Help me figure out what area for a family of 5 from VA

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by lady757

Thank you for all the great responses. It sounds like based on what I listed, I should focus on CS or certain parts of Denver, but not Fort Collins?

CS "is often windy." What about Denver and Ft Collins?

cos1147: Which do you prefer now that you have lived in both areas/states? So, no distinct 4 seasons?

phetaori: Yes. My husband is concerned with altitude and difficulty breathing as well. I assume those who have lived there for a good amount of time have acclimated to it, but I wonder how difficult it might be for someone coming from a relatively flat area.

Katiana: transient in what way...military or other?

One thing I'm really unclear of is how snow works there. In other words, are you seeing several consecutive days of snow? Are you having to shovel it out to get to work or does it melt quickly due to the abundant sun? Do you have to put on a gazillion layers of clothing to go outside? Does it snow more months than not?

The low humidity and low amount of bugs sounds excellent. I'm a bit concerned about the level of crime in Denver based on the stats here. What are the safe, family friendly areas within or on the outskirts of this city?

Thanks again.

Yes, military. There are several military bases there.

Re: snow-Generally not several consecutive days of snow, though an individual storm may last 24-36 hours. Based on my own experience of 34 years here in two different houses (both south facing), if you get more than about 2-3", you will have to shovel out your driveway, at least a little. Generally, once the snow stops, the sun comes out and will melt a lot of the snow, even if it doesn't get much above freezing. My daughter has a north facing driveway and a husband from Massachusetts where snow blowers are common, so they have a small snow blower. You'll want to shovel a path to the front door, steps, etc, especially if you're expecting company or you use your front door a lot.

The layering thing depends on how long you're going to be outside. Going shopping, or even waiting for the school bus, you don't need anything more than your regular winter clothes and a coat, maybe boots if it's real cold or getting real sloppy. Some schools require kids to have boots to go outside at lunch and recess. If you're planning to be out a while, you need more layers. It can feel really cold after dark. (I'm thinking of an outing we took to the Botanic Gardens last December to see the lights. It was pretty cold, and I wore leggings under my pants.)

I can't really speak to the crime. We lived in Denver for two years and were never crime victims; my daughter lived there for three years while in grad school and was never a victim, and she was out more at night than we are. Most of the areas are fairly safe.

[cos1147]

"cos1147: Which do you prefer now that you have lived in both areas/states? So, no distinct 4 seasons? "

After living in both Virginia (Hampton Roads, Richmond, Farmville, & DC) and Colorado (Colorado Springs) I much prefer Colorado especially for raising a family. There's things I miss about the east coast but every time I visit its so nice to come back to Colorado.

No, definitely no distinct seasons. You basically have Summer and Winter however during the few weeks the aspens are changing is quite nice!

[Shoneezy]

About the snow in the Colorado Front Range:

I used to live in Nebraska. It snowed all of the time, there was so much ice, and hardly any public road clearings.

Now, living in a Denver suburb, I feel it snows heavily 1-2 months out of the year. The rest of the winter, which is about 4-5 months, there is snow but the sun is also shining and I have built snowmen in shorts. The weather is extremely erratic, however! Each Colorado winter is never the same as the last.

On the Denver crime rate:

I would stay away from inner city living and push towards suburban living, which will offer you a larger sense of community, neighborhood watches, etc. However, I think you should contact a real estate agent as they will be able to take your criteria and push you in the neighborhoods that you will be more comfortable in.

Hope you enjoy Colorado!

[lady757]

Thank you everyone!

[MissTerri]

Originally Posted by lady757

What I like about VA: experiencing all 4 seasons, the trees, the bodies of water, the occ. thunderstorm

I think that you will be disappointed in Colorado if these are your favorite things about VA. There isn't a lot of water in Colorado. There aren't nearly as many tress as in Virginia. Thunderstorms occur here but not as frequently as in VA and they don't last as long. When it rains in Colorado it's usually a quick storm, not a long downpour. The weather is nice but Fall and Spring are not very distinct season here. I honestly don't think that Colorado is the right place for you. Staying on the east coast seems to make more sense if these are things that you love. Best of luck!