Possible Pueblo, CO Relo (Pueblo West, Center: loan, homes, job market)

[80skeys]

Climate: dry, arid desert. Not much precipitation. Brown, almost no natural greenery. High desert. Like you said, virtually identical to Albuquerque.

Gay stuff: hmmm, pueblo locals will be more familiar, but I can tell you what I know about the southwest (as a non-gay person.) .... There's no "open" gay vibe, meaning that it's extremely rare (virtually impossible) to ever see a gay couple walking down the street holding hands or openly showing affection. The attitudes towards gays is probably not as harsh as SLC, but it's not going to be hugely better. You lived in Albuquerque: what was your impression of attitudes there?

I would say that mostly people will be indifferent towards you, but you will find more than your fair share of hostility and discrimination.

Unfortunatly, the southwest doesn't have gay communities like there are back East. You've probably visited Dupont Circle in D.C. or the Village in NYC?? (Which in my opinion are two of the most interesting neighborhoods.) That's the basis of comparison I'm using here.

[rjlowe]

I doubt anywhere can be as brown as Albuquerque nor as hot as Phoenix (both prior residences of mine), LOL! But I don't mind the brown so much as the heat - in PHX I've witnessed pouring rain at 110F at 11PM that really SUX! I don't have any kids, so the schools don't really matter to me, but I can't believe they'd be any worse than the ABQ public schools - NM ranks dead last on this site: Ranking of Elementary Schools in USA

As for crime, I moved to ABQ from South Los Angeles, and I actually felt safer in L.A. because the crime in ABQ was so high per capita. Probably the main reason I eventually moved away to Prescott, AZ where crime is comparatively non-existent. It's interesting that using 2008 data, Pueblo didn't even place on this crime per capita chart, whereas Denver, Colo. Springs, and ABQ all did. United States cities by crime rate - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It's good to hear that Pueblo is having at least some success getting their downtown revitalized - so many other towns have just plain sacrificed/bulldozed their unique downtown for generic new office buildings and shopping malls - blech.

Anyways, I'm sure it may not be as "sunny" as Josseppie paints, but it doesn't appear to be so "gloomy" either. Compared to some other places I've lived - and I've lived all over the Western U.S. - it seems to be "better than average." Of course, I'm being pretty optimistic that I'm even going to be offered a job there I'm hoping so! Then I'll see what it's "really like" hehe.

[rjlowe]

@80skeys
As for attitude in ABQ it was mostly indifferent, however I did have one supervisor (who did not know I was gay) at Intel Corp, no less, who bragged about "rolling **** in the parking lot" of a local gay bar for their money when he was in High School. He was probably only 25 at the time, so not that long outta high school. That was somewhat unnerving...

[jazzlover]

Originally Posted by rjlowe

As for crime, I moved to ABQ from South Los Angeles, and I actually felt safer in L.A. because the crime in ABQ was so high per capita. Probably the main reason I eventually moved away to Prescott, AZ where crime is comparatively non-existent. It's interesting that using 2008 data, Pueblo didn't even place on this crime per capita chart, whereas Denver, Colo. Springs, and ABQ all did. .

From C-D's own city information:

Crime rates for some Front Range cities for 2007 (320.9 is considered the US average, with higher numbers meaning a higher crime rate per capita):

Cheyenne, Wyoming - 276.1
Fort Collins, Colorado - 261.5
Greeley, Colorado 331.2
Denver County (hardly a crime free utopia) - 409.7
Colorado Springs, Colorado (hardly crime free, either) - 397.3
Pueblo, Colorado - 514.8

Another relocation website uses a 1-10 rating to rate both violent and property crime per capita, with 3 representing the national average and a higher number representing a higher crime rate. Its rating of the same cities with violent crime before the comma and property after. Ratings 6-7 or higher are considered pretty problematic.

Cheyenne, Wyoming - 3 , 5
Fort Collins, Colorado - 5 , 5
Greeley, Colorado 3 , 5
Denver County (hardly a crime free utopia) - 7 , 7
Colorado Springs, Colorado (hardly crime free, either) - 6 , 6
Pueblo, Colorado - 6 , 6

None of these are statistics to be very proud of, but Pueblo does not compare very favorably with anyplace in Colorado as far as crime stats go. Only Denver is worse in the latter ratings, but considering Denver County's pretty sad reputation for violent and property crime within this region (and why there has been a lot of "flight" to its suburbs for decades), Pueblo being in that league is hardly a sign of a warm, fuzzy crime-free community, no matter what the Chamber of Commerce apologist drivel may try to say otherwise.

[Josseppie]

DC and NYC along with places like San Francisco and San Diego and Denver obviously have a bigger gay scene then Pueblo. I would hope so they are a lot bigger. That being said its not bad here, just harder to meet guys then in a larger city, but that goes for str8 people as well.

As far as the weather it is technically a step climate, that means a step above a dessert. So yes its dry here but not as dry as Albuquerque and definantly not as dry as Phoenix. We have plenty of water and the rates are reasonable.

As far as our downtown, we are doing a lot to revitalize it unlike most cities and in fact I could see it being just as nice as downtown Denver in the next 10 years. Sure it will be smaller but will have many of the same amentias they have on a smaller scale.

I know I am optimistic but I believe the next 10 to 20 years holds a lot of promise for Pueblo.

[Josseppie]

If you look at this list Pueblo is not one of the safest cities in the United States but we are not one of the most dangerous either. So I would not worry about crime if you are planning to move to any city in Colorado, just pay attention to what part of town you move to.

The link: http://www.worst-city.com/The-Safest-and-Most-Dangerous-Cities-in-the-United-States.htm

[jporter20]

Pueblo is a GREAT place to live. I think it's one of the better places to invest your money in real estate in this area of the country. Good schools, low crime top it off. Good luck with your relo.

JP

[rjlowe]

Another quick question - having lived in NM for quite some time, I *LOVE* NM style Mexican Food far more than "Traditional" (which I find rather bland after NM). Is Pueblo close enough to NM to have a NM influence on their Mexican food? Heck, in ABQ you'd get asked "Red or Green?" at McDonalds, LOL. Most people in the U.S. probably don't even know what that means

(For those not "in-the-know," it's asking if one would like red or green chile on their food - and we're not talkin' Texas Chile, which in NM is referred to as Chile Con Carne)

[Josseppie]

Originally Posted by rjlowe

Another quick question - having lived in NM for quite some time, I *LOVE* NM style Mexican Food far more than "Traditional" (which I find rather bland after NM). Is Pueblo close enough to NM to have a NM influence on their Mexican food? Heck, in ABQ you'd get asked "Red or Green?" at McDonalds, LOL. Most people in the U.S. probably don't even know what that means

(For those not "in-the-know," it's asking if one would like red or green chile on their food - and we're not talkin' Texas Chile, which in NM is referred to as Chile Con Carne)

If this helps I know what red and green chile is.



As far as comparing it to New Mexico, I know Pueblo is known for our Mexican food but I am not a fan enough to say how it rates to New Mexico's food.

I can say this Pueblo is known for our chili peppers and in fact we have a festival in the fall that is known state wide. Here is the web page:

"Ahhh, the incredible aroma of roasting chilies turning over hot flames! Sample a variety of salsas made by local farmers as you admire colorful Ristras – chilies tied on a string."

The link: Chile & Frijoles Fest

[rjlowe]

Ok, I've seen the data on housing, schools and crime etc. But how are other infrasturctures in the town viewed? Things like, Hospitals/Health care? (am I going to have to go to Denver to get an MRI?) Law Enforcement (are they bully's writing up every little infraction or more the here's a warning, kind of cops?), Libraries - are there any, are they used? Stuff like that... Thanks again, you've all been very helpful