Hard to find my dreamy rural smalltown (Boulder, Montrose: find a job, school)

[Chrisd123]

My gf and I have been tossing around the idea of moving to Colorado for the past 6 months now. We both have a pretty good idea of what we want, but every time I start researching places to live out there the Internet seems to think there's nothing but tourist locations, vacation destinations and big cities in the state. I come from a town of 2000 residents and I think even that is too many people for me. I want to be away from the big cities, easy access to hunting/fishing grounds, winter sports without having to live in the alpine, dirt roads, peaceful country living, but close enough to a shopping center that I can go run out and grab something I don't have without having to pack an extra gas can and a survival kit to make the trek to the grocery store. Anybody got names of cities or a region I should look into?

[bluescreen73]

Craig, Hayden, Meeker, Montrose, Rangely, Delta, and Rifle. That'll give you a good start.

[beezle1]

What kind of work do you need to have available?

[Chrisd123]

My gf works in the medical field and before we move I will have to go to school for a change in direction. Right now I'm a roll former operator (living in the rust belt). Hoping to get a degree in environmental science. I was thinking it's probably a good idea to stay in the foothills/front range area so that she can work, but it's tough to find places that don't pop up as tourist locations immediately.

[bluescreen73]

Originally Posted by Chrisd123

My gf works in the medical field and before we move I will have to go to school for a change in direction. Right now I'm a roll former operator (living in the rust belt). Hoping to get a degree in environmental science. I was thinking it's probably a good idea to stay in the foothills/front range area so that she can work, but it's tough to find places that don't pop up as tourist locations immediately.

If that's the case forget the towns I mentioned. They're all on the Western Slope and most of them are pretty isolated.

[brown_dog_us]

Originally Posted by Chrisd123

I was thinking it's probably a good idea to stay in the foothills/front range area so that she can work, but it's tough to find places that don't pop up as tourist locations immediately.

Perhaps Rollinsville, Ward, Goldhill, or Nederland above Boulder.

[TCHP]

There is something wrong with your search methodology if you haven't found non-resort places as we have plenty of small towns. However, the best employment opportunities tend to be along the Front Range within a short commute of the largest cities.

Maybe start here to get a list of city population sizes. Then you can start sorting by county location. Then decide what, if any, jobs are available in those areas.

List of cities.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...ns_in_Colorado

Possible jobs
https://www.connectingcolorado.com/

[SkyDog77]

The west doesn't have small towns located near places where you can find a job in the same way the east and Midwest do.

[NW Crow]

Some front range names: Laporte, Berthoud,Sedalia, maybe Palmer Lake / Larkspur, Colorado City.

[davebarnes]

Chacra, Colorado