezy in fall.

Answer 9

I live in Castle Rock a town about 30 min. south of Denver.Moved here from Jersey 15 Years ago. Best thing I ever did .You'll love it here.. Traffic is nothing compared to back east. Sunny and warm all summer but almost no humidity.Hardly ever a rainy day. just afternoon thundershower that pass through quickly. Winters are a piece of cake too. Great job market.
Check out http://www.townofcastlerock.org

Answer 10

i like it here, i live in the suburbs close to boulder. i wouldn't live anywhere near aurora or federal boulevard. there is a huge hispanic community here, more than white people.
the winter here is kinda hard if you don't like snow.