Fort Collins/Loveland or Colorado Springs? And Why? (Denver, Boulder: schools, wages)

[SkyDog77]

Originally Posted by Heifzilla

The beauty of COS will probably be a huge appeal for me. I don’t think Fort Collins is quite as ruggedly beautiful but I don’t know for sure until we see both. Another concern for me is jobs for me. I work in the veterinary field and there seems to be more specialties and ERs up in Fort Collins, as well as the vet school. COS is kind of slim pickings, and if it’s super conservative, they might not be happy with the tats and piercings and colored hair.

CSU in Ft Collins is one of the top veterinary schools in the region (#3 in the nation according to US New ranking) so there are a lot of vets in the area. That means lots of competition for vets, but may mean more opportunity for someone in the field working as a tech, not a doc. You’ll have to do some more research.

[EastwardBound]

Originally Posted by Heifzilla

Well, we are kind of a divided family 😂😂😂

I am pretty liberal. I’m tattooed, I’m pierced. I have facial piercings. But I’m also in my 40s and I like my guns, so that’s weird (NRA can suck it, though). My husband is a lot more conservative than I am, and a lifetime member of the NRA. No, we actually don’t fight too much 😂😂😂 He is not tattooed, and not pierced, and would probably never.

Our current situation is a very small, pretty conservative town about 70 miles outside of Chicago. We manage here just fine, but we also don’t have megachurches, and my guess is the conservative here outside of Chicago is probably a lot less than what passes for Conservative in Colorado. Also, I kind of always have despised James Dobson (I know he’s not affiliated anymore).

The beauty of COS will probably be a huge appeal for me. I don’t think Fort Collins is quite as ruggedly beautiful but I don’t know for sure until we see both. Another concern for me is jobs for me. I work in the veterinary field and there seems to be more specialties and ERs up in Fort Collins, as well as the vet school. COS is kind of slim pickings, and if it’s super conservative, they might not be happy with the tats and piercings and colored hair.

Fort Collins and Loveland are very mixed politically, with pretty even amounts of Democrats, Republicans and independents. The areas known as Old Town in both Fort Collins and Loveland are pretty liberal, with lots of artists in Loveland. The outskirts are more conservative and I'm sure there are some religious people around, although I don't know any personally.

Nobody will give you a second look for your hair, tattoos and piercings here.

[EastwardBound]

Originally Posted by Thoreau424

How do you get those prices? I've been meaning to ask. I know SW Airlines is routinely several hundred in each direction. With family in that vicinity, I'd be nice to know of a more reasonable option.

Frontier often runs specials, where you can get flights for something like $29 each way. Of course, there are limitations and you have to pay for extras. Go to their website and sign up for their mailings-they send them out with the deals all the time.

Spirit is similar, but more limited in destinations.

[BabyBoomers2]

Originally Posted by EastwardBound

Fort Collins and Loveland are very mixed politically, with pretty even amounts of Democrats, Republicans and independents. The areas known as Old Town in both Fort Collins and Loveland are pretty liberal, with lots of artists in Loveland. The outskirts are more conservative and I'm sure there are some religious people around, although I don't know any personally.

Nobody will give you a second look for your hair, tattoos and piercings here.

As far as “looks” goes, I’d think that the Springs, Denver or Fort Collins would more acceptable of the tattoos and piercings than Loveland would be. Not saying nobody in Loveland has that “look”, but, IMO, it’s much more prevalent in those other three areas.

Don’t make Loveland sound like it’s Denver, Los Angeles or some other big major city where everything is acceptable.....it’s not!

[EastwardBound]

Originally Posted by LoveBoating

As far as “looks” goes, I’d think that the Springs, Denver or Fort Collins would more acceptable of the tattoos and piercings than Loveland would be. Not saying nobody in Loveland has that “look”, but, IMO, it’s much more prevalent in those other three areas.

Don’t make Loveland sound like it’s Denver, Los Angeles or some other big major city where everything is acceptable.....it’s not!

I appreciate your comments on Loveland, but frankly you don't live here and don't plan to move here until 2019 I believe. You make Loveland sound like some hick village in the middle of nowhere. I honestly wonder how much time you've actually spent here, because the place you describe in your comments and the plance I have lived for quite a while now are two different places.

[BabyBoomers2]

Originally Posted by EastwardBound

I appreciate your comments on Loveland, but frankly you don't live here and don't plan to move here until 2019 I believe. You make Loveland sound like some hick village in the middle of nowhere. I honestly wonder how much time you've actually spent here, because the place you describe in your comments and the plance I have lived for quite a while now are two different places.

No, we don’t live there yet.

But, there are nice lakes there, much smaller population than here and there is a County Fair and rodeo there each year. Am I right about that? Looking at the local news website, the crime rate is much lower than Denver, the Springs and Fort Collins. Correct?

Now, question is, has Loveland became a smaller version of Denver, the Springs or Ft Collins. If so, that’s not the way it was portrayed to us on my Thread asking about it (Loveland). We don’t want to live in an area that has a “big city” feel or look to it, even with the people.

We just happen to be an older Senior couple that aren’t too open-minded.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by LoveBoating

No, we don’t live there yet.

...
Now, question is, has Loveland became a smaller version of Denver, the Springs or Ft Collins. If so, that’s not the way it was portrayed to us on my Thread asking about it (Loveland). We don’t want to live in an area that has a “big city” feel or look to it, even with the people.

We just happen to be an older Senior couple that aren’t too open-minded.

Expect piercings and tattoos in all of Colorado (not the majority in many outlying cities, BUT you WILL encounter it).

No, Loveland will not become Denver or Boulder, BUT... Ft Collins is the county seat, and has the majority of VOTES, so the 'county' will lean left.

Loveland does have a very strong artist community (leans left), but it also has a lot of families / retirees / previous AG, i.e. a diverse (but Caucasian) populace. I presume it will stay diverse (Left and right will be equally represented and tolerated). For the long term this is best. Either extreme is very caustic and becomes 'ingrown' (Less tolerant).

If you will be most comfortable conservative or 'Right leaning'; you will need to be more rural if staying in Colorado (rural AG county). or... reconsider WY, UT, ID (or NE / SD). All have GREAT places... including Loveland!

[EastwardBound]

Originally Posted by LoveBoating

No, we don’t live there yet.

But, there are nice lakes there, much smaller population than here and there is a County Fair and rodeo there each year. Am I right about that? Looking at the local news website, the crime rate is much lower than Denver, the Springs and Fort Collins. Correct?

Now, question is, has Loveland became a smaller version of Denver, the Springs or Ft Collins. If so, that’s not the way it was portrayed to us on my Thread asking about it (Loveland). We don’t want to live in an area that has a “big city” feel or look to it, even with the people.

We just happen to be an older Senior couple that aren’t too open-minded.

Yes, there are lots of lakes, rodeos, the county fair, etc. Crime is very low, as is poverty and unemployment. However, it isn't a small, rural town. Larimer County has over 300,000 people now, with more pouring in daily. Loveland has 76,000, with over 30% growth per decade.

It is not a mini Denver, for sure, but that doesn't mean it's a conservative village, either. There is a good mix of people and it's very tolerant imo. We are a gay, interracial married couple and have been welcomed with open arms. Something like face piercings are not going to raise any eyebrows.

There is very little difference between Ft Collins and Loveland, imo, as the two basically blend into one another, growth being stopped by county owned open space between the two. One can drive from one to the other in 15 minutes. Housing is slightly more affordable in Loveland at $370,000 median listing price vs $385,000 in Ft Collins.

If one lives in the Old Town area, where I reside, it does still feel like a small town in many ways, with the quiet, tree lined streets and old houses - same for Ft Collins. However, there is an abundance of any store or shopping option one could want, although I'm not a shopper, so I rarely visit those areas of town, but they are there for one who wishes to visit.

I think you're under the impression that it is much smaller, slower and quieter than it is. Much of it feels more suburban rather than rural. I find it to be the best of both worlds, with every convenience one could wish, but very little of the problems that come with the city.

We have just bought a place in Custer County, CO and will be moving down there in a few years. Now, that is rural, and it is what we are looking for! But for a family, moving to a new place, I'd say Ft Collins/Loveland is ideal and is a very good place to live and work.

[BabyBoomers2]

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

Expect piercings and tattoos in all of Colorado (not the majority in many outlying cities, BUT you WILL encounter it).

No, Loveland will not become Denver or Boulder, BUT... Ft Collins is the county seat, and has the majority of VOTES, so the 'county' will lean left.

Loveland does have a very strong artist community (leans left), but it also has a lot of families / retirees / previous AG, i.e. a diverse (but Caucasian) populace. I presume it will stay diverse (Left and right will be equally represented and tolerated). For the long term this is best. Either extreme is very caustic and becomes 'ingrown' (Less tolerant).

If you will be most comfortable conservative or 'Right leaning'; you will need to be more rural if staying in Colorado (rural AG county). or... reconsider WY, UT, ID (or NE / SD). All have GREAT places... including Loveland!

To us, EastwardBound made Loveland sound like Los Angeles, or even Denver.

We handle seeing people here with tattoo’s and body piercings. We don’t like the look, but definitely tolerate it. There are other small populated cities or towns we could consider a move to, but they don’t have the nice lakes like Loveland does.

IOW, EastwardBound scared us with what he said. Know what we mean.

[EastwardBound]

Originally Posted by EastwardBound

Fort Collins and Loveland are very mixed politically, with pretty even amounts of Democrats, Republicans and independents. The areas known as Old Town in both Fort Collins and Loveland are pretty liberal, with lots of artists in Loveland. The outskirts are more conservative and I'm sure there are some religious people around, although I don't know any personally.

Nobody will give you a second look for your hair, tattoos and piercings here.

LoveBoating, is this the post, where I made Loveland sound like LA or Denver? I don't see it I'm sorry. Rereading what I wrote, I think it's a good, concise summary of Larimer County