Affordable towns in Colorado (Denver, Colorado Springs: low income, best towns, tech jobs)

[pikabike]

[quote=Jbw1011;55672760]

Originally Posted by DrDog

California has legal marijuana, high minimum wage, and gives away lots of free stuff like healthcare.

I don’t care how high their minimum wage is: That doesn’t make up for the cost of living.
I still couldn’t afford to live in any desirable area of CA. I don’t even want to live in CA. The one thing you said that sounds good is the healthcare if that’s even true.

Same for Colorado, given your job limitations.

[Jbw1011]

[quote=pikabike;55674222]

Originally Posted by Jbw1011

Same for Colorado, given your job limitations.

I am working for a company now that is located in CO. So, I could work for them out there. It doesn’t pay great, but at least there’s that connection. It’s hard to say what I can get but I’m just assuming the worst and saying I won’t make much. Because that’s probably true seeing how I don’t really have a specific skill-set in anything. I have a degree but it’s not worth much.

[Jbw1011]

Originally Posted by EastwardBound

I would not choose Colorado for poverty living. Better to head someplace inexpensive, where you can afford the basics more easily and be able to have a better quality life. Maybe look at NW Arkansas.

Yeah but it sucks there

[EastwardBound]

Originally Posted by Jbw1011

Yeah but it sucks there

Actually, it's become one of the best places to live in the country, offering much of what Colorado does, at a fraction of the cost. Personally, I would not live there because of the weather - I cannot tolerate humidity, but I think it's an option that many could consider.

[pikabike]

[quote=Jbw1011;55674317]

Originally Posted by pikabike

I am working for a company now that is located in CO. So, I could work for them out there. It doesn’t pay great, but at least there’s that connection. It’s hard to say what I can get but I’m just assuming the worst and saying I won’t make much. Because that’s probably true seeing how I don’t really have a specific skill-set in anything. I have a degree but it’s not worth much.

Lack of a degree is only part of the limitation. Inability to pass drug screens adds to the limitations.

The other obstacle is that it sounds like you want a nice urban or metro town with all the usual stores and conveniences. So do hordes of other people, people with more job options.

There are places in CO where you can scrape by, but they aren’t going to give you the rest of your list.

[Jbw1011]

[quote=pikabike;55674599]

Originally Posted by Jbw1011

Lack of a degree is only part of the limitation. Inability to pass drug screens adds to the limitations.

The other obstacle is that it sounds like you want a nice urban or metro town with all the usual stores and conveniences. So do hordes of other people, people with more job options.

There are places in CO where you can scrape by, but they aren’t going to give you the rest of your list.

Correction: lack of a USEFUL degree.
I could pass a drug test if I had an offer for a good job. Also, I’m sure a lot of places in CO don’t even bother to test for THC.
I want to be near jobs which is why I wanted an urban/metro area. I live in a place now that isn’t great for amenities at all, so I am not too picky. Right, I don’t want to live in a small town where employment opportunities are limited.

[TCHP]

CO may have recreational and medical weed, but many places test to employ and random test along the way. CO minimum wage is $11.12 and will raise to $12 in 2020. A full time worker at minimum wage will make $1780 a month, before taxes. So maybe around $1300 after. Finding a efficiency for $800-900 is not impossible, but not easy and the selection at this price point will be slim and tend to not be very nice and/or may have waiting lists. Of course, this varies depending on where exactly you are at. Greeley and Pueblo, it may be possible. Denver metro, almost impossible. Ft Collins or Colo Spgs, unlikely.

Do people do this and get by, absolutely. Does it come with a high risk factor, absolutely. Only you can decide acceptable risk and possibility of dealing with adverse conditions and weather in the worst case scenario.

BTW, you have a reliable vehicle, yes? Without it, a job will be tough to find. Things are very spread out in nearly any city out here and the places with the cheapest rents may not have the most employment options.

[Jbw1011]

Originally Posted by EastwardBound

Actually, it's become one of the best places to live in the country, offering much of what Colorado does, at a fraction of the cost. Personally, I would not live there because of the weather - I cannot tolerate humidity, but I think it's an option that many could consider.

That’s pretty cool. I’m sure it’s more beautiful than the rest of the state but it still can’t compare to CO mountains.
It’s odd, then, that Arkansas was names the worst state in which to reside in 2019:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cnb...a-in-2019.html

[Jbw1011]

Originally Posted by TCHP

CO may have recreational and medical weed, but many places test to employ and random test along the way. CO minimum wage is $11.12 and will raise to $12 in 2020. A full time worker at minimum wage will make $1780 a month, before taxes. So maybe around $1300 after. Finding a efficiency for $800-900 is not impossible, but not easy and the selection at this price point will be slim and tend to not be very nice and/or may have waiting lists. Of course, this varies depending on where exactly you are at. Greeley and Pueblo, it may be possible. Denver metro, almost impossible. Ft Collins or Colo Spgs, unlikely.

Do people do this and get by, absolutely. Does it come with a high risk factor, absolutely. Only you can decide acceptable risk and possibility of dealing with adverse conditions and weather in the worst case scenario.

BTW, you have a reliable vehicle, yes? Without it, a job will be tough to find. Things are very spread out in nearly any city out here and the places with the cheapest rents may not have the most employment options.

Yeah, I have reliable transportation. I just thought many places wouldn’t bother to drug test for THC and much less randomly unless it’s a Gov. job.
At this point I don’t think I’ll come out without someone else.

[issaquahhiker]

Those best/worst lists are all over the board. Depends on how they are weighting whatever they are measuring. If looking at cost of living, Arkansas is in the top 5 cheapest. If looking at poverty they come out as one of the worst.

I have lived in Texas, Colorado, Washington and now Arkansas. It is much more humid and wetter than Colorado. Though that means its greener too. I would say it is more comparable to Washington than Colorado from a visual perspective. The mountains are really hills but lots of hiking, biking, fishing, parks, etc.

Got a lake house on an acre, fully furnished including pontoon boat for $300,000. In Seattle it would have been at least $1 million.

Minimum wage is $9.25/hr and goes up to $11 in 2021. Only place that really has jobs is Little Rock or the NW area.