Greeley... (Denver, Fort Collins, Loveland: low income, crime rate, houses)

[kate_12]

I'm very interested in the Greeley/Fort Collins area, can anyone give me info on that? Specifically, what is the weather like, towns like, are there good schools, churches, etc? And any other tidbits...

[awecrap]

I would say steer clear of greeley it is a filthy town with alot of crime- if you can afford to (its kind of expensive)i would suggest living in either ft. collins or loveland i have lived in loveland my whole life and its not a bad place there are alot of parks and rec. areas its not as crowded as ft collins or greeley ft collins is a little too crowded for my liking

[Munshine]

I agree with the above post regarding Greeley. I am a native of 49 years to the county Greeley is located in, (Weld), and although 30 years ago Greeley was a nice, clean, and good place to live, it definitely isn’t any longer, and I, myself, would never move there.

Fort Collins and Loveland are not only better than Greeley as far as appearance/people/atmosphere/crime rate goes, both also offer far more as in the variety/availability with businesses and shops. And the same goes for the schools and churches. Both, Fort Collins and Loveland, are also located on the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, (Greeley is not).

What follows is what I, first, copied from another Ft. Collins-weather-related-question I previously responded to here on this board, and now am pasting it here. It will tell ya all about the weather in this area, and sorry if it’s too lengthy/more then what you wanted to know! Good luck with your future move to CO, also;


Weather in Colorado/the Ft. Collins region has always been infamously-known to be that of diverse and dramatically changeable, and on or within, any given day of the year. (Example: During the months of early Spring, it has been sunny and 65, reaching 85 degrees, all morning long, then at some point during the early afternoon, a cold-front/a different weather pattern would rapidly moving in, and make the previously high temperature rapidly and dramatically drop, and as much as 15 to 40 degrees lower, (this drastic temperature decreasing sometimes occurred within an hour’s time, also). Such countless-occurring weather changes during these times even produced, crippling, blizzards/blizzard-like conditions, and yet the following morning’s weather’s offered warmth and sunshine, and usually would have any/all existing snow melted by 10 A.M.

Using the past decade for my weather-reference, and stating now, what is, (approximately), “typical” / “normal” for Fort Collins;

The wintry weather, and or snowy-season, occurs during the months of October through March.

Average/Normal daytime temperatures during these months have ranged between +18 to +62 degrees during daytime hours, with nighttime temperatures being anywhere from -10 degrees and or up to +32 degrees.

I’m not able to accurately state this decade’s past-received snowfall amounts, but can, somewhat, accurately say that during these specific months, it was typical/normal for some type of snowstorm/snowfall, to occur during any given 4-6 week time period, (periodical light dustings throughout the time of each month, and or, and at least, one, (if not two, during certain months), usually short-lived, but sometimes crippling, blizzard(s), and which would, usually, resulted in an accumulation of 3 to 12 inches of snow on the ground.

Although what’s next is not considered “typical” nor “normal” for the same, above mentioned, weather season. it is not at all uncommon in Fort Collins for the first snowfall after Summer, to occur as early as the second week in September, (in the early Fall). Nor is it unusual for the last snowfall before Summer begins, to happen in the latter part of April, and or in the early part, and even middle, of May. It also is quite common for this area of Colorado to receive over 12 inches of snow, and which has happened during one day’s storm, and or during several days’ of storming.

Also, there have been a few years within this decade when Ft. Collins has had no, (or, none to speak of), snowfall during these months at all, but did experience, very harsh, and bitterly cold temperatures, and which lingered, consistently, for a little over a 3-week period. (The last year this occurred in this area, throughout these weeks‘, each 24-hour period consisted of below zero temperatures. Daytime highs never exceeded -0 degrees, and nighttime temperatures were recorded to be from -2 to -33 degrees).

Spring-like weather, (warm/pleasant during the day, usually an occassional rain instead of snow, still cold at night), typically/normally begins in the month of March, with summer-like weather conditions beginning to exist more so/more frequently by the middle of April.

Summer-like weather, although starting to appear in April, usually isn’t experienced every day until the last of May, and or in early June. During the months that Spring officially draws to an end and Summer literally begins, Ft. Collins is accustom to brief and periodic bouts of bad weather, and which consist of thunder/lightening storms, rainfall which has been sparse and or heavy and hard at times, damaging hail storms, and as of present date, only being issued the occasional “warnings” of possible tornadoes. [/i][/i][/b]

[starling]

Several people have asked about weather in northern Colorado and I don't feel anyone has answered them accurately. The weather is VERY unpredictable, as the last post stated. You can have "summer" in winter and "winter" in summer. NOW you have to ask yourself WHY does this happen? WELL, Colorado of course has mountains and how do these weather patterns get "around, up" the mountains.... WIND? Many parts of Colorado are VERY, VERY windy. especially the front range (east side of rockies). THAT is why skiing on the west side of the Rockies is preferable... Eldora, Monarch are not the best places to ski, whereas Vail, Breckenridge, Copper Mountain are much better. SO remember this when moving to Colorado.....expect lots of WIND, unless you are surrounded by trees you will feel the wind. I only lived there for 5 years and loved it, but I was waiting for a native Coloradoan to answer the weather questions.

[ncrea]

I've lived in Northern Colorado since the 60's, and this past spring was windy - hard enough to blow trash cans over, etc., which was really unusual. There will be some wind as the jet stream passes over the Rocky Mountains. It certainly isn't every day though.

The saying for Colorado weather is this, "If you don't like the weather, just wait a minute and it will change". It's a bad rap that only seldom happens. When snows hit early fall, September - November, and in spring, March - April, they are usually gone in a couple of days. Rarely do we get alot of snow in December - February. I can't remember when we had a true white Christmas. THe biggest snow accumulation will be the spring snows in March and April.

Greeley just hit the news tonight in Colorado. Two shootings in as many days. That is VERY Unusual for small city Greeley. The results of gangs moving into Greeley are taking effect.

[hoosierteacher]

I like Loveland/Ft. Collins but Greely looks a bit more affordable. Whats the scoop on Greeley?!?!

[xxman777]

Greeley used to be the slaughterhouse capital of the west. While there isn't as many slaughterhouses as there used to be the town still smells like manure. There isn't much going on the the town, it's just an average small town while Loveland/Ft. Collins tends to have a lot more going on.

[hoosierteacher]

Well I grew up shoveling maure so it doesnt bother me! I read alot of posts dated in august that didn't say much about gang crime, now the september posts have nothing but gang crime. Im wondering why Greely was a great place to raise a family a month ago, and this month its a gang infested craphole?!?!

Was there just recently a few murders? Or is it a non-stop crime fest there?

And why are gangs in Colorado anyway?? I can see some minor gang activity in Denver but out in rural Colorado, just seems odd to me.

[hoosierteacher]

Thanks for the reply. I agree, I would LOVE to live in Loveland/Ft. Collins BUT I can get a lot more home in Greeley. Then again, Im hoping I can look hard enough and find what I want in Loveland, but Ft. Collins seems just out of our reach right now.

[xxman777]

The reason for the gang problem in Greeley is the slaughterhouses. The slaughterhouses don't pay very well. They bring with them low income residents, which in turn lower the quality of the schools in the area. Naturally gangs follow. That said I don't think Greeley is a terrible place to raise a family but I think Ft. Collins/Loveland would a much better place.