Is Fort Collins a great place to raise a family? (Denver: homes, job market)

[shukertj]

Hi All,

We currently live in the Denver suburbs and are looking for a better quality of life. We're tired of the traffic, sprawl, generic subdivisions, and having to drive miles for what we need because everything is so spread out. We do, however, have great schools in our area, so we're hoping to find somewhere where our kids can also receive a high-quality education.

Fort Collins seems like it would have everything we're looking for--a slower pace of life, established neighborhoods with big trees, good schools, and recreational opportunities for kids as well independent businesses and cultural amenities--an arty movie theatre is a must! : ) We're also looking for a town with a sense of community that is at least somewhat walkable.

Please tell me if I'm dreaming. My husband thinks I'm a malcontent who'll never find the perfect town to call home (and maybe he's right!).

For those of you who have school-aged kids, how would you rate FC as a place to raise a family? I know I mentioned a bunch of issues in my post, so any feedback on any of these areas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[Mike Weber]

I was raised here and turned out OK.

After college, I left and got married, but returned about 14 years ago to raise our kids. We are very happy with the education and opportunities our two children, ages 14 and 16, have had so far. There never seems to be a lack of things for them to do, though they still enjoy getting to Denver to Elitch's or Water World once in a while. Both kids are honor students and participate in many extra-curricular activities and sports. We never fear for their safety.

The town is not very culturally (racially) diverse. As far as cultural activities like plays, concerts, etc, there are many opportunities. The University brings some activities, concerts, and art shows. We enjoy seeing programs at the Lincoln Center, local theaters and the two dinner theaters (Midtown Arts Center and Candlelight). For a local "artsy" movie house, check out the Lyric Cinema Cafe. We still occasionally go to Denver for a bigger show at the Buell.

Fort Collins has neighborhoods like you describe, as well as those you are trying to escape, depending upon location. Traffic can still be an issue certain times of the day, but rarely does it take me much more than 20 minutes to get anywhere (unless I have to wait for the train in the middle of town). There are many walkable neighborhoods and the town is very bike friendly. Our local MLS has a walkability score for each home listed by a Realtor. Any local Realtor can get you that information, or you can find it on the listings on www.coloproperty.com.

It might be a good idea to spend a few weekends here exploring, and see what you think.

You might check out this Facebook page for an interesting take on growing up in Fort Collins:
"You know you grew up in Fort Collins, CO if you remember...."

Lots of folks who grew up here posting about great memories and missing Fort Collins.

Good luck in your search!
Mike Weber

[shukertj]

Hi Mike,

Thanks so much for your helpful and informative input! It's great to hear that a native who knows FC inside and out would choose to move back there to raise a family. I've seen some of your recommendations for older neighborhoods on previous posts and have been checking them out on IRES, as I'm actually an agent in the S. Denver area. I know next to nothing about FC and am trying to figure it all out!

Hubby went to undergrad at CSU, and liked the town decades ago, but thinks it has grown substantially since then. Regardless, with a population of 140,000, I'm sure I will find it a welcome change from the hustle and bustle of the Denver metro. We are actually planning a scouting trip up there next week. Fortunately, hubby will most likely be able to find a job if we (I) decide to move to FC, so it's really just a matter of making up our minds and starting the process.

I will check out the "Growing up in FC" Facebook page for a glimpse into what my kids might experience if we end up moving there. Thanks again for your suggestions. : )

[Mike Weber]

Full disclosure is that I am not a native, but moved here when I was 6.

Town has grown substantially since I did my undergrad a couple of decades ago, but it is still a great place to live. You can check the walk-scores on the homes you see in IRES to get an idea of their walkability.

The FB page has a some posts from some ornery kids that got into some mischief, but that is not representative of the community as a whole.

[rya700]

Fort Collins is a great place to live and a great place to raise them....if you can do it financially. Pretty competitive job market but maybe that doesn't affect you.