Small town outside of Denver?

Question

I will be graduating college soon with a Marketing degree and I am looking to move to Colorado. I am assuming Denver would be the best place for jobs. I am willing to commute about an hour. I would like to live in a small town with around 3000 people at the most 5000. I would like a town with shops and eateries, (kind of like a main street usa feel.). I know this is a shot in the dark, but I thought someone on here should know a place! I have been looking online and found Evergreen, Lafayette and others, but they aren't suiting my needs. Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

I also recomend Idaho Springs...in the foothills leading to the Rockies

Answer 2

The problem is that anything within an hours commute will be mostly a "bedroom community" of people who work in Denver. It won't be like a small town in the middle of nowhere. And it won't have a population of 3000. It's not like you're the only one with a Denver job who wants to live outside the city.

The two obvious choices, for most people, are Golden and Castle Rock. Both have an old center, and aren't just suburbs. But living in the old centers is usually more expensive than living in a big suburban housing complex. Because a lot of people want just what you want. They're more like suburbs than small towns.

Idaho Springs is a bedroom community for tourists. Lots of motels, cheap restaurants, tourist shops. I go there for lunch sometimes, and it's fine for that. The surrounding hills are pretty, and many of the houses old. But it's not my idea of a charming place to live. It's up in the mountains. If you're going to live there, you'll need a 4WD, and the commute will be tough during winter storms.

If you're willing to sacrifice for the authentic small town feel, maybe Watkins or Bennett, old farming communities, now with some bedrooms, due East. They're in flat, mostly treeless land, and they'll roll up the sidewalks at night. The commute will get really old. But, in many ways, they're the closest thing to what you asked for.

Colorado is great place to live. Denver is a lively urban center. But, in many ways, it's no different than any big city. You're going to have to compromise, and no one can tell you how to do that.

Answer 3

Well if you are just looking for a suburb with an old style Main Street. I can think of, Littleton, Englewood, Morrision, Golden, Arvada, and Louisville.

To be in a "real" small town (3000 - 5000), you would probably have to be more then an hour commute from Denver.

Answer 4

Try Idaho Springs. Here's a webcam for the area, & a pizza place in the area, along with the town

Answer 5

Castle Rock, 45 min. south of Denver
http://www.townofcastlerock.org

Answer 6

Perhaps try Idaho Springs with 2200 people, is maybe on the small end of your range, 30 miles west of DenverL

http://www.idahospringsco.com/

Or Golden - population 17K but still pretty small-townish, 15km west of Denver:
http://ci.golden.co.us/

Answer 7

boulder
golden

good luck getting a job; colorado is NOT any easy place to find a job