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I don't think that Denver is that healthy. During the winter a brown pollution fog develops over the downtown area because the plant life that filters pollution are hibernating. I've seen it. Wood-burning fireplaces are usually banned from being used because of it. Also, you'll have to have your vehicles emission-tested. And sometimes every year as it gets older.
Fort Collins doesn't do emissions testing currently but it's cranking up again at the end of the year. CO Springs doesn't emission test. I'd think the air is better there by how much I don't know. Mike FBE would probably know more about that.
Another thing; allergies. A lot of people who don't have them, develop them and those who have them see them get worse. When I moved out of Denver, mine improved. A lot. I think the dry air and the kinds of pollen irritate more than the pollen in moist areas.
I understand you want a change in scenery but I don't think the Front Range Blob is necessarily healthier or that your life will be fuller because there's a mountain nearby.
Again, I don't know that you'll find a safe place in Denver for $980 a month that's not an apartment. You'll need twice or maybe three times that in Mountain Colorado.
To live out West is about sacrifices for most of us. More crowds going to the same places, more expense to live. Even the rich get less for more out here.
No, they aren't. But the snow season in Denver is October through April, and you can get big snows in May and September as well. I remember being out of power for 3 days around September 21 from 8 inches of snow. I remember a "white Easter" being more common than a "white Christmas". Just be sure that when you say "we," you really mean "we". You don't want to cause too much enmity in the home by being too pushy about what "you" want without considering his feelings as well.
I know a guy here in Pennsylvania where I currently live who really misses South Carolina and is constantly looking up info and weather forecasts about it because he misses it, especially in the winter. Be careful what you wish for, and be sure that your husband is really willing to make this move. Greater happiness in the home may be worth a little mugginess in the summer. You might even find yourself missing the flowers and the green, not to mention the beach. Do you like the color brown ? That's a major color in Denver, and often in the sky itself, especially in the winter.
If you like areas with a big military presence (Fort Carson and the Air Force Acadamy), conservative politics, and religion --- Colorado Springs may be for you. The red sandstone is pretty cool down there. And Pikes Peak is a pretty awesome neighbor to have. But as others have said, jobs are priority #1, and I would highly recommend visiting several times to make sure you really like it.
Have you thought of some other spots? There are many areas of NC and VA that have advantages over CO. The weather is warmer and winters are shorter for example. You can live in a beautiful place for a lot less money too. Based on your listed requirements these states probably have more to offer you than Colorado. Other than taller mountains there really isn't anything to recommend it.
You won't escape mosquitoes either by relocating to anywhere in Colorado. CO used to have the highest number of reported cases of the West Nile virus in the country.
Also, regardless of what you read on this forum, the West is not bug free. I've seen cockroaches in Denver. Not many though but I've seen them. Spiders, crickets and ants are all common household bugs here as well as flies and moths in higher areas of CO.
Last edited by Ziasforever; 08-20-2010 at 08:04 PM..
I have to disagree with some people on this forum. Living in a rural area outside of Denver doesn not require a lot of cash. All I have ever lived, besides a SHORT stint in Denver, is rural areas, on a public service salary. IT CAN BE DONE! And it seems there is a lot of misconception as to having to be rich to live in the mountains. I live in Salida, well, just outside of it, on 35 acres w/a 3/2 home and I pay $1,000/month. Every morning I stand on my porch and see the beautiful 14,000 ft Mt. Antero. I am surrounded by wildlife and trees. I breath CLEAN fresh (thinner) air. When I get off work at dawn and drive home, the beauty always takes my breath away, espicially when the peaks are snow capped and the snow is dimely shinning on them.
As far as allergies are concerned, Colorado is one of the best states to live in to be free of allergies. Just do research, as I have done, with the National Jewish Respiratory Hospital. Of course, it all depends on WHAT you are allergic to. For those allergic to grasses, it won't be so bad here...grass has to be PLANTED and watered to grow in CO. It doesn't grow on it's own.
Living at 8,000 ft, I have discovered that I am not bothered by a lot of flies or mesquitos. When we go to the lake or pond to go fishing is the only time I have ran into mesquitos. It's pretty nice! I've never seen cockroaches either. However, we do have the moths and spiders, just as anywhere. We have very few snakes, including rattle snakes. What we DO have here in the mountains are black bears and Mountain Lions that you would have to worry about. And as long as you are respectful to them and have awareness for thier prescense, DON'T INVITE them closer, they aren't a worry at all. What I do enjoy seeing for wild life up here are the deer and elk. Elk are AMAZING and beautiful, and I am lucky enough to have 3 herds of about 50 running on my property.
Colorado can be a healthy state to live in. Just not in the metro areas, specifically Denver and Colorado Springs. ALL of the front range is so closely linked, that any city on the front range is going to be affected by the smog, if not now, eventually.
And whatever you do, DON'T MOVE to WALSENBURG! Speaking from experience, it is one of the "arm pit" towns of CO. However, west and south west of Walsenburg is nice, like La Veta, but that is an extremely small town and you have your very basic ammenities-a small grocery store and a gas station, maybe a restaruant or two.
I have to disagree with some people on this forum. Living in a rural area outside of Denver doesn not require a lot of cash. All I have ever lived, besides a SHORT stint in Denver, is rural areas, on a public service salary. IT CAN BE DONE! And it seems there is a lot of misconception as to having to be rich to live in the mountains. I live in Salida, well, just outside of it, on 35 acres w/a 3/2 home and I pay $1,000/month. Every morning I stand on my porch and see the beautiful 14,000 ft Mt. Antero. I am surrounded by wildlife and trees. I breath CLEAN fresh (thinner) air. When I get off work at dawn and drive home, the beauty always takes my breath away, espicially when the peaks are snow capped and the snow is dimely shinning on them.
As far as allergies are concerned, Colorado is one of the best states to live in to be free of allergies. Just do research, as I have done, with the National Jewish Respiratory Hospital. Of course, it all depends on WHAT you are allergic to. For those allergic to grasses, it won't be so bad here...grass has to be PLANTED and watered to grow in CO. It doesn't grow on it's own.
Living at 8,000 ft, I have discovered that I am not bothered by a lot of flies or mesquitos. When we go to the lake or pond to go fishing is the only time I have ran into mesquitos. It's pretty nice! I've never seen cockroaches either. However, we do have the moths and spiders, just as anywhere. We have very few snakes, including rattle snakes. What we DO have here in the mountains are black bears and Mountain Lions that you would have to worry about. And as long as you are respectful to them and have awareness for thier prescense, DON'T INVITE them closer, they aren't a worry at all. What I do enjoy seeing for wild life up here are the deer and elk. Elk are AMAZING and beautiful, and I am lucky enough to have 3 herds of about 50 running on my property.
Colorado can be a healthy state to live in. Just not in the metro areas, specifically Denver and Colorado Springs. ALL of the front range is so closely linked, that any city on the front range is going to be affected by the smog, if not now, eventually.
And whatever you do, DON'T MOVE to WALSENBURG! Speaking from experience, it is one of the "arm pit" towns of CO. However, west and south west of Walsenburg is nice, like La Veta, but that is an extremely small town and you have your very basic ammenities-a small grocery store and a gas station, maybe a restaruant or two.
You must make a handsome 'public salary' to afford that kind of rent or you spend most of what you make on it. I am not familiar with Salida rents and wages but I am familiar with SLV rents and wages and at least there wages and living are somewhat expensive. Making $12.00 an hour fulltime (which is a king's ransom in the SLV and unusual) means you spend almost half your gross monthly salary on rent. The wages must be phenominal in Salida then. And yes, the success stories in Mountain Cololrado generally come from those that don't make thier money in the state like my deceased granddaddy's millionnare friend who lives in LaVeta. He has to go back to Texas from time-to-time to check on his investments
I'd think the Denver-based respiratory hospital might be a little biased about Colorado or don't do studies in all of the state. I have my personal experiences and those I know living up there. Maybe I'm an anomaly but when I moved down here from CO mine cleared up, well mostly.
Moths, rodents mosquitos and flies are a constant battle where my cabin is located in the SLV but at my home in NM, they're a very small issue. I've never seen a moth at my house. I probably jinxed myself by making that statement.
The above notwithstanding, I'd lean towards agreeing with you about cleaner air in the Salida-Poncha Springs US 50 Corridor and Walsenburg is a hardscrabble town. I'd rather live there than the blob that is the Front Range.
i had to suffer through the heat and humidity of sc... so i figure it's his turn. lol, the winters aren't too bad right? and we are trying to live fuller healthier lives- and colorado seems perfect as far as that goes... you can't have everything right?
Just finishing up a vacation in Georgia, lovely area but oh, the heat and humidity! However, a friend of mine who lived on the GA/SC border came to Colo. Spgs to visit her son in November and complained about the cold on a typical November day. (High 50s, low 20s-30s) It really is what you get used to.
Re: allergies, i work in a pediatric office and we have a lot of kids with environmnetal allergies. There is plenty of grass here, both native and planted. Also trees, pine pollen, etc. It's not allergen free by any means.
"...For those allergic to grasses, it won't be so bad here...grass has to be PLANTED and watered to grow in CO. It doesn't grow on it's own..."
That is a strange comment from someone who alleges such great knowledge of Colorado. This area sits on the Great Plains, that is the short grass of the high plains and it grew on its own
Livecontent
Last edited by livecontent; 08-21-2010 at 11:25 PM..
Born and Raised in Easley/Greenville, SC for 25 years.....and I couldn't wait to get out of that swap pit........The weather here in Colorado is simply the best...............the lack of humidity is a gift from heaven and winter's really arn't that bad.......but Hey, it's winter, it's suppose to snow in winter not be 72degrees and still humid.........just my opinion
Confused in Arizona. When weighing forum members comments that are for the most part negative regarding colorado jobs, economy, affordability of housing, urban sprawl, locals objection to any growth, and climate, I find myself thinking repeatedly that it is worse in Arizona. I notice that many compare Colorado to Texas, California, and other southwestern towns, but not AZ. Except for the comment that you can go anywhere in colorado in a t-shirt and jeans. In AZ, you can go anywhere clothed as such. I have even interviewed people wearing flip flops. (I did not hire them though.) So if I am used to urban sprawl in PX, local resistance to change in Sedona, (ex. the city bought the land the main street is on so they can turn off the street lights, even though people get hit by cars crossing, because it is already pretty dark.) and double digit year of severe drought and all the problems these variables bring, is Colorado better?
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