What’s up with the bad comments about Denver at BestPlaces? (Aurora: fit in, crime)

[rajdude]

A big hello to everyone from a newbie here!

I have been thinking of moving to Denver and have been doing a lot of research on the internet. I see pretty good reviews of Denver in these forums here at City-Data. However elsewhere, it is totally different.

Has anyone looked at the huge number of bad reviews of Denver at Sperling’s bestplaces:

Moderator cut: link removed, competitor site

There are an amazing number of bad comments about Denver there

I read many, many bad comments there and people are using words like nightmare, hell, unfriendly, polluted, racist and many more.

At first I thought oh, ok, maybe some people have a bad opinion on that website particularly. So I thought let’s compare the comments with Washington, DC (where I live)…interestingly I could not see a pattern of bad comments for DC.

What do you think about so many people leaving extremely bad comments about Denver there?

-rajdude

[Timmyy]

Originally Posted by rajdude

A big hello to everyone from a newbie here!

I have been thinking of moving to Denver and have been doing a lot of research on the internet. I see pretty good reviews of Denver in these forums here at City-Data. However elsewhere, it is totally different.

Has anyone looked at the huge number of bad reviews of Denver at Sperling’s bestplaces:

Moderator cut: link removed, competitor site

There are an amazing number of bad comments about Denver there

I read many, many bad comments there and people are using words like nightmare, hell, unfriendly, polluted, racist and many more.

At first I thought oh, ok, maybe some people have a bad opinion on that website particularly. So I thought let’s compare the comments with Washington, DC (where I live)…interestingly I could not see a pattern of bad comments for DC.

What do you think about so many people leaving extremely bad comments about Denver there?

-rajdude

Denver is definitely not racist.

My only thought is the comments are coming from Denver natives who don't want you to move here.

[davebarnes]

I went to the Sperling's comments page.
"6.18% of the people in Denver, CO, claim hispanic ethnicity (meaning 93.82% are non-hispanic)"
Now, how can I trust any data they provide?

I read all the comments from the last year.
11 of 20 (yes, only 20) were negative.
These people are really angry.

"The Rap music pulstaes most metro neighborhoods all day and night so one cannot sleep well"
"Studies have shown that, if you live here, it's like smoking one pack of cigarettes per day (even if you don't smoke)"
"Denver has a gang problem. I worked in armed and unarmed security while there and saw instances of violence and theft that was very concerning. Latino gangs, black gangs are very prevelent there in Denver and Aurora as well."
"it's like being in east LA looking eastward toward the mountains far far away in the distance"
"Denver is a GHETTO. Once you get past 16th street mall the place is HELL. Capital hill is filthy, and most of the city is overrun with homeless people."
"The downtown area of Denver feels like the set of a Stephen King movie. Denver exhibits a strange oxymoron of a metro area/ghost town."
"We're talking about a city that cares more about legalizing pot than stopping human trafficking, child abuse, animal abuse or anything else that would actually make the world a better place."
"The Denver metro area as a whole is a completely depressing place. The town is completely sports obsessed and really has nothing else to offer. The restaurants and food are horrible compared to other metro areas such as San Francisco."
"My daughter Britt recently moved to Denver Colorado with her boyfriend .WE told her it was a bad idea...her new coat from Burlington...was stolen the first day by a bum on the street."
"If you are liberal, a sportsaholic,don't mind waiting in line for EVERYTHING, like to smoke alot of pot and keep to yourself, then it will be the place for you"

[rajdude]

Originally Posted by davebarnes

I went to the Sperling's comments page.
"6.18% of the people in Denver, CO, claim hispanic ethnicity (meaning 93.82% are non-hispanic)"
Now, how can I trust any data they provide?

But isn't that true...I mean doesn't Denver have a lot of white people?
Or are you saying that in reality Denver has a lot of Hispanic people?

Originally Posted by davebarnes

I read all the comments from the last year.
11 of 20 (yes, only 20) were negative.
These people are really angry.

Yes, that is exactly what I am talking about........why are those people soooo very angry that they posted such nasty comments? A few bad comments are ok....personal opinion......but if over 50% of comments are saying Denver is bad....that worried me.

[maciesmom]

Angry people post more than happy people on that kind of place. Happy people are too busy out doing stuff.

[davebarnes]

Originally Posted by rajdude

But isn't that true...I mean doesn't Denver have a lot of white people?
Or are you saying that in reality Denver has a lot of Hispanic people?

"The racial makeup of Denver is 72.4% White, 12% Black or African American, 1.1% American Indian, 3.2% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 10.9% from other races, and 2.4% from two or more races. 31.8% of the population is Hispanic or Latino of any race, giving Denver one of the highest populations of Hispanics or Latinos in the U.S."
Demographics of Denver - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

play with this, it's fun: Front Range Race/Ethnicity

Originally Posted by rajdude

Yes, that is exactly what I am talking about........why are those people soooo very angry that they posted such nasty comments? A few bad comments are ok....personal opinion......but if over 50% of comments are saying Denver is bad....that worried me.

There are only 20 comments for an entire year. Compare that with the comments here.
I have no idea why those 11 people are so angry and I refuse to spend time gathering data to disprove idiotic statements such as: "Rap music pulsates most metro neighborhoods"

"if you live here, it's like smoking one pack of cigarettes per day"
Denver is not in the top 25 of most polluted.
Most Polluted Cities: State of the Air 2012 - American Lung Association
Read the full report (179 pages) and you feel pretty good about Denver. http://www.stateoftheair.org/2012/as...he-air2012.pdf

"The restaurants and food are horrible compared to other metro areas such as San Francisco."
OK, you just compared Denver with the #1 or #2 restaurant city in the USA.

""Denver has a gang problem."
Gang problems escalating in schools and neighborhoods, says activist
Gang problems escalating in schools and neighborhoods, says activist - Denver - News - The Latest Word
Understand that Leon Kelly has a vested interest in highlighting any gang problems. No gangs, no money for Leon.

"most of the city is overrun with homeless people."
"While Denver's homeless population is much lower than other major cities, the homeless residents have often suffered when without shelter during Denver's infamously cold winters."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeles...er.2C_Colorado

[mic111]

Originally Posted by rajdude

What do you think about so many people leaving extremely bad comments about Denver there?

-rajdude

A lot of these comments come from people who either did no research before moving (like those who think it is cosmopolitan, a foodie town like SF or doesn't have weather extremes). But thank goodness everyone does not want to move to Denver. Otherwise we would be over run!

Personally I think Denver is good for people who want to raise a family in a good environment. Denver is for those who like easy access to outdoor activities (many city parks, inter connecting bike trails and close to lots of hiking and other mountain actives) and city amenities (major sports, museums, zoo, performing arts center, big festivals like Stock Show, art shows etc). Denver is good for those who like to dress casually even when spending a couple of hundred dollars on a mediocre meal. Denver is good for those with a live and let live attitude. Denver is good for people who like to live close to their job and minimize their commute. There are good neighborhoods everywhere. Most cities around Denver have recreation centers with loads of activities for kids, indoor water parks, fitness classes, rock climbing walls, work out facilities etc. that are very cheap so people who like to take advantage of this huge amenity will find it a major plus.

I do not think Denver is good for foodies, people who want to live on a beach or those who love a very cosmopolitan city life. I do not think Denver is a good fit for those who care about high fashion. I do not think Denver is good for those who like everyone around them to be just like them or who care too terribly much about fitting in. Denver is not good for those who like alot of trendy shopping or real city life like you will find in NYC, LA or SF.

Denver is majorly white but it has an educated population. Denver is not good for racists or homophobic people as both those characteristics are seen as indicating low class or low education and if you speak your views you will have trouble making friends.

Things you have to be willing to accept if you move to Denver include the brown landscape, lack of water, intense sun, dry air, questionable air quality, weather extremes (very cold and very hot), high winds and a somewhat insular culture (not very concerned with or aware of world events).

Things you might find as an unexpected benefit include free camping in the national forest and local news that doesn't ask stupid questions of crime victims (like how does it feel to have your child shot). You'll also find really nice neighborhoods at almost all economic levels and in pretty much every area in and around the city for those who have the skills to get and hold a job. Coming to Denver to be homeless is not advised.

[davidv]

My favorite one was about the girl who couldn't find a job and ended up living in a car that didn't move because she couldn't drive a stick shift.

With that kind of initiative, no wonder she couldn't find a job. Apparently she couldn't find enough motivation to learn how to drive a stick shift so she could get around. Too funny.

I also thought the security guard who saw instances of violence and theft was funny too. Why does he think he was hired as a security guard? Because everything was quiet? He probably got fired because he was watching the criminals, not deterring them.

[rajdude]

Thanks for the replies everyong, it helps!

mic111 may I ask what do you mean by brown landscape?

Does it mean Denver does not have trees or maybe the trees don't have leaves for most of the year?

My wife loves the lush foliage we have here in the DC suburbs areas; I am trying to understand how less foliage will be see in Denver. Looking at street views in Google maps, it seems to me many neighborhoods do have trees in the front/backyards...just like ours here.

I remember living in the Silicon Valley, CA...they have much less trees than us here.

[ja1myn]

Denver is like the least racist place I've ever been to.