Colorado Haters (Denver: transplants, pros and cons, income)

[catw1101]

After leaving Colorado and living in various places, then ending up in Asheville, NC for a year, I really see what I took for granted in Colorado. Luckily, I get to move back at the end of August - to Southern Colorado where I can afford to live more simply with what I have going on in my life and where I feel there are still more opportunities for me for what I want to accomplish.

The constant wet, grey weather in winter and the summer humidity in NC was awful. I felt totally wiped out fighting fleas on my dog and look forward to living in a place where I don't have to put toxic chemicals on my dog because the natural stuff didn't work and I ended up with an infestation in my home. I also hate stink bugs and getting bit by one thing or another every time I want to take an evening walk. Hiking was not that fun anymore...

I really took my nice dry, sunny climate and how much better off I was health-wise (mentally and physically) for granted.

I didn't like Denver after 11 years (two different times living there), and I feel I was right to get out of there, but I would still take it over a lot of cities. I just couldn't afford it by now.

If I didn't have such a need for sunlight due to recurrent major depressive disorder and low humidity due to Fibromyalgia, migraines, and chronic fatigue, I would live in the Mid-West somewhere. Michigan is a pretty nice state. But really I just like the culture out West more after all this moving around.

I felt like I had more access to more progressive things to do and more interesting people to be involved with. Or they just felt easier to get to know and opportunities came around a lot easier to do what I wanted to do. If you didn't like one thing or another, there was a lot more to choose from and most people seem pretty open to giving you a chance.

I just feel like people are more down to earth and laid back in Colorado in general. But I understand that a lot of people from everywhere are now in Denver and the Front Range in general. This can be good and bad.

People are flocking to Asheville in droves, but many of them seem to fit some cultural or sub-cultural mold and I missed the diversity in Colorado.

My understanding was always that Denver never paid well but it pays a lot better than some places depending on what type of work you do. I think opportunities for networking are pretty good there.

I also look forward to seeing vast sunsets and being able to see anything past trees and smaller mountains. I felt pretty claustrophobic in Appalachia. I always thought I wanted to more greenery and more moisture in the air, but that comes at a price I can't pay.

What I have learned is that there is no optimal place for me really, so I have to figure out what I have to have in a place and what I can negotiate on - and then make the best of it. But I am done moving for a long time. It is not so easy to say you will try a place, move there, and then find out you really don't belong there. It's a great stress.

[Teufelshund20]

I can tell you, living here in North County San Diego has changed over the last almost 18 years. Colorado has nothing on the traffic nightmare out here. Crime out here is crazy, shootings, stabbings, gangs, robberies, assaults are out of control (I'm a former Deputy Sheriff). The high cost of living is driving many people away, Democratic politicians are continuously raising taxes. We pay for everything, including a rural fire tax in addition to our regular county fire taxes (I have a fire station 2 miles from my house). Perimeter around the house 100 feet is cleared.

I laugh at people that live in places they say are expensive, I'm sure many places are but try living in this state. People will always be migrating to places that offer them a better place to live because of the policies the politicians put in place (over-taxation). This is why I am getting out of here as well as it's not my home, I only retired from Camp Pendleton (USMC) and now I need to find my permanent home in Colorado.

[Apple Tree]

Colorado is a complicated state. Many states are complicated, but Colorado certainly is. Eastern Colorado is very different than Western Colorado. CoS is very different than Denver. Denver is very different than Boulder. If you flew here from outer space and landed in Aspen, your impression of Colorado would be very different than if you landed in Aurora.

States like South Carolina, Massachussets, Utah, etc. don't have that difference. Sure, there is a change in scenery and demographics as you drive around those states, but the difference is not as stark.

[bowlersp]

To the people saying there are no bugs in Colorado, you are delusional. I moved here from STL and so far I have found at least 3x more spiders/bugs in my house than when I lived in STL. And this was a week AFTER spraying with Top Quality Insecticide (Suspend SC), not the cheap crap you buy in your local Home Depot/Lowes....

[Sunderpig2]

Originally Posted by Apple Tree

Colorado is a complicated state. Many states are complicated, but Colorado certainly is. Eastern Colorado is very different than Western Colorado. CoS is very different than Denver. Denver is very different than Boulder. If you flew here from outer space and landed in Aspen, your impression of Colorado would be very different than if you landed in Aurora.

Great points. I'd add too that CO can appear one way when visiting and on vacation, and quite another when trying to live here, put down roots, and make ends meet (especially financially). It's easy to think, "Hey, why not live where we'd go to be on vacation?" Well, that's a nice idea, but not a sensible and practical one in reality for many. Relocation can work out great for some, but for others, a word of caution is sent out. This is all purely from experience. Negative? No. Reality? Yes. Kudos though to those who can "make it work" and enjoy it here.

[Kar54]

Certainly no scientific data to back me up, but it appears from my observation over these many years that 90% of comments in the Colorado forum are positive. Heck, if you note something negative you get hammered.

Many people move here are expecting nirvana, and for the most part they find or create it.

Look at the Utah forum. Many posters express hesitation about relocating there due to "Mormon-phobia". The mountains, lakes, National Parks, recreational opportunities all go by the wayside. These folks expect to find issues with Mormons, and guess what?... They usually will. Perception becomes reality.

[Rainbow Demon]

^^^^^^Very true sunderpig^^^^^^

However...if someone is willing to work hard and stay focused they can likely make it work....and with perseverance...can prosper...even in the most expensive areas many here scoff at/comment upon. (without ever truly experiencing any of it)

My family gave us mega-shat when we moved to Vail 30 years ago. "you'll be back in 6 months...broke...'cus it isn't like being on vacation".....

No....it isn't like being on vacation. It's BETTER! The views....the recreation right outside the door...the mid-week ghost town effect before all of the folks who pseudo-moved to the "mountains" and ended up in "Aurora" arrive for the weekend after their 4 hour drive up the hill with the rest of the oh-so-adventurous folks.....it's all pretty amazing when you are really living it and not just speculating about it from the Front Range or tapping into it on the weekend.....

you will make it work if you want it to work and have an open mind. If you think it's gonna be like "home" you will fail and fail fast....like some of the folks posting here have obviously done.

for us, other than having our children...moving to CO was the best thing we've ever done...followed by building a home here. We DO understand the "love/hate' some expel here...we felt it as well the first 5 years we were here because we HAD YET TO COMMIT TO STAYING. Once we dug the foundation for the house...everything changed because we had a TRUE stake here.

Best of luck to those of you trying to find the path. It's well-worn...but you won't find it looking behind you at what you left behind and miss "back home"...that's for sure.

As the old saying goes....."tis a privilege to live in Colorado"

[McGowdog]

Originally Posted by bowlersp

To the people saying there are no bugs in Colorado, you are delusional...

I'm not a bugologist or anything, but we got rain this year.

Originally Posted by SalesMane

I think that people are referring to mosquitoes not all bugs in general.

Well, mosquitoes for sure, but we've had a huge increase in all kinds of bugs, what with high water table and all.

[SalesMane]

Originally Posted by McGowdog

I'm not a bugologist or anything, but we got rain this year.

I think that people are referring to mosquitoes not all bugs in general.

[jim9251]

Originally Posted by bowlersp

To the people saying there are no bugs in Colorado, you are delusional.

Like I've said, where I live there are no bugs, zero. Now I can go to the top of the Grand Mesa or to Silverjack Reservoir and be eaten alive by mosquitoes, or to Delta or La Junta and be swarmed by flies. But where I live isn't ALL of Colorado, just like Denver isn't ALL of Colorado although people there think it is.

I am not delusional. I just act like it at times!