Finding the Right City

What are some of the top rated cities on the Front Range?

Mosf of Colorado's populations, and thus properties, are on what is called "The Front Range". The Front Range is a colloquial term that roughly describes the area just east of the mountain foothills from Fort Collins in the north to Pueblo in the south, with Denver toward the middle.

Each of these cities routinely garners national attention. In alphabetical order, with a brief description:

• Boulder.
  Home to the University of Colorado, numerous U.S. government labs, and many start-ups. Great downtown, well planned, many bike lanes, and very close to Denver and the mountains. Boulder has it all, but you pay for it with some of the higher home prices around.
  http://www.bouldercoloradousa.com/
  http://www.ci.boulder.co.us/
  
  
• Colorado Springs.
  Home to the Air Force Academy, the U.S. Olympic Training Facility, Pikes Peak, and Garden of the Gods. You don't have to go to Denver for an airport or the zoo…they have great ones of their own…but that's a good thing because you're generally a good hour from the Mile High City.
  http://www.springsgov.com/
  http://www.experiencecoloradosprings.com/
  
  
• Denver.
  The Mile City has it all…with the typical advantages and disadvantages of a big city, but with a stand out park system and skyline. Denver has had a lot of great new development in recent years, and has been a particularly attractive place for bright, active, young people in recent years, making it well poised for the future.
  http://www.denver.org/
  http://www.denvergov.org/
  
  see additional links below
  
  
• Fort Collins.
  This quintessential American town is home to Colorado State University and the makers of Fat Tire Ale. Although the location of Fort Collins isn't as good as Boulder-the other great mid-sized university town-and the amenities aren't quite the same, the dollar goes further here, and many love the vibe here.
  http://www.ftcollins.com/
  http://www.ci.fort-collins.co.us/
  
  
• Louisville.
  This small town is routinely rated tops in the country for families. Ideally located between Boulder and Denver, the planned rail stop here makes this town perfect for commuters, many of whom don't travel far for a job. Louisville has it's own downtown and identify, but the reality is you'll end up leaving town for certain amenities.
  http://www.ci.louisville.co.us/
  http://www.louisvillechamber.com/

Honorable mentions include: Broomfield, Golden, Highlands Ranch, and Littleton.

Are the mountains an option?

Of course there are many spectacular mountain towns to consider. The big trade-offs up there are: limited jobs, higher prices, big snow, tourist traffic, and in some places: pine beetle damage and/or fire risks. If you're going to look at the mountains, some areas to consider include: Aspen, Breckenridge, Crested Butte, Durango, Estes Park, Fraser….I guess you get the idea, there's probably a great place in every letter of the alphabet! Make sure to check out Salida, Telluride, and Vail too!

Resources with some specific data to help you

Sperling's Best Places is always a great place to start for information and quality of life statistics for individual cities. There is also a useful city comparison feature: http://www.bestplaces.net

FasTracks is the regional public transportation system of the present and future for the Denver area. Find maps and more: http://www.rtd-fastracks.com

Whole Food Locations: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/colorado/index.php

More Denver area information

The Chamber of Commerce site has great relocation information. Check out the "Live and Work" section, and request a Relocation Guide: http://www.denverchamber.org

Neighborhood by neighborhood report: http://www.denverpost.com/ci_6797508

More visitor Info, Facts, Maps, Links: http://www.milehighcity.com/

5280 is "Denver's Magazine": http://www.5280.com/
They tend to do an annual real estate report that is particularly interesting.

School Information

Public and private school reviews: http://www.greatschools.net/

Asking the right questions: http://school.familyeducation.com/school-selection/parenting/38802.html

And remember, local public school districts publish attendance maps, and often performance reports, that can help you select the right neighborhood.