Midwesterners considering relocation to Colorado - HELP!
 

My husband is considering a job in Boulder, CO. We are in our lower 30's and have a small child. We are both originally from the Midwest, but have lived in the Southeast for quite a few years. We have midwestern/conservative values at heart, but love the SE climate and lifestyle too. We are also fairly outdoorsy. Is there anyone out there who has experienced a similiar move? Do you feel that you "fit in" with others? Has the climate/weather been a shock?<BR>We would appreciate any words of advice.<BR><BR>Ann<BR>

You would fit right in in terms of age and being "fairly outdoorsy" (although your definition of "outdoorsy" will ratchet up a couple of notches if you move to Boulder). I don't think most people would associate Boulder with midwestern/conservative values. It's pretty out-there in terms of values.<BR><BR>It would be worth a pretty long visit during the college year to see what you think.

I think the housing prices will be your first real shock. Boulder is one of the most expensive areas of an already outrageously expensive state.

1) "outrageously expensive" is a very relative term.<BR><BR>2) Colorado is not in the "midwest".<BR><BR>3) Boulder is one of the most un-Colorado-like cities in the state. Younger, more cultural, less restrictive than most any other city in Colorado.<BR><BR>4) Average winter temp is 45 daytime, 25 at night. Average high in summer is 83. 300+ sunny days per year (more sunny days than San Diego).

take a look at http://denver.citysearch.com/<BR><BR>also try www.realtor.com for houseing prices.<BR><BR>We have lived in the Denver area for 10 years and love it. You might consider the Superior/Louisville area, near Boulder. The Burbs but more affordable. Great wheather in Colorado year round.

I would second all of the advice thus far about Boulder - it's expensive, and pretty darn liberal. Also look at Golden; it's a relatively easy commute from there to Boulder. Most other communities are more conservative (for me, a little too conservative!)<BR><BR>I don't think you'll find the weather too much of a shock, particularly as you're from the Midwest originally. On the plains (where Denver and Boulder are), the winters are actually quite mild. When we do get a snowstorm, which will happen maybe 5 times a season (or less), the snow disappears pretty quickly, because it's so dry here. Invariably, each year we get one very early (Sept/Oct) or one late (April/May) snowstorm, but we also get several weekends in Jan. & Feb. where it's warm enough that we can have lunch outside on our deck.<BR><BR>The Denver (ok, all of Colorado) area has many more "outdoorsy" types than the national average. While there are still plenty of couch potatotes, there are lots of us who do our part to support the skiing, hiking, mountainbiking, snowshoeing, snowboarding, etc. industry! Along with that goes a relatively laid-back mindset and lifestyle - that's one of the reasons we moved to the Denver area from a large city.