What exactly makes Colorado expensive? (Denver, Broomfield: rent, insurance, house)

[Frihed89]

I used to live in Boulder, CO. That was when Denver was a dump. Now, Denver is a great city in which to live.

What attracts businesses and people to Colorado are the amenities associated with the Rocky Mountains: views, hiking, fishing and hunting, winter sports, etc. In the 1960s when i first moved to Colorado, there was only one settlement between Denver and Colorado Springs, Castle Rock. Now the suburbs of both cities have spread continuously in both directions, meeting in Castle Rock.

What makes housing expensive? High demand always pushes up prices. Recessions push prices down. I built a 2850 sq ft house in 1991 in North Boulder for $285,000, including a 1/3 Acre lot. It's now worth over a million. Contact my ex-wife.

I go back every year. I like Denver, more and more. But I can't afford to.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Frihed89

In the 1960s when i first moved to Colorado, there was only one settlement between Denver and Colorado Springs, Castle Rock. Now the suburbs of both cities have spread continuously in both directions, meeting in Castle Rock.

We understand the point however the area between Castle Rock and the Douglas/El Paso County border (that is, the area south of Castle Rock) is designated open space (Greenland Open Space). You won't find too many homes or structures south of Castle Rock and north of Monument.

This is what is looks like.

[jwiley]

Originally Posted by spudmonkey

I am going to start off by apologizing for the length but I have some questions that I seem to be getting contrasting answers. Here’s the back story - I work as a Life Settlement Broker and my company is considering opening an office in Denver so my wife, two kids, and myself are contemplating relocating from the great Lone Star state of Texas (I had to throw that in for all you Texas haters out there) to Colorado, most specifically Evergreen. We settled on Evergreen because for us it seems to mirror our current location of McKinney. Now as ya'll know Texas and Colorado differ in some areas but what concerns us the most is the reported vast difference in the cost of living. I have been lurking on this site for a while now and it seems as if the expense of life in CO is one of the major concerns for all its inhabitants; but what exactly makes Colorado so expensive?

I have heard that its the cost of living but I found a site where you can compare the cost of living for two cities, and it shows that the cost of living in Denver is only 1.1% higher than Dallas but the pay rate is 3.9% higher in Denver than in Dallas, can this be true? Then I have heard that it’s the taxes that get you, but in previous posts the examples given for homes is less than what we currently pay and for CO to be 30th they can’t be all that bad. So where do the higher expenses come into play, everyday items such as groceries, gas for your car, dining out or is it mostly in utilities for heating/cooling your home, water and waste water?

Again I apologize for the length and I am sure some of ya’ll are tired of beating this dead horse but any information would be greatly appreciated.

The cost of living here is not as bad as some areas and worse then others.

Taxes are not really all that bad in Colorado, as of yet, but that will more then likely change.

Groceries, utilities, and water are worse here then most places that I have found.

The biggest problem in Colorado is the middle income jobs that are not tech or nursing related, they are not available in a big enough supply to support the people that are here, and so you are forced to take lesser jobs to make ends meet, leading to a frustration of not being able to support the lifestyle many would like. There was someone on here the other day saying she had a lawyer working for her for $11 hr at a call center due to lack of jobs, I personally know people with master degrees who are doing people's taxes for a certain company at $10 hr, several others who are working at call centers for less then $10 an hour that are certainly overqualified for those jobs.

Personally I was a top salesman in the mortgage business and cars, and even owned my own company for a few years, but have found I work less hours and make the same money working at a couple of other jobs due to companies cutting commissions with 100s or even 1000s of people applying for even commission only jobs these days. There are not a lot of options out there for guys like me, or many others unless you fit exactly what is needed out there in the tech or nursing fields.

[spudmonkey]

Thank ya'll for all your responses; some have helped and others have made me worry more. It's scary to think about up-rooting your family and if things don't work out your stuck in an environment where the availability of jobs is scarce, I can see why there are so many foreclosures. Thanks again.

[missingcol]

Originally Posted by Charles

We understand the point however the area between Castle Rock and the Douglas/El Paso County border (that is, the area south of Castle Rock) is designated open space (Greenland Open Space). You won't find too many homes or structures south of Castle Rock and north of Monument.

This is what is looks like.

The picture is really beautiful. I love it!
I am looking forward to moving to Denver someday from Bay Area. I, too, feel that Denver IS expensive!

[aapye]

I too am from the Mckinney area..and I have to say that while the housing cost is more..( I now live in Fort Collins) at least here its not much more than Collin County and the utilities are a lot less!!! we were very surprised!!! but you will not find good Barbecue here

[Mike78613]

Originally Posted by aapye

but you will not find good Barbecue here

...or Mexican food

[McGowdog]

Originally Posted by Shuffler

...the Front Range is well on it's way to becoming another L.A. from Pueblo to Cheyenne.

Pueblo? I'd like to know when Pueblo is going to explode. I've been waiting to see this happen for some 31 years! Honestly, I live here and don't consider it as part of the Front Range. Pueblo has always been about 100,000 people and holding steady. Over the last several year, Pueblo West is estimated at about 20,000 to maybe 25,000-with housing for about 35,000, but I think that P-Dub and Pueblo combined are no more than about 150,000. There is a big huge gap between Pueblo and Denver South-er Colorado Springs.

If Pueblo West and Fountain ever meet, I'll be shocked. If people come, they better bring jobs and water.

To the OP, If I could live between Castle Rock and Ft. Collins-I probably would. But I'm glad to be out of the rat race that is the Front Range. Nice place to visit.

[eagle06]

We're living in Grand Rapids and are possibly moving to Denver this fall. The on-line comparisons all showed Denver to have a higher cost of living. In our three trips out there so far however we haven't found this to be the case. Housing does seem to be a bit more (Our last apartment here was 2 beds for $700 and similar units in Denver are around $1000. I'd bet our old apartment had gone up though sense we left. I figure our condo will cost about $50k more out there.)

Other than housing though everything else seems comparable. Gas was actually cheaper and groceries were about the same.

[steveco.]

Originally Posted by McGowdog

Pueblo? I'd like to know when Pueblo is going to explode. I've been waiting to see this happen for some 31 years! Honestly, I live here and don't consider it as part of the Front Range. Pueblo has always been about 100,000 people and holding steady. Over the last several year, Pueblo West is estimated at about 20,000 to maybe 25,000-with housing for about 35,000, but I think that P-Dub and Pueblo combined are no more than about 150,000. There is a big huge gap between Pueblo and Denver South-er Colorado Springs.

If Pueblo West and Fountain ever meet, I'll be shocked. If people come, they better bring jobs and water.

To the OP, If I could live between Castle Rock and Ft. Collins-I probably would. But I'm glad to be out of the rat race that is the Front Range. Nice place to visit.

You are right the recent census estimate pegs pueblo at about 150,000 but the city actually just annexed a massive ranch northwest of the city. Plans are being drawn up for a huge development out there that will spread the area closer to colorado springs. The large push is the military base nearby and that is supposed to add thousands of troops stationed there by 2010. Right now it might seem like a distance but soon it could be solid development from pueblo to the springs.