Interested in the Eastern Plains (Denver, Fort Collins: for sale, cheap home, job market)

[northstar22]

Hi,

I'm sure you've gotten tons of posts like this before, but I figure I might as well ask this anyway. I'm a recent college grad from Michigan who may be looking to relocate to a better job market. I'm interested in Colorado, but unlike most out-of-staters who come here, I don't want to be anywhere near the mountains. I'm interested in the Eastern Plains. I want to see corn, cows, and prairie, not mountains. I want a Midwestern, as opposed to a Western, feel.

I really don't know much about the area, except that it's flat and the job market is much better than Michigan. A quick Google search revealed the towns of Burlington, Sterling, Greeley, Limon, Wray, and Lamar. Anyone know anything about these areas? I would prefer a larger town with things to do, but not a major metro area.

[Itz]

Ok.. I know Sterling.. and that area .. CORN, a few COWS, and TONS or prarie.. job market - im not sure of.. most of the small towns are "drying" up as the job markets are not there as these are generally farming communities. hence.... farming! ha-ha. GREAT area.. That area is a get away for me.. QUIET... small town.. GOOD MEAT at the grocery store (5.99 rib eyes that are PHENOMENAL).. it's the small town.

Sterling is a larger small town.. more things to do...

you don't say what work you do?.. so that may or may not be a factor. Currently in one of the small towns in the area there are a few companies working on the wind mill farms - projects... VERY interesting to learn about actually....

Sterling is a larger town.. with much smaller towns around it. (one of my favorites is in a smaller town around that area... WHICH... I happen to know of a great house for sale... *shameless plug*.. Taxes on it are only like $300 a year... and my house in the metro area is almost $1300 a year and they are about the same amount in value... thats just wrong!

[gmm_24]

Do what cow tiping? lol I know a few people who live in Sterling and Limon but there is nothing to do out there so they come this way. I have no idea about their job market. It is not too great out here but not as bad an unemployment rate as Michigan.

Greeley is not the Eastern Plains, it is a small town that I find confusing when I drive through it It is about half an hour North of me up Highway 85 and it does have shopping, a "mall" I use that term loosely and probably more job opportunies. You can live on the outskirts of town or north or south of there and be country. Then you can pop into Greeley or down to Denver in less than and hour.

[Josseppie]

Honestly you might want to look at Pueblo as well. Its about 100,000 people and has more of a mid western feel.

The link to the web page here for more information: Pueblo and Southern Colorado - (CO) - City-Data Forum

[vegaspilgrim]

Also look at Cheyenne, Wyoming. It definitely feels like a true plains city.

[bluescreen73]

Originally Posted by kazoopilot

Hi,

I'm sure you've gotten tons of posts like this before, but I figure I might as well ask this anyway. I'm a recent college grad from Michigan who may be looking to relocate to a better job market. I'm interested in Colorado, but unlike most out-of-staters who come here, I don't want to be anywhere near the mountains. I'm interested in the Eastern Plains. I want to see corn, cows, and prairie, not mountains. I want a Midwestern, as opposed to a Western, feel.

I really don't know much about the area, except that it's flat and the job market is much better than Michigan. A quick Google search revealed the towns of Burlington, Sterling, Greeley, Limon, Wray, and Lamar. Anyone know anything about these areas? I would prefer a larger town with things to do, but not a major metro area.

As other posters have mentioned, your desired occupation will play more of a factor in your choice of locales than anything else.

Greeley's on the plains but really isn't considered a plains city. It's a part of the massive Front Range hustle and bustle. It's an hour from Denver and 30-40 minutes from Fort Collins. It's also the largest city in your list of choices with a "metro" population of about 100,000.

The rest of the towns on your list are all under 12,000 population and are mostly agricultural communities.

The Eastern Plains don't really have a midwestern feel to them at all. It's a beautiful area, but the landscape is primarily rolling grassland with few trees.

If you've got your heart set on living there, you might want to check out Fort Morgan and Brush. They're on the plains but only 90 miles from Denver and 60 miles from Greeley. Again, they're primarily agricultural towns so finding a job may not be easy.

[jazzlover]

josseppie,

I've spent a fair amount of time in the Midwest and I know Pueblo pretty well, too. Pueblo may be a lot of nice things, but a "Midwestern" feel? There is nothing Midwestern about it. It is a Western town, through and through. The only thing remotely different about it is the steel mill. Even that has a more gritty Western feel than anything from the Midwest or East. If you must constantly pimp Pueblo, at least be accurate about it. There is nothing wrong with Pueblo being a small Western city. It's way preferable to your tinted vision of it--today or what you wish it to be.

[northstar22]

For anyone interested in my career path: I majored in aviation, and would like to work in that field. Beyond that, anything is acceptable.

[northstar22]

Originally Posted by Josseppie

Honestly you might want to look at Pueblo as well. Its about 100,000 people and has more of a mid western feel.

The link to the web page here for more information: Pueblo and Southern Colorado - (CO) - City-Data Forum

Pueblo's a bit too far west for me - too close to the mountains and the tourists. I would rather be somewhere where I can't see the Rockies.

[bostontopueblo]

Prehaps La Hunta or Las Animas? (Really cheap homes, see puebloareahomes.com)