Central Denver vs NW Denver vs Littleton vs Golden vs Boulder (homes, neighborhood)

[Mountains&Flowers]

Hello all. I currently live in central Denver, near Wash Park. In theory the area should be perfect for me: I'm single, young (29), no kids, a dog-lover, liberal and somewhat hipster-y. However, I've found it quite difficult to make friends in the area. I'm college-educated, but I'm in the midst of changing career paths and I'm not what you might consider a yuppie. I guess I need some advice, and forgive me if this question has already been asked and answered ad nauseam, but if it has I have not found the answer I'm looking for.

I do love Colorado, and I enjoy living in a vibrant, diverse, fairly urban area. But I'm also looking for a bit more of a sense of community. I'm looking for a place where independent bookstores and coffee shops exist, but where neighbors also know each other and there's a sense of community. Safety is important, but it's not the most crucial factor for me. Schools are not a factor for me, and home prices/rent isn't really, either.

I'm basically looking between central Denver, where I currently live, and the following:

NW Denver (I know it's fairly diverse, which is a plus for me, but otherwise I don't know what it's really like to live here)
Littleton (the area around Santa Fe, specifically, seems to have a sense of character, as well as some quaint, older businesses and homes; further west it's a little too cookie-cutter and suburban for my liking)
Golden (I don't know if it's the best choice for someone young and single, but parts of it are simply gorgeous and idyllic)
Boulder (I love Boulder to the moon and back, but of all the places mentioned it's the priciest, and even though money isn't really that much of an issue, it's a factor nonetheless; still, is living there all it's cracked up to be?)

Thank you in advance for any suggestions.

[brown_dog_us]

You are looking for the right neighborhood for you and only you can tell what is the right neighborhood for you.

The good news is that you are local, so it won't be that hard to figure out. Pick the one you think is the best and start hanging out there. Take the dog for a walk (or just yourself), eat at the local restaurants, etc.

[davebarnes]

Join https://nextdoor.com/
I belong to the Berkeley one and with 194 members and growing, I find it to be very good at encouraging neighborly interaction.

[mbk734]

What neighborhood did you pick??

[davebarnes]

Originally Posted by mbk734

What neighborhood did you pick??

The OP was a one off 4 years ago. Do not expect reply.