Where to Relocate...53 year old single female teacher (Denver, Fort Collins: sales, real estate)

[forward thinking]

My children live in Denver and Boulder. I am looking to relocate and teach in Colorado. I want to be closer to my adult children. I'd like to live in a community that is more on the liberal-minded side, a mixture of families and singles, and safe. I am newly divorced, in my early 50's, and would like to teach in a high rated school district. I love the mountains and would like to have a close drive to hiking trails. I love Boulder, but it is very expensive for my budget, and not enough people closer to my age group. I like a mix of ages. Any suggestions for places to live?

[Idunn]

In a lot of respects Boulder would fit your criteria, and despite all the freshmen at CU still probably a healthy contingent of older hippies, and just those with a few years on the odometer in residence. But there is of course the question of the high cost of living due real estate. Even if the hiking trails from town are some of the best in Colorado.

Another option, similar to Boulder, could be Fort Collins. Much the same vibe, but not as congested or expensive. With hiking trails as well, but not as superlative as from Boulder. Both Ft. Collins and Boulder will have excellent school districts, as well as other communities along the front range.

However with either of these places, or anywhere else in the state, there will be the issue of employment. If checking the the Colorado forum, you'll find a lot of similar queries from teachers. The honest, and accurate, replies they more usually receive is that even teachers established in this state are having a rough time. Not that such an enterprise is necessarily impossible, but there are the odds and what you are facing.

[jazzlover]

Quite bluntly, school districts in most of Colorado are now in an employment contraction mode, due to continuing budgetary problems. There is an initiative on the Colorado ballot this fall to increase both sales tax rates and income tax rates to try to increase school revenue. Given the poor health of much of the Colorado economy and people's general distaste for new taxes in this state, I expect the initiative to fail miserably in the upcoming election next month.

In that caustic environment, many districts are confronting teacher layoffs. Where there is turnover, districts are generally replacing retiring teachers with new teachers just out of college (if they replace them at all)--which, of course, they can employ at much lower salaries. So, "x" number of years experience teaching elsewhere may be of little use to you in securing a teaching position here, or--if you do by chance get hired--you may not get credit for a number of years of that experience in the salary that you will receive.

As I've pointed out before many times, there can be a strong unspoken bias toward hiring local residents as teachers, especially in the smaller, non-metropolitan districts. To get a teaching job in Colorado, you may have little choice as to where you go--the inner city schools in the metro area or some of the poorest-paying rural districts are usually where job openings occur because of turnover. Aside from those places, most current Colorado teachers hold onto their jobs like they are gold because they are some of the few decent-paying relatively secure (though the latter can't even really be said these days) jobs left in much of Colorado.

[Neditate]

There are plenty of baby boomers living in Boulder and the surrounding areas. There was recently an article in the paper (Daily Camera) about the aging population using data from the last census. Many of the people I know who live there went to CU in the 70s and stayed (they are not aging hippies ).
But if Boulder is out of your price range, there's Lafayette, Louisville, Longmont, Broomfield, Golden, Arvada... to name a few.

[CosmicWizard]

jazzlover wrote:

Quite bluntly, school districts in most of Colorado are now in an employment contraction mode, due to continuing budgetary problems. There is an initiative on the Colorado ballot this fall to increase both sales tax rates and income tax rates to try to increase school revenue. Given the poor health of much of the Colorado economy and people's general distaste for new taxes in this state, I expect the initiative to fail miserably in the upcoming election next month.

In that caustic environment, many districts are confronting teacher layoffs. Where there is turnover, districts are generally replacing retiring teachers with new teachers just out of college (if they replace them at all)--which, of course, they can employ at much lower salaries. So, "x" number of years experience teaching elsewhere may be of little use to you in securing a teaching position here, or--if you do by chance get hired--you may not get credit for a number of years of that experience in the salary that you will receive.

As I've pointed out before many times, there can be a strong unspoken bias toward hiring local residents as teachers, especially in the smaller, non-metropolitan districts. To get a teaching job in Colorado, you may have little choice as to where you go--the inner city schools in the metro area or some of the poorest-paying rural districts are usually where job openings occur because of turnover. Aside from those places, most current Colorado teachers hold onto their jobs like they are gold because they are some of the few decent-paying relatively secure (though the latter can't even really be said these days) jobs left in much of Colorado.

This is all true as far as it goes, but it fails to recognize that everyone is different. What may apply to 99% of the people may not apply to the other 1%. Good karma just flat out overrides all of the cold hard facts. Maybe the OP falls into the 1% category.

[skibarbie]

I love that sentiment Cosmic and thanks for putting that out there too!

[NW Crow]

Some possibilities


Castle Rock- highest population growth rate since 2000 among towns over 10,000 population (so schools there have been expanding, adding teachers beyond retiree replacement), 40% single adults (national average is 53%), slightly younger in median age than national average (but still almost 40% between 35-60). I assume the school are good. Median home sale prices reportedly over $100,000 less than Boulder. Not as liberal in voting as many front range cities.

Broomfield- top 15 in population growth, over 50% single adults , slightly younger in median age. I assume the school are good. Median home sale prices less than Castle Rock but more liberal in voting.

Black Forest- top 10 in population growth, only a bit over 30% single adults, slightly older in median age (just over 40). I assume the school are at least pretty good. Median home sale prices are a bit more than Castle Rock; about as conservative in national voting.

Loveland- top 20 in population growth, middle of the group on single adults, and median age. I assume the school are at least pretty good. Median home sale prices are the lowest in the group; about as liberal in national voting as Broomfield.

2 cities to the north, 2 to the south of Denver. You might check them out and see what you think of them. And maybe Lafayette and Louisville and others. And perhaps smaller towns around them if you are inclined.

In the Denver metro itself Columbine and Littleton have amongst the highest average ages in the state (median age 42-44). No population growth. Middle of the pack housing prices. I assume good schools but somebody else could speak to that issue or you can check one of the school rating sites on the web. Fairly liberal voting.

All these places are at least average on safety, most better than that.