Cooler places which still have access to jobs (Colorado Springs, Boulder: home, job market)

[COcheesehead]

Nederland, Conifer, Aspen Park, Woodland Park, Pine and Evergreen.

[SkyDog77]

Originally Posted by COcheesehead

Nederland, Conifer, Aspen Park, Woodland Park, Pine and Evergreen.

This is a great list to start.

[EckyX]

Originally Posted by SkyDog77

What is “prohibitively expensive” to you? Evergreen is great. There are also areas in unincorporated Jefferson County with Morrison mailing addresses that are less expensive.

I'd say that depends on what I/we can make there. Right now we're living in a small 1BR on the lake in Vermont, and paying around $1000 per month. We don't need much space, but it would be nice for our cost of living to not go up significantly.

Originally Posted by BarryK123

In the locations with cooler summers, you'll get a lot more snow in the winters. It's a trade off.

I don't mind snow. Vermont is a lot colder than Colorado. Cold isn't an issue for her health, just heat and humidity.

Originally Posted by NW Crow

https://www.vantiv.com/about/careers

They are the biggest IT related employer in Durango.


Some geology jobs with energy companies (in Durango, Cortez, Farmington) and a few with government agencies.


Farmington is more than an hour commute from Durango unless you live in southern La Plata County.

The mountains above Durango (including area around Vallecito) are 5-10 degrees cooler generally. Highs and lows.

La Plata County has 55,000 people and headed higher. Throw in adjacent CO counties and trade area is near 100,000. Include Farmington NM trade area and there are about 250,000 within 100 mile radius. That isn't a lot compared to most areas but it is more than appears for Durango by itself.


You might look at living west of CS toward Woodland Park or maybe Conifer west of Denver. To reduce 90 degree days get over 7,000 feet elevation.


Summit County probably has some IT related jobs (reservation systems, real estate databases, local government, financial sector, health care, schools, utilities, etc.)


Salt Lake City metro and out as far as Logan & Provo UT might be an alternative for some. Or maybe Los Alamos NM. Flagstaff AZ if she doesn't leave town in the summer.

This is extremely helpful. I'm going to start throwing in some applications in the Durago, Cortez and Farmington areas.

Good to know 7,000ft is the elevation to aim for.

I've poked around Salt Lake City but the pollution and far-right government are a bit of a turn-off. It's nice that Park City is so close to the SLV though.

Originally Posted by Vision67

So you're a geologist.

How about Leadville? It's cool year round at an altitude of 10,152 feet. Highs there this week will be in the low 70s.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leadville,_Colorado

Only if I can find work there. Looks like a neat place to visit at the very least.

Originally Posted by TCHP

Jobs is the thing, where gives you access to those. Does your GF have to work too?

In the Colo Spgs area we have the Tri-lakes area north of the city; Monument/Woodmoor/Palmer and west of the city is Woodland Park. Both areas are both higher in elevation and tend to be somewhat cooler in temps.

Cripple Creek with work at the Newmont mine may or may not be an option as well.

She works. It's possible that in the future her health may limit the number of hours she works, or that temperature and humidity will make many jobs inaccessible to her. Having less exposure to heat/humidity at home will improve the odds.

Cripple Creek looks like it's a pretty decent drive from Colo Springs, which is probably the nearest area with jobs?

Originally Posted by bluescreen73

OP - Houses in the foothills will tend to be very expensive and/or a long (and sometimes difficult) commute into Denver or the Springs.

I don't know how humid they are, but have you considered Coeur d'Alene, ID, or Spokane, WA?

This is what I was afraid of.

Temperature in Spokane looks pretty high, higher than much of the front range of Colorado in fact. Low elevation I suppose?

Originally Posted by COLORADOrk

Missoula, Montana

Willing to consider this. I'll have to see what I can find for work.

~

It's worth noting that while I have a degree in geology, I haven't yet used it, for reasons I won't get into. So, I'd be walking into an entry level position at best. I would appreciate being able to work in the field I went to school for, though.

[TCHP]

Originally Posted by EckyX

She works. It's possible that in the future her health may limit the number of hours she works, or that temperature and humidity will make many jobs inaccessible to her. Having less exposure to heat/humidity at home will improve the odds.

Cripple Creek looks like it's a pretty decent drive from Colo Springs, which is probably the nearest area with jobs?

1 hr typically. It can be a bit longer with snow, or like now, in the case of wildfires. There are people who commute from Cripple Creek, Divide, Woodland park into Colo Spgs regularly. I wouldn't care to, but that's my personal choice. Cripple Creek has a huge mine there, which is where a geology degree may be useful. But I have no idea. They may only want truck drivers. I don’t know, I’m just throwing them nags out. You need to decide how applicable it is to you.

In CO, the vast majority of jobs are all going to be found along the I-25 corridor. That doesn't mean there aren't jobs in the high country, but they are much harder to find and typically pay less while real estate can be higher priced. Temps along I-25 will occasionally be in the 90s and occasionally knock on the door of 100. You may find metro perimeter towns higher in the mountains than the city cores, but that will be adding significant expense and commutes. Only you can determine your pain point here.

Maybe poke around the Montrose area. Average temps there are lower than the Grand junction area. it does have some growth going on. Nothing like the Front Range, but some.

[COcheesehead]

Originally Posted by TCHP

1 hr typically. It can be a bit longer with snow, or like now, in the case of wildfires. There are people who commute from Cripple Creek, Divide, Woodland park into Colo Spgs regularly. I wouldn't care to, but that's my personal choice. Cripple Creek has a huge mine there, which is where a geology degree may be useful. But I have no idea. They may only want truck drivers. I don’t know, I’m just throwing them nags out. You need to decide how applicable it is to you.

In CO, the vast majority of jobs are all going to be found along the I-25 corridor. That doesn't mean there aren't jobs in the high country, but they are much harder to find and typically pay less while real estate can be higher priced. Temps along I-25 will occasionally be in the 90s and occasionally knock on the door of 100. You may find metro perimeter towns higher in the mountains than the city cores, but that will be adding significant expense and commutes. Only you can determine your pain point here.

Maybe poke around the Montrose area. Average temps there are lower than the Grand junction area. it does have some growth going on. Nothing like the Front Range, but some.

Cripple Creek is a gambling town. The mine is in Victor. Not sure I would recommend either as a place to live. Visit for an hour or two, but never live there.

Montrose is deathly hot in summer.

[TCHP]

Originally Posted by COcheesehead

Cripple Creek is a gambling town. The mine is in Victor. Not sure I would recommend either as a place to live. Visit for an hour or two, but never live there.

Montrose is deathly hot in summer.

Semantics. Gambling is in Cripple Creek and not Victor, but the mine has consumed an entire mountain top between the two. The OP has a geology degree. Mines use geologists. As a geology major, I'd imagine the OP know that work assignments are not going to be in a highly urban place in most cases, not all necessarily, but most. And while you may never consider living in Cripple Creek, you are not the OP and only they can decide that, as I've pointed out a couple times already that only HE can chose his pain level for these types of locales and the benefits and drawbacks that come from them.

[ShadoAngel]

Originally Posted by EckyX

Temperature in Spokane looks pretty high, higher than much of the front range of Colorado in fact. Low elevation I suppose?

Average high in July and August in Spokane is around 83. For Denver is 89 and 87 (going by airport weather records.) Current 10 day forecast looks like 5-10 degrees cooler (for high temps) in Spokane vs Denver. Mostly 80s with a few 90s. Denver is almost all above 90. Both places cool off pretty quick at night though. Even if it gets hot in the afternoon, it doesn't *stay* hot. Not sure how that affects your SO's health condition, but it's something to keep in mind.


It's lower in elevation but it's roughly 600 miles further north. As far as places that are both "cool" and "dry", I'd look into Eastern Washington, North Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. A lot of those places could probably also use your geology degree. Higher elevation places in E. Oregon and Idaho could also fit the bill, but summers in the river valleys can get pretty hot.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by EckyX

..
I've only visited Colorado once, and have spent some time looking at maps. My knowledge is pretty limited.

... my girlfriend has a chronic illness which is made significantly worse by heat and humidity, especially the latter. I understand most of Colorado is very dry, and altitude helps with temperature....

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

I 2nd Missoula, or Columbia Falls, MT.

Near CO... consider a Gov job or contractor at Los Alamos National labs, (NM)

...Additional National Labs in ID. (Hint: US National Labs are often in nice regions and the job assignments and coworkers can make a very pleasant career.). Retirees / Quality of life is a treasure in National Lab cities.

Originally Posted by ShadoAngel

Average high in July and August in Spokane is around 83. For Denver is 89 and 87 ...
It's lower in elevation but it's roughly 600 miles further north. As far as places that are both "cool" and "dry", I'd look into Eastern Washington, North Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. A lot of those places could probably also use your geology degree. ....

If you don't mind... geology jobs in mining may pay the bills while you find something to your liking

MT, WY, WA, AK can be VERY helpful to earnings (HIGH) and tax friendly during your earning years.

[DougStark]

The west coast (but not too far inland) has some of the coolest, most comfortable summers in the nation. Places like the Willamette valley in Oregon and Wash State west of the Cascade range are examples.

[TCHP]

It is also worth mentioning that in CO, even in places that are hitting 80-90s during the summer days, will still cool down to the 50s overnight.