Should I move to CO, and if so, where? (Denver: new house, neighborhoods)

[DrinkGreen]

Hi all,

I currently live in Oklahoma. While I love the simple life of Oklahoma, I've grown bored of my home state. I would like to move somewhere with actual scenery. I'm looking at Colorado as one of my choices.

Before I get started, I not trying to come off as trying to degrade your home state by being picky. Moving is a very big step for anybody, but especially for my wife who is VERY close to her family here in Oklahoma, but she's finally agreed that moving would be a good idea. I just want to make sure the place we decide on will make us all happy. Here is what I'm looking for.

1) Snow. It's been at least 10 years since my last White Christmas. The only thing white Oklahoma gets is ICE, which sucks. I love snow, but not to the point of getting dangerous, i.e trapped behind snow walls.

2) Money. I am a computer programmer with almost 10 years experience. Right now I work for probably the best company in Oklahoma, showing up on Fortune 100 every year. So in essence, I've reached the top of what this state has to offer. Does Colorado truly have a good offerings for those in the IT field?

3) Intelligent. Not trying to be a snob here. I know there are geniuses and idiots in every city in the world. But I look around Oklahoma City and for the most part, I see people with no drive. Everyone is happy with just getting by. I want my kids in GOOD schools where they push you to be more, where your college choices don't HAVE to be the two local state schools.

4) Health and Entertainment. I know Colorado has alot to offer outdoors, but do people in Colorado take full advantage of it, or are they still just couch potatoes like the rest of us? Also, would like many choices for entertainment and sport. Oklahoma has a high teenage pregnancy rate, and I'm sure alot of it has to do with there being very little to do close by.

If that sounds like Colorado, and by what I've researched it should, where in Colorado should I look to live? I like:
Small to mid-size town
Quiet and very safe
Close to Denver and/or major cities
Nice people
Things to do
Snowy
OPTIONAL: A neighborhood where your lot is more than just a postage stamp.

Thanks again for any advice.

DG

[vegaspilgrim]

Oklahoma does not have any Fortune "100" companies. It has four Fortune "500" level companies, two in Tulsa, two in OKC. Fortune 500 2008: States - Oklahoma.

I would say if you successful at landing a good job in Colorado, then sure, might as well move (sounds like you would like Colorado better than Oklahoma). But don't even think about quitting your job and moving without a job.

Potential places for you to live really come down to Boulder, Colorado Springs, and of course Denver (metro area). Most likely you'll end up in either the NW or S Denver metro area. You cannot write off all of Denver in favor of only "small towns"-- unless if you don't care about jobs.

Also, your criteria "A neighborhood where your lot is more than just a postage stamp" I would forget. Front Range neighborhoods are known for relatively small lot sizes. In fact, the biggest complainers on these forums who say that the lot sizes are too small and they can't afford the "big" properties are usually from places like the South, Midwest, etc. There's a number of reasons for this, one of them is due to lack of water.

[DrinkGreen]

Originally Posted by vegaspilgrim

Oklahoma does not have any Fortune "100" companies. It has four Fortune "500" level companies, two in Tulsa, two in OKC. Fortune 500 2008: States - Oklahoma.

By Fortune 100, I meant Fortune's 100 Best places to work in the Country.

[80skeys]

I work in IT, there seems to be quite a bit in CO, especially Denver (private industry)and Colorado Springs (Govt./military.) There should be quite a selection for you here.

As for snow, anywhere in the mountains is going to be lots of snow for several months of the year. So based on your criteria, you probably want to look at towns that are in the foothills.

Which means, basically don't look at anywhere between the eastern slope of the Front Range and the Western slope (the middle of the state) as they are snowbound all winter.

As for couch potatoes, Colorado is the least couch potatoes. This based on an article I saw a couple days ago about CO having the lowest overweight people per capita. Statistics aside, I can say that there's a lot of people here into outdoor recreation.

For arts/culture/nighlight, the only place in Colorado would be Denver.

For outdoors activities, almost anyplace in Colorado is really good, especially towns that are at the base of the mountains.

Based on your criteria, your number one places should be Colorado Springs and Boulder, both are real nice places, close to mountains and Denver.

[DrinkGreen]

Originally Posted by 80skeys

I work in IT, there seems to be quite a bit in CO, especially Denver (private industry)and Colorado Springs (Govt./military.) There should be quite a selection for you here.

Additional information, we're not moving until at least a year for one, the economy, but also I'm wrapping up a degree in Mathematics. What is a good pay range in IT for someone of my experience? Does the Math degree help at all?

I had been secretly targeting Boulder, so it's good to see it matches what I'm looking for. Some of the new houses I see are really expensive. I wonder if it's a rich town or that is the cost of living?

[Jerry Bckr]

Boulder is an expensive town. The installed limits on housing permits in the mid 1970's which caused housing prices to explode. You can live in communities close to Boulder like Rock Creek, Lousisville, Arvada and commute about 20 to 30 minutes. The other comment was correct in that your job may be NW (along the highway 36 corridore) or SE in the Denver Tech Center. These are the most concentrated areas. As mentioned before, our lots are small. Depending on your income and job location, you may be able to chose outlaying neigborhoods where you can get acreage. You may also find a home close in that backs to open space. Don't get too focused on snow. If you want snow, you can always drive to the mountains on your days off and get all you want. That's one of the attractions about Denver and the front range. We get the change of seasons with the snow, but it doesn't last long.

[reginhild]

Just convince your company they need to move their HQ to Colorado Springs!

Actually, as recommended above, Denver, Colorado Springs and Boulder all have significant tech business. Colorado Springs also does have a large amount of tech industry not directly related to the military (post above might lead you to think it is all military tech).

Boulder will be the highest cost of living of the three. Denver and Colorado Springs will be fairly comparable for cost of living.

I recommend searching for a job here - If you find one you like in Denver, Colorado Springs, or Boulder, take it! You can always commute to Boulder to avoid the housing costs if thats where you land a job.

[PokerMunkee]

www.codebaby.com has been in the Gazette (Colorado Springs newspaper) a few times in the last few months. It's a tech startup in the Springs area that supposedly is going to be hiring hundreds of people in 5 years (I'll believe it when I see it). Looks like they have some software developer positions open.

[lraedesigns]

Fort Collins also has a few IT jobs that I know of. Their school system is great, I'm a student teacher in Greeley (moved here from Colorado Springs) and every girl in my year is trying to get a job in the Poudre Valley District. They have quite a few progressive education schools.

Any city near I-25 is great with snow, but doesn't over do it. Once you get farther in to the mountains is where the snow in the winter is ridiculous. There are also small towns around Fort Collin where you can get more acreage for your home.

CSU is a great school, as well as UNC in Greeley, and UC Boulder. One great private university that I know of is Colorado College in Colorado Springs. And if your kids want to go out of state, they will get in state tuition in Hawaii.

As for health, we are still the only state that isn't over 25% obese. Everywhere I have been in Colorado (Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley, Colorado Springs, Denver, Aspen, & Basalt) there are always people outside walking, running, biking, everything. Year round. Only a few places will you notice that people don't come outside and I've noticed that's when you go farther east.

As for where specifically to live, Colorado Springs has it all. ~45 minutes (North or Academy Blvd) to an hour and a half to Denver depending on where you live in the Springs.