Denver No. 1 on U.S. News' Best Places to Live

[BabyBoomers2]

I don't know about that (in red below)! Where I was raised, just outside Ft. Indiana, we never got snow on Halloween and where my wife lived in Michigan (Lincoln Park), they didn't either. So, that is why it was so shocking for us to see inches of snow falling during the week of Halloween, the first winter we lived there. Outside Halloween décor covered in snow. When we lived in both Englewood and Parker we went thru some pretty tough snowstorms and blizzards.
One thing we did figure out, after moving there, people really down-play winter quite a bit. Believe me, the winters in Denver can be worse than where I was raised, or at least the same.

Originally Posted by guyatwork37

For every one of Palos Verdes, Redondo Beach, Laguna Hills, Anaheim Hills, there are 10 of Panorama City, Montebello, North Hills, Sunland, Lakeview Terrance, Long Beach, Yorba Linda, etc.

Of course there are nice places in Los Angeles, if there weren't, you wouldn't even know it exists. And of course there are people who can afford there live in those place. But the vast majority of people in Los Angeles cannot. And on the whole, Denver seems to be much nicer, cleaner, more cost effective, less polluted, less crime riddled, and less congested than Los Angeles.

Like I said earlier, it's really hard for people to move away from something that they have known their whole lives. Maybe the allure of no winter is strong from people who are in NY, MN, WI, etc., but Denver winter's are mild compared to those.

[N610DL]

Originally Posted by guyatwork37

For every one of Palos Verdes, Redondo Beach, Laguna Hills, Anaheim Hills, there are 10 of Panorama City, Montebello, North Hills, Sunland, Lakeview Terrance, Long Beach, Yorba Linda, etc.

Of course there are nice places in Los Angeles, if there weren't, you wouldn't even know it exists. And of course there are people who can afford there live in those place. But the vast majority of people in Los Angeles cannot. And on the whole, Denver seems to be much nicer, cleaner, more cost effective, less polluted, less crime riddled, and less congested than Los Angeles.

Like I said earlier, it's really hard for people to move away from something that they have known their whole lives. Maybe the allure of no winter is strong from people who are in NY, MN, WI, etc., but Denver winter's are mild compared to those.

I came here for the job but I'll always back up LA. Fantastic city that has treated me very, very well. DEN Vs LA to me is like comparing DCA to BOS - they're more similar than ppl relaize.

One thing I can't stand are ppl who move from LA to NYC and come back to visit LA and diss it. Those ppl might be the most childish on so many levels.

[Mach50]

Originally Posted by LoveBoating

Sort of funny, but I just looked at the Los Angeles and Orange County forums of California and there are some that are moving from Denver to one of those two areas. There are also folks in both forums that wonder why anyone would leave So California to live in a "snow-belt area". And, there are people that not only are moving from Denver to L.A. or Orange County, there are those who are moving there from other states, like New York. Guess there are those that just want to get completely away from "Old Man Winter".
Just looked at a couple of websites that had cities in both L.A. Country and Orange County that listed Top places for families to live. Guess there are those that can afford to live in Palos Verdes, Redondo Beach, Laguna Hills, Anaheim Hills and so on.

Don't get me wrong, Denver is a nice place to raise a family, but from what wife and I have seen, while living in Orange County and traveling around both Orange County and Los Angeles County, there are cities in both that are well populated with families. Now, as far as Los Angeles itself goes, I could see where it wouldn't necessarily be a "family friendly" area, but numerous families do live there that could move at any time. But, fear of the unknown is a major concern, unless it's a job transfer, would really rule that decision.

OC is practically all families.

If we throw OC into the mix, then I would say it is even with Denver for families comparing cleanliness, schools and amenities. Also, the cost gap is closing...but people who choose to live in OC also take a downgrade in space footage and yard.

Example: https://www.redfin.com/CA/Mission-Vi...2/home/5314966
Mission Viejo - 3/2 8-10 school ratings - 449k

[denverian]

Originally Posted by Mach50

OC is practically all families.

If we throw OC into the mix, then I would say it is even with Denver for families comparing cleanliness, schools and amenities. Also, the cost gap is closing...but people who choose to live in OC also take a downgrade in space footage and yard.

Example: https://www.redfin.com/CA/Mission-Vi...2/home/5314966
Mission Viejo - 3/2 8-10 school ratings - 449k

For us, OC was nowhere I wanted to raise our kids.... us being an interracial gay couple with biracial kids. We had neighbors who made a point to have us understand they didn't want us around.

[TCHP]

Originally Posted by LoveBoating

I don't know about that (in red below)! Where I was raised, just outside Ft. Indiana, we never got snow on Halloween and where my wife lived in Michigan (Lincoln Park), they didn't either. So, that is why it was so shocking for us to see inches of snow falling during the week of Halloween, the first winter we lived there. Outside Halloween décor covered in snow. When we lived in both Englewood and Parker we went thru some pretty tough snowstorms and blizzards.
One thing we did figure out, after moving there, people really down-play winter quite a bit. Believe me, the winters in Denver can be worse than where I was raised, or at least the same.

While Colorado's Front Range may have a greater range of calendar dates where snow can fall, I've seen it in October semi-regularly and as late as May on rare occasions, we also lack the continual presence of snow from December to March and the accompanying freezing temps within that same time frame that is typical of the upper Mid-West. I mean really, how many 60* days in February do they get up there?

Saying Denver's winters are mild, IMO, doesn't necessarily mean to are immune to early or late snow, freezing temps, whipping winds, and blizzards, but that these things are not a constant within the season of winter.