Thoughts on Denver? (Boulder: fit in, transplants, lease)

[kristen0886]

This is probably way too broad of a question, but for all you Denver natives or transplants, what are your thoughts on living in the city? Likes? Dislikes?

I ask because I'm 23, single and contemplating a move out to Denver from North Carolina, and I'm just curious to hear what the culture and lifestyle is like. I've grew up in NC and have always wanted to move away, just to experience something different, and after being in my job for two years and my lease ending this summer, I think this might be a good time to do it. I love the outdoors and love Colorado and have always thought it would be a great fit for me; I'm not going to lie though, it's a little intimidating thinking of moving that far from home all by myself! I keep getting tempted by good options a little closer to home (Nashville, etc.) where I know people, but I also don't want to get scared away from moving somewhere that I'd really love just because it seems a little intimidating at first (as most good things in life do )

So what's your experience in Denver been like? Are people friendly? Is it easy to get plugged in (churches, social groups etc.)? What's the cost of living like? Why do you continue to live there? Wide open - I just want to hear insider's thoughts on what life there is really like!

[BlueWillowPlate]

Hi Kristen
I will just throw out a couple thoughts.

It *is* kind of a broad topic, but your post caught my eye because I, who raised two kids in Denver and spent more than 30 years there myself, am now living in north Florida, and we get a lot of people from the Carolinas here.
(I am a huge Avett Brothers fan.)

Denver would probably be a bit of a culture shock for you. It is a much more secular and diverse community. When you meet someone new, they are not going to ask if you attend church, let alone which one.

However, this is not to say that Denver is a godless city and nobody goes to services. There are a variety of ways to assimilate. Meetup.com might be helpful to newcomers, and Westword can give a young person some ideas about culture and nightlife in Denver.

It's probably a good idea to explore job possibilities; here is a pay scale you can look at. Denver is mostly in the middle, maybe a bit above.
US Labor Bureau
Denver Price Index
Transportation in Denver can be tricky, but not insurmountable.

We met friends from South Carolina in Denver, they loved the skiing and outdoor activities there, but after their daughter was born they knew they would go back to SC, which they did after a year or so.

[ledjar]

Originally Posted by kristen0886

I ask because I'm 23, single and contemplating a move out to Denver from North Carolina

So what's your experience in Denver been like? Are people friendly? Is it easy to get plugged in (churches, social groups etc.)? What's the cost of living like? Why do you continue to live there? Wide open - I just want to hear insider's thoughts on what life there is really like!

my girlfriend and another one of my friends are both from chapel hill. there's actually quite a few north Carolina transplants here. and i figure i might as well just tell you what they both think of here.

My girlfriend hates it here compared to north Carolina. - because of the cold weather. unless your coming from boone its A LOT colder here.

and my other friend who's getting his graduate degree from CU boulder also hates it. - he hates the people here. he also lives in boulder where probably no one is genuine and half the city consists of drugged out trustifarians. He also has a hard time dealing with the lack of trees compared to north Carolina. the denver metro area is near the foothills, meaning its still basically open fields with some trees just like the rest of the midwest.

i'm 24 and grew up here so i'll try and answer all your questions the best i can.

-So what's your experience in Denver been like?

i hated denver the first 5 years i lived here. now its kinda grown on me, now that i'm not living in the actual city of denver.

Is it easy to get plugged in (churches, social groups etc.)?

there's a lot going on everwhere. you shouldn't find a hard time finding something your into. i found it super hard to make good friends here, expecally comparing it to when i was living in LA last fall.

What's the cost of living like?

from what i hear pretty comparable to chapel hill. the Denver metro area isn't cheap by any means. expecally if you get into the far north, west, or south suburbs. Boulder county is super expensive, as is broomfield county. Denver is less than the burbs but still is pricey if you wanna live anywhere near anything fun to do.

Why do you continue to live there?

for me its multiple reasons. my company is based out of boulder, all my friends are here. and we are one of the lucky states to have MMJ cards. my only real complaint is the cost of living and the weather. i also like that we have one of (if not the) biggest micro brewery cultures here.

[kristen0886]

Thanks for the replies! It's great to get some perspective, especially comparing Denver with the Carolinas. I actually live in Chapel Hill, so that's a great comparison for me.

In some ways, the different culture of Denver is appealing. I like the idea of going somewhere totally different from home, but at the same time, when I think about moving, I realize how much the South is home to me. I don't mind the more liberal culture etc (the Bible Belt culture gets annoying, even though I attend church), but I am spoiled by being around friendly people all the time. I think my two biggest fears about Denver are the cultural differences/meeting new people and the isolation from the rest of the U.S. -- I'm really used to having a lot of easy, fun weekend trips around me. BUT, with the mountains right there and all the outdoor stuff to do, is there really any need to leave on the weekends?

I will probably just keep my eyes open for jobs and take opportunities as they come - but I really do appreciate getting an "inside" view -- wikipedia can only tell you so much

Thanks!

P.S. - I love the Avett Brothers too! Their newest album is amazing!

[Brian_M]

You want to talk culture shock? I moved from Wyoming, a town of ~5000, to Washington DC when I was 22. I know that southern culture is Way different (my wife's from GA), but pushing yourself through challenges when you're young will make you a better person. You may not enjoy the actuality of Denver nearly as much as the idea of Denver, but you won't know till you try.

Denver is an unremarkable city to me. It has city like things, but the 'personality' is lacking as compared to places like DC, NYC and even Atlanta. I like the theater and cultural stuff here, and like living here, but it's not as fun (city-wise) as several others I've been to/lived in. If you're up for the hour+ drive into the mountains (with 10,000 other people) every weekend, then there's some crowded outdoor activities. I can't bring myself to fight the crowds though and miss living in Wyoming for the non-crowded outdoors stuff that was only a few minutes from my door. As an example, I love skiing and went once this last winter due to crowds (we went on a normal school/work week) and expense ~ it's just not fun/enjoyable.

[303miles]

Originally Posted by ledjar

my girlfriend and another one of my friends are both from chapel hill. there's actually quite a few north Carolina transplants here. and i figure i might as well just tell you what they both think of here.

My girlfriend hates it here compared to north Carolina. - because of the cold weather. unless your coming from boone its A LOT colder here.

and my other friend who's getting his graduate degree from CU boulder also hates it. - he hates the people here. he also lives in boulder where probably no one is genuine and half the city consists of drugged out trustifarians. He also has a hard time dealing with the lack of trees compared to north Carolina. the denver metro area is near the foothills, meaning its still basically open fields with some trees just like the rest of the midwest.

i'm 24 and grew up here so i'll try and answer all your questions the best i can.

-So what's your experience in Denver been like?

i hated denver the first 5 years i lived here. now its kinda grown on me, now that i'm not living in the actual city of denver.

Is it easy to get plugged in (churches, social groups etc.)?

there's a lot going on everwhere. you shouldn't find a hard time finding something your into. i found it super hard to make good friends here, expecally comparing it to when i was living in LA last fall.

What's the cost of living like?

from what i hear pretty comparable to chapel hill. the Denver metro area isn't cheap by any means. expecally if you get into the far north, west, or south suburbs. Boulder county is super expensive, as is broomfield county. Denver is less than the burbs but still is pricey if you wanna live anywhere near anything fun to do.

Why do you continue to live there?

for me its multiple reasons. my company is based out of boulder, all my friends are here. and we are one of the lucky states to have MMJ cards. my only real complaint is the cost of living and the weather. i also like that we have one of (if not the) biggest micro brewery cultures here.

Denver is NOT the midwest. I'm from Denver and I live in Minneapolis now THIS is the midwest. I hate it.

[Champ le monstre du lac]

Denver is fabulous but I think you already knew that. Don't ever listen to cynical people when making your decision. At 23 years old the question is not why should I move to Denver, but why not? Seize the oppurtunity, it will enrich your life and you'll always be grateful for it. (I know this from experience, I moved to Seattle from Boston at the age of 22). Even if it does not work out, you can always go back home. The worst thing would be to wake up at 30 tied down to so many responsibilities and saying "I wish I had done that when I had the chance".

Denver is full of transients and people from elsewhere and if you've had an itch to move you will probably find you have a lot in common with many other folks there.

[ajmac10]

I moved from Boston to Denver in 2006 when I was 24. I packed up my 4 door sedan with as much as I could fit in there and hit the road, all by myself. I loved it!! It was such a great experience and I don't regret it one bit. I lived there for only a year, but that was part of the plan, move out there for a little bit and see if I liked it. As many people have said before, you don't want to wait until you're tied down with too many responsibilities to make a move like that. I moved back home in 2007, and now I'm saving as much money as possible to make a permanent move out there by the end of the year. Just go with an open mind and an open heart, whether you like it or not, you won't regret it because you'll be better for it in the long run.

[davidv]

Originally Posted by 303miles

Denver is NOT the midwest. I'm from Denver and I live in Minneapolis now THIS is the midwest. I hate it.

Here are some ramblings from a Denver native and geography and history buff whose family has been in Colorado for generations.

Denver IS the Midwest. And the West. And the Southwest. It is the Rocky Mountains, but it is also the Great Plains. Because it is so near each of these areas, Denver exhibits characteristics of all these areas.

Denver has large influences from native Coloradans - including a large number of Hispanics whose families have live in CO/NM for literally centuries. However, Denver natives are far outnumbered by transplants who have brought their values and personalities to Denver. There are thousands of people from the Midwest (SD, NE, KS, OK, and TX), the Southwest (AZ, NM, and Southern NV), the Rocky Mountains (WY, MT, and UT - including enough Mormons to need a temple here), and the Pacific (mostly Californians). Most of the people who move here from the Eastern Time Zone come from the Northeast, not the South. One big culture shock for most southerners is the lack of African-Americans, who have a sizeable population in the area, but are not the largest minority group.

Foreign immigrants are generally from Mexico, Canada, with a pretty sizeable Vietnamese population. There are small pockets of others including Indians, Chinese, Koreans, and Eastern Europeans.

Denver's history was influenced by ranchers from the plains, and miners from the mountains. Are we cowboys (our football team is the Broncos and the Stock Show is a huge annual event)? Are we miners (basketball team is the Nuggets and Newmont Mining calls Denver home)? Or are we modern (we have one of the largest concentration of outer space-related jobs)? The answer is yes to all of it.

[bogotrep]

Denver is less than the burbs but still is pricey if you wanna live anywhere near anything fun to do.

Actually this is incorrect.

The reverse is true here. The city is more expensive and housing prices get cheaper the further out you go.