Moving back to GJ after many years? (Denver, Grand Junction: employment, university)

[GA91]

I grew up in Grand Junction but moved away several decades ago—not because I didn't like it but because my first job after college ended up being out of state. Subsequent jobs, marriage, corporate relocations, etc., have kept me moving, and I never imagined moving back for reasons too complicated to discuss here. However, the possibility unexpectedly came up the other day. My spouse has never lived there. Much discussion would be needed before we made a decision. However, I've been living in much larger metropolitan areas for years (the population where I live now is 5 million, compared to maybe 40,000-60,000 in GJ), and the population is significantly more diverse. While I'd love to go back to my hometown and the fabulous scenery, I'm not sure that I could adjust. I never envisioned retirement to a small town, and I was fine with the idea of staying where we are. Colorado tugs at my heart, but my head says going back might not be a smart idea. Any thoughts on this kind of transition?

[NW Crow]

I'll How many things do you do in the big city that you can't do or can't do to the standard you are accustom to in GJ? Is it mostly weekend stuff? Could you do enough of it on 4-8-12-24 weekends a year on road trips to Denver, Aspen, Vail, Salt Lake City? Would vacation trips to big cities including your current one make it acceptable? How bad would it be if you moved and didn't like it after 1-3 years? Could you go back? Right now, it sounds like the concerns are pretty deep. You can explore the concerns. Maybe you can reduce them. You probably need to if you are going to do it.


Depending on how closely you have kept tabs on it, you might find GJ has more going on than you remember or expected, though it will not match a big city's variety & depth.

[davebarnes]

Employment opportunities?
Restaurant requirements?
Cultural amenities (museums, pro sports) requirements?
Buy or rent?

[GA91]

I sometimes joke that I lead a really exciting life here in the big city (I live in an outlying county of the "big city," but there are still nearly a million people here). The places I most often go are to the library, the grocery store, PetsMart, a book club meeting, and a few other every day destinations. I'm self-employed and work at home, so I don't have to commute. Come the start of the arts season in September, I will be going to concerts, plays, etc., around the metro area, some in my immediate vicinity, others requiring an hour or more on the road or transit system to get to. Ironically, I often skip events I'd really like to attend because I'm just not up to the commute, especially if I'd have to deal with weeknight rush hour on our Interstate system, so there could be advantages to being in a smaller area. Also, I'm aware that Grand Junction has those activities too, although certainly not as many given the size of the town, but because of the university, attracts visiting artists, speakers, exhibits, etc. And as long as my husband and I are able, we could drive to Denver for the activities that aren't available in Grand Junction. To me, the real attraction of moving back to the West is the scenery, the abundance of national parks. I've learned to appreciate the natural wonders of the Southeast, but they don't stir my heart in the same way. We might consider other cities, but we don't want to shovel snow all winter or live where t's really hot, like Phoenix or Tucson. I'm not sure how many cities in the Four Corners states might be large enough from the standpoint of medical facilities and activities yet have a decent climate. If California was affordable (and not in a perpetual drought), we would consider several cities there.