Boulder Versus Flagstaff? (Denver, Fort Collins: extended stay, affordable apartments, rentals)

[CCCVDUR]

I'm early 30's in Flagstaff, AZ and experiencing difficulties with finding work due to double digit unemployment, and the Northern Arizona recession. I may stay if I end up starting a business that I've been planning for awhile. However, I really would prefer an area with a healthier economy.

What is your unemployment rate in Boulder?

One problem here in Flagstaff is competing with the college students for jobs. Businesses prefer to hire students at Northern Arizona University. Do you have a similar issue with students at UC competing with others for jobs?

Another problem in Flagstaff is lack of safe, drug-free, temporary housing for newcomers moving to town. If I came to Boulder, would I be able to find an extended stay apartment w/o meth and crime for a few weeks while I find a place to rent?

And that brings up another question. Here in Flagstaff we have severe competition with the students for housing. Do you also have competition with students for rentals in Boulder?

The other problem we have in Flagstaff is no Employment placement agencies for newcomers sponsored by the City. Does the City of Boulder have employment placement centers for newcomers to find jobs?

And finally, the other problem we have in Flagstaff is unhappiness because of the local economy. People are withdrawn and taciturn since they are working 2 or 3 jobs in order to keep up with expensive rents. I had money coming into this place, I don't have it anymore. Will I need to work 2 $10/hour jobs in Boulder to afford the rents?

Depending on the answers to these questions, I'll decide whether to relocate to Boulder, or start my small business in Flagstaff.

Thanks...and I am voicing the concerns of many here in Flagstaff who are big fans of mountain towns like Boulder and will appreciate your responses...I've posted something similar on the Flagstaff forum...
-Tom

[POhdNcrzy]

Boulder has the same problem LA does. Not enough housing for the people. Rents are expensive and most of the time the market is quite tight. For lower income people, more affordable apartments tend to be shabby and poorly maintained. Houses are nice, but you'll need one person/bedroom to afford it.

And yes, you are competing with tons of college students for the available housing and jobs.

Tom, don't forget, their are tons of people living all around Boulder, including Denver right down the road. Compared to Flagstaff, the economy has to be much larger overall, and probably a better place to start a business. What is the business you wanna start?

[tfox]

No, I wouldn't say Boulder share's Flagstaff's problem with underemployment. You see that sort of thing in mountain areas like summit county, and to a lesser extent in Colorado's other college town, Fort Collins. Boulder actually does have a pretty healthy supply of jobs (at least in normal economy) and salaries are fairly good -- at least in line with the rest of Metro Denver.

As you surmised, housing in Boulder is often tight and tends to command a premium in rent over most of Metro Denver, though it's not AS expensive as you'd find in many of the mountain resort areas. Affordable extended stay hotels are likely going to be found more often in Boulder County or along 36 rather than in Boulder itself.