Looking for a small town (Denver, Boulder: house, best schools, gated communities)

[Devon1976]

Hello everyone. We are currently living in a town that we are not satisfied with and are looking to move somewhere else. Colorado is one of the states we are looking at. If anyone could help me find a small town in CO that would be great. Here is what I am looking for:

-Less than 20,000 people
-No more than 45 minutes away from Denver
-Walkable downtown
-Upper middle class/upper class
-Great schools. I have three daughters; ages 6, 3, and 1.
-Extremely safe

Thank you! =)

[jazzlover]

Short answer: almost impossible to find. Most communities near the Denver metroplex are typical latter-day suburban automobile-dependent sprawled suburbs. The best you may do is an "enclave" community within the sprawl. There are a few of those.

[Market Mama]

Originally Posted by Devon1976

Here is what I am looking for:

-Less than 20,000 people
-No more than 45 minutes away from Denver
-Walkable downtown
-Upper middle class/upper class
-Great schools. I have three daughters; ages 6, 3, and 1.
-Extremely safe

Thank you! =)

Most everything less than 45 minutes away from Denver in any direction is part of the mega sprawl usually just all lumped together as the "Front Range", or one of the few old mountain towns with awful schools. Any town with less than 20,000 people won't have the tax base for "great" schools, unless you find one of the exclusive gated communities that caters to the upper class -- hope you're very rich!

If you're willing to be a bit more flexible, check out Boulder. Outside of the large student population, most of it is solid middle class with a smattering of the truly wealthy who live together in clumps here and there. The schools aren't all that bad (check'um out) and it's about as safe as it gets outside a walled enclave. It's also got a beautiful and real downtown area, is a wonderful gateway into the mountains, and has some fabulous restaurants.

[Devon1976]

Did some more research and I like the following towns:

Applewood
Evergreen
Greenwood Village
Louisville
Stonegate

Which one has the best schools? Which one would you recommend?

[Katiana]

Originally Posted by Devon1976

Did some more research and I like the following towns:

Applewood

Is a suburb of Denver. I think there is a thread about Applewood either here or on the Denver forum. Jefferson Co. Schools, the largest district in Colorado

Evergreen

A mountain "town" though unicorporated. Jefferson Co. Schools.

Greenwood Village

Suburban Denver. Location of the Denver Tech Center. I don't know the SD.

Louisville

Old coal mining town that has become a suburb of both Denver and Boulder. (I live there.) Boulder Valley Schools, another large SD.

Stonegate

Not familiar with this place.

Which one has the best schools? Which one would you recommend?

If you really want mtn living, go with Evergreen. If you just want to be close to the mtns, go with Applewood or Louisville. Jeffco, BVSD are comparable school districts. I don't know the others well enough to recommend/not recommend.

[Brockage]

Morrison -- and surrounding "little villages."

[High Altitude]

Evergreen has great schools. At greatschools.net I believe all the jefferson county, Evergreen schools rate a 9 or 10 out of 10 with excellent performance ratings.

Plus if the main public schools don't work for you with have private and a charter school.

I don't know the population but I am sure it is around 20k or less, it's middle/upper class, we have a small walkable main st and if you live on the north side of town you will be 45min or less from Denver.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Devon1976

Hello everyone. We are currently living in a town that we are not satisfied with and are looking to move somewhere else. Colorado is one of the states we are looking at. If anyone could help me find a small town in CO that would be great. Here is what I am looking for:

-Less than 20,000 people
-No more than 45 minutes away from Denver
-Walkable downtown
-Upper middle class/upper class
-Great schools. I have three daughters; ages 6, 3, and 1.
-Extremely safe

Thank you! =)

What is your price range?

[rwisenrich2]

Ok i got the town for you Kittredge it's small in the mtns yet 25-30 min drive to downtown Denver. Only two miles to downtown Evergreen it has all kind's of shop's, coffee shacks, and Good eating. School are good wilmount elem. is where my kids went wonderful teachers. The best part is bear creek runs right down the canyon, great parks all the way from Morrison up to Evergreen. If you live any where in that area you will love it.

check it out http://www.city-data.com/city/Kittredge-Colorado.html

p.s. find a house that has southern exposure or you will be waist deep in snow all winter trust me i lived on the north side of the mtn. dosen't melt away on that side.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Devon1976

Did some more research and I like the following towns:

Applewood
Evergreen
Greenwood Village
Louisville
Stonegate

Which one has the best schools? Which one would you recommend?

What did you get when you you researched the education web sites? What data did you look at? How long did you analyze the data?