Young family in Denver or Boulder?

[TropicanaRose]

Originally Posted by juniorG

It is my opinion that a family such as yours would want to choose Boulder over Denver. Denver has a high crime rate and IMHO, not a very pleasant city. Boulder is a lot more laid back, safer and aesthetically pleasing. I have only lived in CO under a year, and we are getting out asap, it has been our experience that the people are, well, a bit odd and hard to get to know..of course, are in Estes Park, a tourist town which dies in the winter. It has been a negative experience, the best i can say about CO is that it is one of the most beautiful places in the U.S. and the wildlife is plentiful and really cool to see everywhere!
But, what do I know...hope your experience is all you hope it will be!!

Boulder is completely out of the question for a family with that housing budget.

[kayakera]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I think we have decided against Denver because of the crime rate. We're really looking for a safe place for our son.

Thanks a bunch!

[kalipsoh]

Boulder sounds great for you in a lot of ways, but the cost of housing is prohibitive. The suggestions another poster made about neighboring areas to Boulder is spot on. My mother lives just outside of Boulder and really enjoys the outdoor activities they have. The Boulder reservoir offers so many neat programs for kids over the summer, including sailing. The schools are generally good, and the district offers an open choice option (though you have to plan far ahead with that). You are always close to bike trails, parks, open spaces, etc. If you like the area, you might check a realtor site to see how close you can get to Boulder in your price range.

I wouldn't advise Denver for your family and budget situation. The areas you could afford in that price range will not be where you want to raise your family. You also will not be that close to the outdoor activities you listed. I love Denver, but moved out of it when my son was 5 for precisely the above reasons.

Southern Colorado offers lower cost of living as well as access to the rafting. You might consider Colorado Springs rather than Canon City so that you can keep yourself more centrally located if your husband has to be closer to multiple cities for options in his field. From Colorado Springs you can reach the southern end of Denver in 45-55 minutes depending on traffic and weather. It would also keep you from having a really far drive to northern areas where you might want to enjoy and/or rafting. The Springs is also very family-friendly for those with younger children.

Colorado is very spread out in reaching different key areas, but the I-25 corridor makes it rather efficient to reach them.

Hope that helps a bit!

[Shyloh]

We currently live in the North end of Thornton, CO (Denver burb) and the $160 range is doable... just make sure it is north Thornton (north of 120th Ave). Some areas down below 104th ave are not so great. When we moved here 10 years ago we were on the edge of the metro, but we were soon engulfed by it, but the area is still very nice, schools are rated well, and it is quite safe to walk the streets at night. A friend just bought an older home in very good condition for $150... seems like all it needs is paint.
We are headed for Pueblo West if we can sell our house this summer... going to wide open spaces and a quieter lifestyle. Also to be closer to the grand kids. You might consider the PW area, Canyon City, etc. PW has lots of building going on for your construction hubby and as mentioned Canyon City has the white water rafting.
Good luck in your search for a new place to live... there are lots of good choices in CO.