Young Couple Where to Live? (Denver, Boulder: apartments, lease, crime rate) - Colorado (CO) - City-Data Forum

MountainDue · 07-20-2015, 12:59 PM

My husband and I will be moving to the Denver area from North Carolina in September. We are coming from a medium size outdoorsy town where it is safe to walk or bike anywhere and most any time day or night so the whole huge city is a little overwhelming. He will be working on the north side of Denver (Park Hill area), and I will not have a job until after we get there. We were just out to check out the areas but are so lost on where to live as everyone has a different opinion of course. We are selling a house here but want to rent at least for the first year. Our budget tops out at $1500/mo rent. Looked at the Washington Park/Cory Merill areas but cannot afford anything more than a run down studio or a dark basement it seems

We love Golden but the only area I am familiar with is the main street area near Clear Creek (Golden City Brewery area). Are the other areas of Golden worth looking at? Have considered commuting from Boulder but it does seem too far? We really want something with a community feel-not surburban strip malls, where other young couples live (we are mid 20's), and where parking two cars is not an issue. I really just want to start narrowing it down before our next trip out there in a few weeks. Some of the areas (all very different) that have been thrown at us are:
Golden
Louisville
Highlands
Berkley
Wash Park
DU area
Stapleton?
Broomfield
Evergreen
Boulder

Any input on any of these would be great.

eatsDEN · 07-20-2015, 01:14 PM

rents are high currently -- very high.

Golden is not a bad area - i've known lots of folks off of South Golden Road - no issues at all...
cheaper rents too...

Berkley and the LoHi/Highlands area are nice - and will fit your wants - except for the rent figure...

Best of luck with your move!

Claire S. · 07-20-2015, 01:22 PM

Since you don't have a job yet, I would stick to something centrally located. Maybe check out apartments in Stapleton (Stapleton Apartments) which is near Park Hill and shouldn't be an issue parking two cars. Highland, Berkeley, and Wash Park are nice if you can find an affordable place. Places like Golden, Boulder, and Louisville will make for a very long commute. Broomfield has a very suburban feel.

davebarnes · 07-20-2015, 02:19 PM

Highland Place-Denver | Overview

DenverBound41 · 07-20-2015, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davebarnes

Highland Place-Denver | Overview

LoDo Apartments in Denver CO |WestEnd Apartments

A little bigger and with one month free it would bring the effective rent rate under $1500. You could get to Park Hill in 10-15 minutes.

MountainDue · 07-20-2015, 06:34 PM

I think we have ruled out Boulder and Stapleton. Seems to be between Golden, Louisville, and one of the south west areas like Pratt Park/Wash Park/etc. or the Highland/LoHi/Berkley areas Any insight on the differences between these? pros/cons? lifestyle? demographics? safety?...
There seems to be a fine line between being in a cool area and being in a sketchy area too...any input on boundary lines especially in the Highland/Berkley area would be great. Just so we know what to avoid when looking online.

Also, I am not a fan of the big "modern"apartments that are stuck in the middle of a sketchy area. The last thing I want is to feel like I can't walk or bike within a block of where I live

Deezy303 · 07-20-2015, 07:02 PM

Why wouldn't you want to live where people in the their 20's live such as Lower Downtown, Uptown, Capital Hill, River North, etc.?

Lower Highland would be good for someone in their 20's as would Berkley (the closer to Tennyson St. the better). However, I think you'd be priced out of either neighborhood. Washington Park is not really a young area and full of mostly families. Outside of some retail off of South Pearl St., Platt Park is similar to Washington Park.

None of the places that have been listed are anywhere near "sketchy." Denver has nowhere near the crime rate as NC's largest cities. Being in fringe neighborhoods within Denver is not really a concern here. You can walk and bike in any of these neighborhoods and feel safe. Honestly, the only neighborhood that's been mentioned in this thread that may be considered sketchy would be the area you'd be working in, Park Hill.

As for Golden or Louisville, you couldn't pay me to live in those areas, but that's just me.

MountainDue · 07-20-2015, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deezy303

Why wouldn't you want to live where people in the their 20's live such as Lower Downtown, Uptown, Capital Hill, River North, etc.?

Lower Highland would be good for someone in their 20's as would Berkley (the closer to Tennyson St. the better). However, I think you'd be priced out of either neighborhood. Washington Park is not really a young area and full of mostly families. Outside of some retail off of South Pearl St., Platt Park is similar to Washington Park.

None of the places that have been listed are anywhere near "sketchy." Denver has nowhere near the crime rate as NC's largest cities. Being in fringe neighborhoods within Denver is not really a concern here. You can walk and bike in any of these neighborhoods and feel safe. Honestly, the only neighborhood that's been mentioned in this thread that may be considered sketchy would be the area you'd be working in, Park Hill.

As for Golden or Louisville, you couldn't pay me to live in those areas, but that's just me.

I'm not sure where we want...that is why I appreciate your response. And I only get one chance to get it right since we have a week to find a place once we get there and will have to sign a year lease I am sure!

I just thought Washington Park and those areas seemed safe and good for walking to little restaurants/parks/etc. I haven't even seen the Highland and Berkley areas yet but they have been recommended. As far as the areas you suggested for people in their 20's..I just didn't really know much about the areas. From what I have seen online anything available is either really old (and not in a good way) or a highrise with no parking, or waaaay out of our rent budget. But, I will definitely check out what is available there.

Your opinion on Golden and Louisville? Is it because they are too far out or are there other reasons?

Deezy303 · 07-20-2015, 08:16 PM

The inner city/neighborhoods of Denver are the youngest and most desirable areas of the metro for many reasons including being safe and good for walking to little restaurants/parks/etc. Although I would agree, $1500 doesn't get you much here, you can certainly find something decent in your price range if you put in the effort to research.

I wouldn't consider Washington Park convenient for walking to many restaurants, coffee shops or anything of the sort. Just to a large, central park. And $1500 wouldn't get you a shack there.

Again, there is nothing most reasonable people would find unsafe about the majority (if not all) of Denver.

As for Golden or Louisville, let's just say I live in a city because I want to live in a city, not the 'burbs.

*edit* If being next to a large park is a priority, I'd be much more inclined to live near Cheesman Park as I find the park just as large/nice without the crowds and "bro" mentality. Also, the surrounding neighborhoods are much more interesting with more amenities such as multiple grocery stores, great coffee shops, restaurants, etc. Hope that helps. Good luck.

Denver303TJC · 07-26-2015, 10:41 PM

Back when I was a kid, Golden seemed a bit bohunk outside of the School of Mines area. Afaik, Louisville is good to live in if you can't afford rent in Boulder. I used to live near Wash Park near Alameda and Downing, but those days of paying $600 for a 1 BR, such as I did in 2008 long gone.