Colorado Springs vs. Denver (Fort Collins, Boulder: buying a house, safe neighborhood, buying)

[nurseNYC]

Hi guys,

My husband and I are looking to move from NYC to Colorado and we're stuck between Denver and Colorado Springs.

Some background information: We are both young and liberal, I work in the health care industry and my husband is a social worker. We are looking for reasonably priced, but nice, housing and a safe neighborhood. Neither one of us has jobs yet, but we both have options in Colorado Springs and Denver. We have friends already in Colorado Springs.

The main things that I'm worried about are: cost of housing, the relative conservatism/militarism of Colorado Springs and job options.

Please help us - we're so stuck!

[PokerMunkee]

Go to Boulder......it's expensive but that's a liberal city for ya! How many liberal cities do you know that have cheap housing?

You need to spend 3-5 days out here visiting the areas to get a good feel for it. Denver is a nice town but too big for me. But other people think it's the perfect size. You could always choose Castle Rock, which is a southern burg of Denver. Only a 35 minute drive to the the Springs.

[rkb0305]

I don't know a lot about CO Springs, but I wouldn't pick it, from what little I do know. I can't find the article on line, but a few weeks ago I read about how conservative Colorado Springs (or the county) cut taxes so much that their health dept. can't function. Not good for your husband's line of work! I'll keep looking for the article.

[Jerry Bckr]

What's this big hang up on having to be near liberals? Are you expecting the neighbors to be burning effigies of George McGovern on your front yards a couple of times a week, if you don't live in a liberal neighborhood? In my line of work I meet both types, and people in between. They all care about their families, neighborhoods and quality of life. I was once liberal when I got out of college, and now I'm more conservative, but I still have the same friends. Don't talk politics with people that you know have different views than yours, and you'll get along with everyone. I've never seen anybody change someone's political views by having a discussion(debate) with them. Political views tend to change over time and through life experiences.

How are your friends existing in Colorado Springs? Is life unbearable for them? If they can't stand it, and you know your friends better anyone on this forum, then I'm guessing Colorado Springs isn't for you. The housing is cheaper in the Springs, so you may want to try it, get your feet on the ground and network, and then move to Denver in a couple of years, which is a little more liberal.

I'm working with an Air Force couple at the present time, and they have a dog they rescued from the pound, own a Harley, and a vintage muscle car. Just from that description they sound liberal.

[reginhild]

Even though Colorado Springs has a larger conservative population compared to liberal population, the people are generally laid back and accepting of all (except for a few oddballs - there is always the oddball no matter where you go). Colorado Springs also has its more liberal pocket - nearby Manitou Springs.

The two big differences I would consider between Denver and Colorado Springs are 'Big City' life in Denver vs. not-so big city life in Colorado Springs - and - next to the mountains in Colorado Springs vs. not-so next to the mountains in Denver.

[the3Ds]

Originally Posted by Jerry Bckr

What's this big hang up on having to be near liberals? Are you expecting the neighbors to be burning effigies of George McGovern on your front yards a couple of times a week, if you don't live in a liberal neighborhood? In my line of work I meet both types, and people in between. They all care about their families, neighborhoods and quality of life. I was once liberal when I got out of college, and now I'm more conservative, but I still have the same friends. Don't talk politics with people that you know have different views than yours, and you'll get along with everyone. I've never seen anybody change someone's political views by having a discussion(debate) with them. Political views tend to change over time and through life experiences.

Couldn't have said it better myself. Why have we all fallen into the media trap of labeling each other and deciding that we can't possibly get along with someone of a different political view? My parents are bible-thumping Conservatives who are die-hard Republicans (the kind who only vote for people with an "R" after their name...no matter what). My favorite aunt is the opposite. She's the chain-yourself-to-a-tree, smoke pot every day, doesn't shave her armpits and actually takes off every Friday to protest whatever cause du jour is happening in Seattle. Guess what? Christmas with the family is a great time because we don't talk about politics! If your neighbor is Mormon and you are an extreme liberal, don't you think you can appreciate him/her for taking care of their house/yard, shoveling your part of the sidewalk while they're working on theirs and giving you the "courtesy wave" when they see you? Are you honestly going to say that you only want neighbors with the same political views as you? Isn't that the same thing as segregation? Perhaps you can be a good neighbor yourself and then your Mormon neighbor may have to change his/her preconceptions.

Denver is not Salt Lake City, nor is it the Bible Belt. If you don't end up buying a house in this so-called Mecca of Liberalism that you (and others seem to be seeking), you aren't going to be forced to attend church, go to pro-life rallies and horror of horrors actually change your political persuasion. It's a relatively tolerant place with an educated work force. It's not perfect, but there is no such thing.

[lraedesigns]

I'm from Colorado Springs and the cost of housing is everywhere from low to high depending on your proximity to the mountains and how if the area is developing or not.

I don't see Colorado Springs as a military town. My dad is in the Navy and I have moved around to almost every military town on the coasts. (Divorced now, mom moved back to Colorado Springs by her parents) Unless you think the occasional cadet from the Academy walking around town in their uniform is military... The Army base is down south.

As for job options, my mother works from home for IBM and flies to Houston and Raleigh for meetings and my step-father commutes to Denver everyday (he used to work for Memorial... He quit before they built the new useless Memorial hospital that went over budget).

Another great medical area that you may not have thought of is the Northern Colorado Medical Center in Greeley, CO. It's ~hour (maybe less) from Denver. Most people that work there live in Fort Collins which is definitely liberal. It's only about a 20 or 30 minute commute. The university in the area (which I goto) is known for their nursing program.

[zenkonami]

"Western Conservatism", if you will, I think is more akin to a kind of "Progressive Libertarianism." Mostly, "leave me alone and don't tell me what to do" mixed with "we're all in this together and we'll help each other out and take care of each when times get rough." It may sound contradictory, but I think it's a fairly logical mindset in the Rocky Mountain West.

That said, in my research, I think Denver is more my kind of town offering more of the "urban" vibe I'm looking for as compared with Colorado Springs, while not being even remotely as saturated or overcrowded as many other U.S. cities. I love the density...I just like to be able to get away from the density from time to time.

[tfox]

I suggest you visit both places, but coming from NYC I think you'll prefer Denver. Understand that Denver, and virtually every other western city not named San Francisco, is going to appear to you to be spread-out, decentralized, and very suburban. That said, Denver does have a 19th century core that was built before the automobile that reminds quite a bit of the older eastern suburbs if not the central city. You won't find that in any other city in the interior west.

As for politics, the city of Denver is heavily Democratic, voting overwhelmingly for Obama in the last election, but that doesn't necessarily mean particularly liberal. I see Denver as fairly middle of the road for a big city -- more conservative than San Francisco or Boston, to be sure, but generally more liberal than your average city in the middle of the country.

Colorado Springs' "religious" reputation is overblown IMHO but it is relatively conservative (or at least Republican). So, I'm guessing you'll feel more comfortable in Denver.

[Josseppie]

Originally Posted by formercalifornian

This is easier said than done. My political views are part and parcel of my entire life. It influences every aspect of me; it's not just about how I vote. I can't have real relationships if I feel I must constantly hide behind shallow pleasantries. Perhaps that's enough for some people, but it's not enough for me.

No one says you have to hide, take me for example. I am gay yet I have friends who are "against" the life style. We just respect each other's views and know they are different and that allows us to maintain our friendship.