Just a few days to decide Ft. Worth or Denver (Dallas: appointed, home)

[azmom33]

My husband's job is moving from Arizona to Colorado (we are looking at the Littleton and Highland's Ranch areas) early next year. He found out yesterday that he can also choose to go to Fort Worth, but we have to decide by Monday and we would have to move within the next couple months. I'm an Arizona native, my husband practically is, and I have never been to Texas. The pros we were looking at in Colorado was mainly the weather. We are tired of the heat and our 7th grade son was looking forward to the snow and snowboarding. Our older children will be continuing college in AZ but were looking forward to spending summers in the cooler weather. We haven't been to Colorado yet but every time we mention that is where we are moving, people tell us how great it is. The research I've done seems to support that it's a great place to live.

However, we would like to put some real thought into Fort Worth because we know the cost of living is cheaper than Colorado. From what I read though the summers are hot, maybe not as hot as the Phoenix area, but still hot. If I can get past the fact of still having hot summers, what are some positives about the area? With one child at home still, schools are important. Specifically schools with good band programs. My husband has a 100 mile round trip commute here, so we would love for him to have a much shorter commute. It's not a must, but we would love to have some space between our neighbors, which due to higher prices probably wouldn't happen in Colorado. I was looking at the Aledo area but that may be too rural for my son's liking. What are things to do around the Ft. Worth area for a 7th grade boy and college kids who come home for the summer? Basically, what are some pros and cons to living in Texas for a family?

[loveautumn]

no state taxes in Texas
Colorado can get pretty hot in the summer, but not as hot as AZ or Texas.
Texas is red, Colorado is blue...in case that matters to you (since you're coming from a pretty conservative state)

You'd really need to go visit both places because they are very different....

[azmom33]

Thanks loveautumn! I like the no state taxes and the conservative state part. I definitely agree that we need to visit both places. We have a trip to Colorado planned for the summer but with this coming up last minute I wish we would have gone to check it out sooner. I looked at flights to Texas last night for this weekend, but they are just too pricey at this late date. I really wish we had more time to decide.

[loves2read]

sports are big in TX
baseball in summer of course--football is still king but with certain parents/kids soccer is really popular and it plays almost all year long in club sports
there are some very good gymnastics programs in public schools and swim programs
some schools do lacrosse but that isn't the norm...

there are youth leagues for any sport--even fencing-- all over the metroplex and many parents involve their children (sons and daughters) in club sports in hopes they will get superior coaching and win scholarships
some teams are VERY competitive and people can drive long distances to make playing on desirable teams possible

summer programs for younger kids in the metroplex include programs at the FTW science museum and with Tarrant county college for kids program
you can find out info on line for both but they would not be close to Aledo

plus programs with the YMCA and various other groups--
search on FT and Dallas forums for "summer camps" and see what comes up

summers are so hot that if you don't have a pool you are usually inside so it would help to be moved before school is over so your son can make local friends
once school is over it might be much more difficult since you don't necessarily know which neighborhoods really have kids his age...

Personally I would think about your POV regarding issues like gun ownership, religion in school, high stakes testing, and very conservative government and social attitudes....

I think Colorado has pockets of more liberal, open-minded thinking--
I don't know that much about the state government except it legalized marijuana use

TX is extremely right wing, socially conservative but not as fiscally well managed as it would like you to believe...
it treats it poor residents poorly in deed and definitely treats big business with kid gloves...

[azmom33]

Thank you loves2read! That helps and gives me more to think about. Sports here are very competitive as well which I don't particularly care for but at least it sounds as if there are lots of choices. I assumed it was all football. I think we would be moving after school is out here in May, but you make a good point about trying to find friends before summer starts.

[4Movingeast]

Hi! you've gotten some good info from the above posters. I live in Aledo and don't have one as old as you yet but a neighbor is now at the 9th grade center and loves it (so do her parents). Her older siblings went to school in Louisiana, they moved here for the schools, and have not been disappointed. She is a pre AP student and has lots of homework but loves school. I have known her since she was an older elementary student.

It's good that your son is into band, that will give him a toehold in a group and there will be a way for him to plug in with other kids. Sports are KING in Aledo though- especially football. Your guy is already in 7th so it's pretty much established who does what- just a matter of plugging in. And there are plenty that do and enjoy band, if that's what he is into.

Did you mention the commute location, just a general area? That will help us point you where you might want to look. Feel free to DM me for more info.

[Campeador]

Originally Posted by azmom33

My husband's job is moving from Arizona to Colorado (we are looking at the Littleton and Highland's Ranch areas) early next year. He found out yesterday that he can also choose to go to Fort Worth, but we have to decide by Monday and we would have to move within the next couple months. I'm an Arizona native, my husband practically is, and I have never been to Texas. The pros we were looking at in Colorado was mainly the weather. We are tired of the heat and our 7th grade son was looking forward to the snow and snowboarding. Our older children will be continuing college in AZ but were looking forward to spending summers in the cooler weather. We haven't been to Colorado yet but every time we mention that is where we are moving, people tell us how great it is. The research I've done seems to support that it's a great place to live.

However, we would like to put some real thought into Fort Worth because we know the cost of living is cheaper than Colorado. From what I read though the summers are hot, maybe not as hot as the Phoenix area, but still hot. If I can get past the fact of still having hot summers, what are some positives about the area? With one child at home still, schools are important. Specifically schools with good band programs. My husband has a 100 mile round trip commute here, so we would love for him to have a much shorter commute. It's not a must, but we would love to have some space between our neighbors, which due to higher prices probably wouldn't happen in Colorado. I was looking at the Aledo area but that may be too rural for my son's liking. What are things to do around the Ft. Worth area for a 7th grade boy and college kids who come home for the summer? Basically, what are some pros and cons to living in Texas for a family?

I'd try to draft of a list of criteria. What's important to you in a home city? This is a very personal choice and the more time you spend really thinking / reflecting deeply on the matter, the better you'll do in deciding.

For me, I'd choose Denver because of proximity to the mountains and overall natural beauty of CO. Fort Worth is a great option too and, depending on your criteria and life goals, it may be the better choice. COL is low for a large metro area, and that can allow you to live differently. But, again, this is a very personal choice. Good luck (they're both good options!).

[bluescreen73]

If you can afford to take the COL hit, I'd go with Denver. Yes, the COL is cheaper in FW, but compared to Phoenix or Denver, DFW is miserably hot & humid. It gets "hot" here but Denver's all-time record high is 105 - or as Texans call it July and August. Because it's drier here, the temps drop quickly after sundown. I lived in DFW for 12 years and hated summers with a passion. To me the lower COL and spending 3-4 months stuck in AC wasn't worth it.

Denver traffic will also be considerably lighter than DFW.

[Restrain]

Remember in Denver that you are at least 5000 feet in altitude, 6500 in some of the suburbs. We lived there, had snow on Labor Day, Memorial Day. It is a beautiful place but at minus 10 in a snowstorm, it is frigging COLD.

Fort Worth, you can play golf 12 months of the year. Yes it gets hot, not as hot as AZ. But it not near as cold as Denver. Example, we had a cold snap,this week, but lasted one day, flowers are out. It came a blizzard in Denver.

Having lived in both, I would take Fort Worth

[bluescreen73]

Originally Posted by Restrain

Remember in Denver that you are at least 5000 feet in altitude, 6500 in some of the suburbs. We lived there, had snow on Labor Day, Memorial Day. It is a beautiful place but at minus 10 in a snowstorm, it is frigging COLD.

Fort Worth, you can play golf 12 months of the year. Yes it gets hot, not as hot as AZ. But it not near as cold as Denver. Example, we had a cold snap,this week, but lasted one day, flowers are out. It came a blizzard in Denver.

Having lived in both, I would take Fort Worth

There was a blizzard here this week? Could've fooled me. Yeah we got a couple inches of snow on Sunday but it was back in the 60s by Wednesday. It gets colder here than Fort Worth, but nowhere near as cold as the upper Midwest. I'll take a sometimes chilly, sometimes snowy winter over living on the surface of the sun with a wet wool blanket over my face during the summer. Between the heat, humidity, bugs, and complete lack of scenery, summer in DFW blows and that's putting it nicely.

Don't even get me started on allergy season - which lasts 9-10 months out of the year in DFW.