Moving from Michigan to Colorado. Which Town Should I Visit & Consider?

[SkyDog77]

Originally Posted by Hipchik

Boulder doesn't meet any of her requirements
There is no cosmetology school in Boulder. The city is over-saturated with hair stylists. There's not much of a music scene there any more. And obviously Boulder rent is way too high.

Stormie, just curious - why Colorado?
You might take a look at Longmont. It's a nice place to live. There is a cosmetology school there. It's a city with a population of ~90,000, not exactly a small "town".
Check padmapper.com for rentals.

She's already graduated from Aveda school and is looking for a place with local business, organic living, music, good restaurant scene, and public transit. Sounds like Boulder to me.

[Hipchik]

The OP wrote: "I would need to be somewhat near or able to take the bus to a Cosmetology school, I would need 300 more hours to qualify for my license for this state."

[Littlekw]

Longmont is a decent option, good call Hipchik. It has the school and a bus system and is compact enough to be able to walk or bicycle to a lot of the town. Boulder is a bus ride away for more "culture."

A problem with Colorado Springs that I failed to mention in my previous post is that there isn't an easy way to get to Denver for "culture" if you don't have a car. FREX shut down service between COS and DEN two and a half years ago and it has yet to be replaced, although it's supposed to be running again soon as Bustang: Colorado Transportation Department Unveils the Bustang -- Ride 'em! | Westword

There are several cosmetology schools in Colorado Springs including Paul Mitchell, International Salon and Spa Academy and Toni&Guy. The latter two are right next to each other on N. Academy Blvd. and are serviced every half hour by the #25 bus. That neighborhood also has apartments galore in $650 or less bracket.

[SkyDog77]

Originally Posted by Hipchik

The OP wrote: "I would need to be somewhat near or able to take the bus to a Cosmetology school, I would need 300 more hours to qualify for my license for this state."

Missed that. Longmont is nice. I still think everything else that she is after is in Boulder (except budget). Longmont is close to Boulder so maybe a good choice. Colorado Springs may fit the budget, but is culturally dead and a bit isolated without a car.

[mic111]

I think Longmont is a great suggestion for itself and it's proximity to Boulder but I don't know if she can get a rental there for $650. I did a quick search and there are zero padmapper places and only one complex with studios of 263-485 sqr ft for $650 and who knows if those are even available at the moment. Cannery Ratings, Reviews, Map, Rents, and other Longmont apartments for rent from ApartmentRatings.com

Unfortunately any area that meets her requirements will probably be priced beyond the budget. That said, Colorado Springs is worth checking out if you like hiking but I don't think it fits the bill for most of your ideal requirements. I've gotta believe that there are many other places in the US that fit the bill better than any place in CO.

The unfortunate reality is that with a cosmetology career it is very hard to start out in CO right now. The cost of living is simply too high in the areas with the popular and sought after amenities. Better to find someplace where you won't always be at the bottom of the economic heap and fit right in the middle.

[Mike from back east]

I've merged two threads by our OP....how does Fort Collins meet her wish list?

[Rocky_Mtn_Expat]

I say Capitol Hill is the closest, and you should get over your issue with bigger cities.

If you want to support independent businesses, there are plenty in large metro areas to choose from. Conversely, there are small towns where you almost have to shop at Wal-Mart or Target to get certain core staples that you need to have.

The OP is unmarried, 20s, liberal, wants to listen to bands none of the rest of us have heard of yet, and likes organic food. That's Boulder or Denver. Boulder's going to be too pricey. Cap Hill is also going to require more than 650/mo in rent, but if you're on two incomes and you don't have a car, I don't see why you couldn't up your budget. You may have to find work in another area while you deal with the cosmetology stuff.

[SkyDog77]

Originally Posted by Rocky_Mtn_Expat

I say Capitol Hill is the closest, and you should get over your issue with bigger cities.

If you want to support independent businesses, there are plenty in large metro areas to choose from. Conversely, there are small towns where you almost have to shop at Wal-Mart or Target to get certain core staples that you need to have.

The OP is unmarried, 20s, liberal, wants to listen to bands none of the rest of us have heard of yet, and likes organic food. That's Boulder or Denver. Boulder's going to be too pricey. Cap Hill is also going to require more than 650/mo in rent, but if you're on two incomes and you don't have a car, I don't see why you couldn't up your budget. You may have to find work in another area while you deal with the cosmetology stuff.

I agree.

[lurtsman]

"...going on my Second Year as a Stylist..."

For being an educated person that graduated, those words shouldn't be capitalized.

Does not exist in Colorado. First reply was correct.

You asked for 650/month where you can take a bus to the school. Co. Springs has rent on those studios for 650/month, but no bus service. Further, the only music city is Denver, where the bus service is great but you are not renting for 650/month unless you really want to experience the absolute worst areas. Bus service won't start existing in meaningful amounts in Colorado Springs because several of us (including me) will always vote against the expansion and encourage others to do the same.There are literally 199 other cities in the top 200 that have extensive bus service. If someone needs bus service, they can pick any of the other 199.

Does not exist in Colorado.

For a roomshare arrangement in Denver or Boulder, you might be able to make it work.

IMO Fort Collins might work, but would still require a room sharing arrangement. FC is absurdly expensive, not as expensive as Boulder, but with boulder there is good reason for the city to be so expensive. It's sad, in my opinion, that Fort Collins has so many of the nice lake areas and such a terrible infrastructure. Traffic is horrendous, but that's a non-issue if someone isn't driving.