Good/bad neighborhoods in Denver (Aurora, Highlands Ranch: apartment, houses, to buy)

[Count David]

Lower middle class area, should be alright enough.

[Pierce2011]

Originally Posted by Stacylynn3

My roommate and I are moving to the Denver area at the end of June and we have been researching areas to live in. We would like some info on good bad neighborhoods in Thornton, Westminster, Federal Heights and near Engelwood. We have good and bad things about both and also if anyone knows of any good apartment complexes we would love some advice. We found a few and read reviews some good some bad and we really need some info to help us make a decision. any help would be wonderful! Thanks!

You never stated your age group or your rent budget. That would help a lot.

Park Place: My friends lived there a long time ago. They had lots of loud parties. It was cheap and the bedrooms were good sized. It's right on North Federal. I would live there over anything off of South Federal. Great for young, single people.

I used to live at Cascade Village off of 92nd & Sheridan. Even though it's only about 5 min's away from Park Place, it's in a better neighborhood, has way better apts and just a little higher class surroundings. I would live there again in a heartbeat. I really liked it there.

I also used to live in Federal Heights when I graduated HS. My roommate and I used to call it the "ghetto". (Of course the joke being that CO doesn't have a ghetto...but it was our version of one). It has improved it since then.

The first cities you mentioned are quite a long distance from Englewood. So, they have nothing in common just in case you might think they are near each other. Hope that helps a little bit.

[tfox]

Originally Posted by Stacylynn3

It is in westminster and the address is 9081 federal boulevard The apartment complex is called Park place on 92nd

That's right over by the Water World Waterpark and Federal Heights, though as you said it may be in Westminster city limits. Not a terrible area, but given that it's in the suburbs I think you could do better. In other words, it's a bit run down but you don't really get the benefit of a walkable urban environment that you might get if you were closer in. About the only real attraction to living there is maybe that the rent might be low, but it would have to be really low to be a draw in my opinion.

Don't get me wrong, I think it's more "run down" than "ghetto" --- so maybe if you got an incredible deal on rent there it might be worth looking into. I would think though that if you went a few miles north or west you'd be landing in a better spot. Really even a mile north or west (but not east) would be much better location.

[DRocKeR]

I don't mean to intrude on this post, but I wanted to ask about the area on the other side of the city, namely around Quincy Reservoir and along Smoky Hill. I was born in Denver and grew up in a relatively wealthy suburb (in Greenwood Village) so I know Denver pretty well. I've always thought Aurora to be somewhat ghetto, but since Aurora is huge, I've since found that a lot of S / SE Aurora is very beautiful and mellow esp. in the 80016 area where I rented an Apartment for a year.

I expect to move back to Denver in about a year in hopes to eventually buy a home and have noticed that there is a lot of cheap, nice real estate in the 80015 zip. I know the area and it is pretty, but I couldn't say how it is on crime, schools, general quality of life, etc... I'm looking for something under 200K and definitely looking for a suburb atmosphere, but if anyone here has lived in that area and could chime in on how nice (or not) the general area is that would be great.

[Cupcake77]

Originally Posted by DRocKeR

I don't mean to intrude on this post, but I wanted to ask about the area on the other side of the city, namely around Quincy Reservoir and along Smoky Hill. I was born in Denver and grew up in a relatively wealthy suburb (in Greenwood Village) so I know Denver pretty well. I've always thought Aurora to be somewhat ghetto, but since Aurora is huge, I've since found that a lot of S / SE Aurora is very beautiful and mellow esp. in the 80016 area where I rented an Apartment for a year.

I expect to move back to Denver in about a year in hopes to eventually buy a home and have noticed that there is a lot of cheap, nice real estate in the 80015 zip. I know the area and it is pretty, but I couldn't say how it is on crime, schools, general quality of life, etc... I'm looking for something under 200K and definitely looking for a suburb atmosphere, but if anyone here has lived in that area and could chime in on how nice (or not) the general area is that would be great.

Have you looked out in parker or even highlands ranch?? Highlands ranch is pretty cheap overall and you can find a few homes in Parker I'm sure.

[Pierce2011]

Originally Posted by tfox

That's right over by the Water World Waterpark and Federal Heights, though as you said it may be in Westminster city limits.

No, it's not. Water World is off of 88th and Pecos. I lived across from Water World too for a short time and that area is Federal Heights technically. In any case, those apt's were our bottom choice, but for 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms the rent was very affordable for two kids right out of high school. I forgot what they were called though.

The Park Place apts are right on 92nd and Federal in Westminster. You know what's funny? City-Data has the best picture of your view from the front of those apartments right on their Westminster page. Here's the link. I LMAO when I saw it! //www.city-data.com/picfilesc/picc3307.php

[Count David]

Originally Posted by DRocKeR

I don't mean to intrude on this post, but I wanted to ask about the area on the other side of the city, namely around Quincy Reservoir and along Smoky Hill. I was born in Denver and grew up in a relatively wealthy suburb (in Greenwood Village) so I know Denver pretty well. I've always thought Aurora to be somewhat ghetto, but since Aurora is huge, I've since found that a lot of S / SE Aurora is very beautiful and mellow esp. in the 80016 area where I rented an Apartment for a year.

I expect to move back to Denver in about a year in hopes to eventually buy a home and have noticed that there is a lot of cheap, nice real estate in the 80015 zip. I know the area and it is pretty, but I couldn't say how it is on crime, schools, general quality of life, etc... I'm looking for something under 200K and definitely looking for a suburb atmosphere, but if anyone here has lived in that area and could chime in on how nice (or not) the general area is that would be great.

It's a better than average area, and is fine for most people.

[TechMike]

That's well into suburbia. Its not a bad place.

[livecontent]

I agree with all the posts about the area; it is not a ghetto but a little old. It is not perceived as a dangerous area. It does have excellent bus public transit, the Route 92 on 92nd;Route 31 on North Federal; and 31X am/pm express direct to downtown. 92 and 31 both connect with the Westminster Park n' Ride which is one of the largest in the area with multiple bus connection and a quick no stop regional/express bus, BV (to/from Boulder), to downtown. It is close to shopping in Westminster and near a Hospital, St. Anthony North.

In these days of high gas prices, living in an area with good public transit is choosing wisely.

Livecontent

[bikinmikein]

I play disc golf now and again in a park that backs up to Water World. I don't think the area is bad by any stretch but the local kids almost of age are a wonder from what I can see. That damn park has more left behind underware, generally of the female persuasion than I can make sense of. A lot of hook ups going on in that area at night.

Don't eat a sandwhich off of the picnic tables without a plate would be my only advice.