Moving to Craig, need advice (Denver, Grand Junction: rentals, insurance, felon)

[Justwondering2008]

Hello,
We are moving to Craig Colorado from Indiana because of a family situation and I am just wondering what we can expect when we get there?

Q. Is the job market good for people who don't have a college education?
Q. Is affordable housing available? Or what would one expect to pay for a 2 bedroom house (renting)
Q. How many months out of the year would you say that its cold?


I'd really just like to get some opinions on Craig itself.

Thanks so much!

[Crueladev]

Get used to listening to Spanish, there is lower income housing, it is cold about 6-8 months out of the year...

and last but not least...Just remember...you can always escape to Steamboat Springs!

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

Because the cost of housing in Steamboat is so high, a lot of people live in Craig and commute to Steamboat every day. So there may be some competition for housing. However, if you are moving now you are better off because you won't be competing with seasonal workers at the ski area.

I lived in Steamboat for three years and assume that the weather in Craig is similar since it's right down the road. Winter is from about October to May, meaning that there's a lot of snow on the ground and around about March you'll be driving down to Denver to see something green. Don't know much about what's in Craig for shopping, etc. Go to the city-data home page and type in "Craig". All sorts of good information will come up.

[Justwondering2008]

Thanks for replying. It seems there are a few different opinions of Craig after reading some posts on the forum. We are moving to Craig to be with our daugther and our new grandbaby. We had signed up for job opportunities to be emailed to us from some of the local areas and it seems like there are a lot in and around Craig. Since we'll be living with our daughter for the first month or so we are hoping that finding a job won't be too hard.

Thanks for writing back.

[bluescreen73]

Originally Posted by Dreaming of Hawaii

I lived in Steamboat for three years and assume that the weather in Craig is similar since it's right down the road. Winter is from about October to May, meaning that there's a lot of snow on the ground and around about March you'll be driving down to Denver to see something green. Don't know much about what's in Craig for shopping, etc. Go to the city-data home page and type in "Craig". All sorts of good information will come up.

I lived in Craig for 8 years growing up and even though they're 40 miles apart, the climates of Craig and Steamboat are VERY different. Craig sits on the eastern edge of a high mountain desert and the landscape in and around Craig is dominated by sagebrush, prickly pear cactus, scrub oak, and other small brush. Granted there are trees in Craig proper, but once you get out of town you won't see many of them. Steamboat has a lot more trees and lush vegetation.

Craig is sunnier and drier than Steamboat year-round. Craig also tends to be 5-15 degrees warmer than Steamboat Springs.

That being said, your first and last freezes are typically in mid-September, and early May, respectively.

The job market is dominated by coal mining, ranching, and the power plant. My dad has worked at the power plant for 23 years now and he doesn't have a college education.

Compared to the rest of the overpriced real-estate market in Colorado, Craig is still fairly affordable. The house prices themselves may be higher, but the state's property tax rates and homeowner's insurance costs are very low.

"Shopping" (if you can call it that) has gotten much better in Craig since I lived there. They have a Wal-Mart now and 2 chain grocery stores, Safeway and City Market. Craig also has a K-Mart, but with Wal-Mart on the scene I think its days are numbered. If you want to do any real shopping - malls, etc, you'll have to drive to Grand Junction, 160 miles southwest of Craig.

[skyinvestor]

Hi,
My wife and I are considering a move to Craig for a job opprotunity that she has at the hospital. We visited last weekend and it was about what we expected. I have a couple concerns and was wondering if anyone had any information.

1) We are both pretty progessive in our political views and non-religious. Will we have a tough time meeting like minded people here? I know that this is a pretty conservative, religious area but is there a small minority of people more like us?

2) We are in our early 30s is anthing to do here socially? I know there is a pretty big parks and recs department and lots of hunting and outdoor activities.. but is there anything else? I like to boat, bike, kayak, fly fish. I

3) It seems that most of the people in this community are associated with the power plant and energy development. If we are not in those circles will we be shut out?

4) Everyone in Craig thinks they are in for another boom due to energy development. We want to buy a house but most of the homes look really crummy and not much new stuff has been built since the last boom. Most new homes are modulars. Im concerned about resale value if we buy a nice home. If the area goes bust again.... Is the boom for real?

5) What kind of options are there for rural internet service? We want to buy a home in the country (out of town) but my job requirs a good internet connection.

6) There are like zero places to rent in Craig. Why is this? Why are there not more homes if the demand is there?

7) Is Hayden an option? 20-30 minute commute but there does not seem to be much to Hayden except overpriced new homes...

Any info would be greatly appreciated,
Thanks
Ethan

[bluescreen73]

Hey Ethan,
It seems like I'm the de facto person to answer folks' posts about Craig. I'll give you my advice with a nugget, rather than a grain, of salt. I haven't lived in Craig in 16 years; however, most of my family is still there.

Originally Posted by skyinvestor

1) We are both pretty progessive in our political views and non-religious. Will we have a tough time meeting like minded people here? I know that this is a pretty conservative, religious area but is there a small minority of people more like us?

To say Craig is fairly hardline conservative would be the understatement of the century. There were 3x more votes cast for Bush/Cheney than there were for Kerry/Edwards in '04. That aside I wouldn't call Craig overtly religious, either. My folks don't attend church and they're hardly ostracized for it.

Originally Posted by skyinvestor

2) We are in our early 30s is anthing to do here socially? I know there is a pretty big parks and recs department and lots of hunting and outdoor activities.. but is there anything else? I like to boat, bike, kayak, fly fish.

What kind of boating do you like to do? Plenty of folks boat at Elkhead Reservoir, about 15 miles east of town. Some travel to Flaming Gorge or Red Fleet Reservoirs in eastern Utah - about 150 miles away.

Biking isn't huge around Craig, but once a year they hold the "Where The Hell is Maybell" ride. It's a 30 mile trek from Craig to Maybell.

I've never done it but I imagine you can kayak the Yampa and it'd be a decent trip through Dinosaur National Monument.

There are a lot of places to go fly fishing. The Green River in Dinosaur National Monument and Trappers Lake in the Flat Tops Wilderness Area are 2 popular locales.

Originally Posted by skyinvestor

3) It seems that most of the people in this community are associated with the power plant and energy development. If we are not in those circles will we be shut out?

I don't think they'll shut you out if you don't work at the plant or one of the mines. Ranching is also huge in and around Craig.

Originally Posted by skyinvestor

4) Everyone in Craig thinks they are in for another boom due to energy development. We want to buy a house but most of the homes look really crummy and not much new stuff has been built since the last boom. Most new homes are modulars. Im concerned about resale value if we buy a nice home. If the area goes bust again.... Is the boom for real?

Craig may well be in for another energy boom. Natural Gas companies have been trying to get the state to open up more of the Vermillion Basin northwest of Craig. Plus the natural gas development on the Roan Plateau, along with possible oil shale development on the Colorado Plateau will impact Craig.

Most of the houses in Craig were constructed during the late 70s and early 80s when the power plant was built and added onto. My parents live in a 30 year old house, themselves. There's always the chance any boom could go bust.

Craig (and Hayden) are benefitting from all the big money being plunked into Steamboat. Home prices in Steamboat are ridiculously out of line with the average salary because all of the multi-millionaires and their vacation homes. This can only benefit places like Craig and Hayden as people find they just can't afford to live in Steamboat.

Originally Posted by skyinvestor

5) What kind of options are there for rural internet service? We want to buy a home in the country (out of town) but my job requirs a good internet connection.

If you're not living in Craig proper you may have to do something like HughesNet. Craig itself does have broadband although I'm not sure of who the players are.

Originally Posted by skyinvestor

6) There are like zero places to rent in Craig. Why is this? Why are there not more homes if the demand is there?

Can't explain why the builders haven't come in to build, but the rentals are most likely occupied by transient workers in the natural gas industry. Roughnecks and the likes.

Originally Posted by skyinvestor

7) Is Hayden an option? 20-30 minute commute but there does not seem to be much to Hayden except overpriced new homes...

Sure. Hayden's an option, but you're right there's not much there.

Hope that helps.

Neal

[skyinvestor]

Neal,
Thanks a lot. I appreciate it!
Best,
Ethan

[poerugby]

okay so as long as your not a felon and can pass an 8th grade level test you can have a great job starting around $19/hr or more in craig... people are friendly... cold for the better half the year but not too bad, until dec, jan'ish... housing is relative to the job market... while the rest of the world is going to **** we are still spending and doing our part to save the economy in craig... 2 bedroom house anywhere from $700 to $1400... depending on when the person bought the house and where the pipeliners and oilriggers are working at the time...
it's a great place to live... friendly, safe, and lots of great outdoors...

Originally Posted by Justwondering2008

Hello,
We are moving to Craig Colorado from Indiana because of a family situation and I am just wondering what we can expect when we get there?

Q. Is the job market good for people who don't have a college education?
Q. Is affordable housing available? Or what would one expect to pay for a 2 bedroom house (renting)
Q. How many months out of the year would you say that its cold?


I'd really just like to get some opinions on Craig itself.

Thanks so much!