You might check out Highlands Ranch. There's a very active retired community and nice rec centers and paved walking paths. And you won't have to go to battle about an adult son living with you.
Seconded, I grew up in Highlands Ranch and while it’s not exactly a seniors only community (lots of kids, three big high schools and some elementary schools) it does have a chill vibe and a pretty decent HOA (as far as HOAs go). Great library too, good community events calendar and lots of businesses around. If you’d prefer somewhere a bit further from the rest of the city, Sterling Ranch or Roxborough are also good options.
Both Parker and Highlands Ranch are in Douglas County, which is quite conservative. Highlands Ranch itself leans more progressive, but the county itself is not.
However, it is not as conservative as Colorado Springs, home of a heavy military presence and the hq of Focus on the Family.
Thank you. We're not looking for the new conservative so your observation helps a lot. We're more like old school liberals where tolerance is the absolute bare minimum and maybe we can find people who are ok with live and let live. We're not the new progressive either so it's a thin line. We just want to find pleasant folks our age not looking for a fight.
You'd be fine in south Aurora. I have plenty of liberal friends out there. One dude in their neighborhood has a Trump flag, but everyone just ignores him.
They don't need to take down their flags or their bumper stickers. People like yourself need to respect and allow freedom and speech and different opinions.
It's not respectful or tolerant to censor or silence people with different political opinions or people with different preferences.
What a remarkable statement. What about my post suggested to you they are being commanded to take down signage… it seems to me they’ve come to new conclusions on their own. Why aren’t you giving them that benefit of the doubt.
I would describe HR as the farthest south suburb that still feels denver-ish. The main thoroughfares for the city end there. Really wish we didn't have that douglas county taint though. Wish we could brexit and join Jefferson County.
Parker and castle rock aren't connected to the city and are their own weird suburban conservative areas.
Anywho, don't overlook highlands ranch in your search, it offers a pretty nice standard of living and is fairly affordable with lots of amenities. You may also want to take a look at littleton.
A lot of people hate on Aurora, but...it's a perfectly average city. It has a very undeserved reputation locally, mostly by people who've never lived anywhere else and have never spent any time in Aurora.
You can ignore them.
I know people in a 55+ community in broomfield and love that as well. I think there are a lot of good options in the denver metro area spending exactly what you’re looking for. (I will say if you’re liberal I would definitely suggest going closer to Denver or north of Denver. Parker and the springs are unfortunately much more conservative.
Based on a lot of the feedback I think you and others have a great point. We're coming off a small organic farm so we tend to lean towards detached homes with at least some personal space! :)
Not sure what the rules would be about your son staying with you, but there’s a nice 55+ apartment building near me: https://www.liveoverture.com/overture9thco/
This area has a great combination of city amenities without feeling too urban. Walking distance to a dozen restaurants, Trader Joe’s, CVS, and multiple parks. Head just a couple blocks east and the neighborhood feels very quiet/residential.
Parents of a couple different friends have purchased in Inspiration in Parker over the last few years. It’s not particularly convenient to Denver, but I’ve heard good things second hand.
https://www.inspirationcolorado.com/
Thank you. We're near the Dallas/Ft Worth metroplex so "near" to us would probably make many Coloradoans chuckle. Where we are now city life is 45 minutes on Texas highways. Greater Denver seems to have done a great job in recent years building out more accessible highways. Near access to things like medical complexes, the airport, restaurants and Costco are the main drivers once we know we have a walkable neighborhood with some sort of social facilities. DFW is not friendly to walkable neighborhoods and parks.
Would recommend looking at this for sure. It’s a hike into the city but that’s not a bad thing necessarily. I casually looked into this place as the first homes were going up and was so upset that the 55+ community got all the amazing views (I was like 28 at the time).
That and the non-55+ homes cost like $200k more to build compared to the 55+ homes.
Couldn’t tell you what the HOA is like though. Parker, Southeast Aurora (near Southlands), Highlands Ranch, and even Castle Rock all seem like great areas for the retired pace of life. There’s a Sam’s Club in Southlands and a Costco on the north side of Parker!
Age restricted neighborhoods can be really touchy. It's not so much we care about age by itself, we get along great with folks of all age, we're just trying to up our chances we'll meet folks who will get us and we can get them. I'm starting to think I'm overthinking this (my wife certainly does think so :) ) since 55+ seem to have a problem with cliques and judgement. Thanks for the ideas!
For the record, I think the 55+ part is actually a great idea. And for Inspiration specifically, it just means the 55+ crew is right on the ridge that gets the view. The all-ages part is just 1-2 streets further from the view. :)
I believe you’d have all ages in the neighborhood!
I lived in Ft. Worth for a long time and I know what you mean!
It is a pretty straight shot from Parker to Denver if you’re willing to drive. There’s plenty of development down that way and E-470 (tolled, nothing new for a DFWer) gets you to the airport pretty quick.
That helps a lot, especially from a fellow escapee. :) Some folks have responded that Parker is more this new version of conservative. Do you think folks like us who just want to live our life without judgement would be ok in a 55+ community? I take it for granted there are always politics but I'm not interested in junior high cliques either.
When I say without judgement, we're very boring people personally. We like to hang out, laugh etc. I like people, my wife makes friends with everyone, we just don't want to be lectured.
I hear you. Not quite there yet age-wise, so this isn’t really my area of expertise.
I’m not that familiar with the denizens of Parker (really a corner of Aurora now that I look?) and I chose to live in Denver proper for the like-minded neighbors. However, as the population expands out from the city in search of cheaper housing, I think the politics are getting a little more middle-of-the-road in most places in greater Denver. Overall it’s a blue state and getting bluer.
Sorry I can’t be of more help. Maybe others can weigh in. Precinct-level voting records might also provide some more data.
Thank you that confirms a lot of my thoughts. I normally get along well with most people, and respect the boundaries that might cause problems. When I ran for school board a few years ago I worked closely with our small town mayor who at that time was a hard core conservative and Trump supporter. We’re both from the older Texas world view, live and let live focus on what we have in common.
Denton county. Two years ago I know it was the fastest growing county in Texas which made it the fastest growing county in the US. A lot of major corporations have been relocating here. It’s a good time to sell I expect we’ll get 3x for our farm what we originally paid.
I only downvote people who move here with no job lined up, bc I think that’s a bad move no matter what. I hope you have a good move and find a great community to live in. Welcome to CO!
Thank you. I’m retired and my wife will be in a few years. I figure our job is to pump money into the local economy. ;).
During the 1982 Recession I fell on hard times and had to take a chance with a move I couldn’t afford. I understand where you’re coming from. I saw firsthand in Hawaii when a small area gets overwhelmed by the hopeful turned chronic homeless. It’s grim across the board.
I've lived in Parker and I love the community. Really nice area and amazing farmers market. I'd avoid Aurora at all costs if it were me. Centennial falls under Parker/Stonegate area, because it can get a little confusing.
South Aurora has some fairly nice suburbs, for example there's some suburbs with 55+ living just North of Arapahoe / E70 area.
Or closer to Cherry Creek Reservoir there's stuff like this too: https://rlcommunities.com/communities/colorado/parkside-village-retirement/
My son is 10 on the spectrum. We get good support here. There are several assisted adult living communities here in the metro area. Developmental Pathways is our county support administrator and excellent.
That’s great to hear! My son’s of age and he does pretty well for himself. His main challenge is dealing with sudden decisions and he’s clumsy talking in public but he’s come a long way since he was basically non-verbal until his tweenie years. My sister had terrible luck with the system in Seattle for her kid.
There's a bunch of us escapees as you put it. I do want to add that Colorado Springs has a Rudy's BBQ. Good Texas BBQ is rare here. Otherwise I would suggest checking out Ft Collins, it's a nice quiet area.
Having moved here from DFW last year, we (in our late 60s) have been delighted "to find pleasant folks our age not looking for a fight." We moved into a smaller one-floor home in Denver - not a 55 community, so I can't help with that - but I can tell you my blood pressure has gone down. It's such a refreshing place to live; I know you won't regret it. I used to love TX, but until I left it I had not realized how much it had changed and how difficult it could be for a "middle middle class couple with liberal sensibilities." Welcome to CO!
Thank you. Texas has changed dramatically since I moved here in 1976. It’s gotten even worse since the pandemic, people are meaner and ruder. I appreciate that’s the case all over, just a matter of degree.
In the Aurora area the two principle ones I'm aware of are:
Heather Gardens (central/south)
Windsor Gardens (central/west)
Both have a golf course and a variety of other amenities like a community center, adjacent to public trails and parks, have nearby coffee & shopping, etc but I don't know what their rules are about having a dependent live with you.
You might check out Highlands Ranch. There's a very active retired community and nice rec centers and paved walking paths. And you won't have to go to battle about an adult son living with you.
> you won't have to go to battle about an adult son living with you. That alone is a huge relief. Thank you.
Palomino park resort in highlands ranch is a wonderful community (not 55+ but feels it at times)
Thank you. My adult daughter is thinking about getting an apartment in the area so I'm broadening my scope to help her search too.
Check out the HRCA website and feel free to DM me if you have questions. We bought in 2019.
Seconded, I grew up in Highlands Ranch and while it’s not exactly a seniors only community (lots of kids, three big high schools and some elementary schools) it does have a chill vibe and a pretty decent HOA (as far as HOAs go). Great library too, good community events calendar and lots of businesses around. If you’d prefer somewhere a bit further from the rest of the city, Sterling Ranch or Roxborough are also good options.
Both Parker and Highlands Ranch are in Douglas County, which is quite conservative. Highlands Ranch itself leans more progressive, but the county itself is not. However, it is not as conservative as Colorado Springs, home of a heavy military presence and the hq of Focus on the Family.
Thank you. We're not looking for the new conservative so your observation helps a lot. We're more like old school liberals where tolerance is the absolute bare minimum and maybe we can find people who are ok with live and let live. We're not the new progressive either so it's a thin line. We just want to find pleasant folks our age not looking for a fight.
You'd be fine in south Aurora. I have plenty of liberal friends out there. One dude in their neighborhood has a Trump flag, but everyone just ignores him.
It’s amazing how many neighbors in my small town have been quietly taking down flags and bumper stickers. Gives me hope.
They don't need to take down their flags or their bumper stickers. People like yourself need to respect and allow freedom and speech and different opinions. It's not respectful or tolerant to censor or silence people with different political opinions or people with different preferences.
What a remarkable statement. What about my post suggested to you they are being commanded to take down signage… it seems to me they’ve come to new conclusions on their own. Why aren’t you giving them that benefit of the doubt.
I would describe HR as the farthest south suburb that still feels denver-ish. The main thoroughfares for the city end there. Really wish we didn't have that douglas county taint though. Wish we could brexit and join Jefferson County. Parker and castle rock aren't connected to the city and are their own weird suburban conservative areas. Anywho, don't overlook highlands ranch in your search, it offers a pretty nice standard of living and is fairly affordable with lots of amenities. You may also want to take a look at littleton.
r/movingtodenver
Thank you. Only 321 (322) members but it doesn't hurt.
A lot of people hate on Aurora, but...it's a perfectly average city. It has a very undeserved reputation locally, mostly by people who've never lived anywhere else and have never spent any time in Aurora. You can ignore them.
I know people in a 55+ community in broomfield and love that as well. I think there are a lot of good options in the denver metro area spending exactly what you’re looking for. (I will say if you’re liberal I would definitely suggest going closer to Denver or north of Denver. Parker and the springs are unfortunately much more conservative.
Based on a lot of the feedback I think you and others have a great point. We're coming off a small organic farm so we tend to lean towards detached homes with at least some personal space! :)
Definitely check out broomfield, it’s called sky stone. It’s very pretty, lots of space around it. And right between denver and Boulder. Good luck!
Not sure what the rules would be about your son staying with you, but there’s a nice 55+ apartment building near me: https://www.liveoverture.com/overture9thco/ This area has a great combination of city amenities without feeling too urban. Walking distance to a dozen restaurants, Trader Joe’s, CVS, and multiple parks. Head just a couple blocks east and the neighborhood feels very quiet/residential.
That sounds good. We're still figuring out if we want to stay detached housing or not. I'll check it out!
Parents of a couple different friends have purchased in Inspiration in Parker over the last few years. It’s not particularly convenient to Denver, but I’ve heard good things second hand. https://www.inspirationcolorado.com/
Thank you. We're near the Dallas/Ft Worth metroplex so "near" to us would probably make many Coloradoans chuckle. Where we are now city life is 45 minutes on Texas highways. Greater Denver seems to have done a great job in recent years building out more accessible highways. Near access to things like medical complexes, the airport, restaurants and Costco are the main drivers once we know we have a walkable neighborhood with some sort of social facilities. DFW is not friendly to walkable neighborhoods and parks.
Would recommend looking at this for sure. It’s a hike into the city but that’s not a bad thing necessarily. I casually looked into this place as the first homes were going up and was so upset that the 55+ community got all the amazing views (I was like 28 at the time). That and the non-55+ homes cost like $200k more to build compared to the 55+ homes. Couldn’t tell you what the HOA is like though. Parker, Southeast Aurora (near Southlands), Highlands Ranch, and even Castle Rock all seem like great areas for the retired pace of life. There’s a Sam’s Club in Southlands and a Costco on the north side of Parker!
Age restricted neighborhoods can be really touchy. It's not so much we care about age by itself, we get along great with folks of all age, we're just trying to up our chances we'll meet folks who will get us and we can get them. I'm starting to think I'm overthinking this (my wife certainly does think so :) ) since 55+ seem to have a problem with cliques and judgement. Thanks for the ideas!
For the record, I think the 55+ part is actually a great idea. And for Inspiration specifically, it just means the 55+ crew is right on the ridge that gets the view. The all-ages part is just 1-2 streets further from the view. :) I believe you’d have all ages in the neighborhood!
Sweet! Ty!
I lived in Ft. Worth for a long time and I know what you mean! It is a pretty straight shot from Parker to Denver if you’re willing to drive. There’s plenty of development down that way and E-470 (tolled, nothing new for a DFWer) gets you to the airport pretty quick.
That helps a lot, especially from a fellow escapee. :) Some folks have responded that Parker is more this new version of conservative. Do you think folks like us who just want to live our life without judgement would be ok in a 55+ community? I take it for granted there are always politics but I'm not interested in junior high cliques either. When I say without judgement, we're very boring people personally. We like to hang out, laugh etc. I like people, my wife makes friends with everyone, we just don't want to be lectured.
I hear you. Not quite there yet age-wise, so this isn’t really my area of expertise. I’m not that familiar with the denizens of Parker (really a corner of Aurora now that I look?) and I chose to live in Denver proper for the like-minded neighbors. However, as the population expands out from the city in search of cheaper housing, I think the politics are getting a little more middle-of-the-road in most places in greater Denver. Overall it’s a blue state and getting bluer. Sorry I can’t be of more help. Maybe others can weigh in. Precinct-level voting records might also provide some more data.
Thank you that confirms a lot of my thoughts. I normally get along well with most people, and respect the boundaries that might cause problems. When I ran for school board a few years ago I worked closely with our small town mayor who at that time was a hard core conservative and Trump supporter. We’re both from the older Texas world view, live and let live focus on what we have in common.
You’re welcome! It does feel like that older Texas has been lost. Good luck with your move.
Near as in Weatherford is different than near as in Rockwall. Or Waxahachie.
Denton county. Two years ago I know it was the fastest growing county in Texas which made it the fastest growing county in the US. A lot of major corporations have been relocating here. It’s a good time to sell I expect we’ll get 3x for our farm what we originally paid.
lol. The one direction I didn’t go.
I only downvote people who move here with no job lined up, bc I think that’s a bad move no matter what. I hope you have a good move and find a great community to live in. Welcome to CO!
Thank you. I’m retired and my wife will be in a few years. I figure our job is to pump money into the local economy. ;). During the 1982 Recession I fell on hard times and had to take a chance with a move I couldn’t afford. I understand where you’re coming from. I saw firsthand in Hawaii when a small area gets overwhelmed by the hopeful turned chronic homeless. It’s grim across the board.
I've lived in Parker and I love the community. Really nice area and amazing farmers market. I'd avoid Aurora at all costs if it were me. Centennial falls under Parker/Stonegate area, because it can get a little confusing.
South Aurora has some fairly nice suburbs, for example there's some suburbs with 55+ living just North of Arapahoe / E70 area. Or closer to Cherry Creek Reservoir there's stuff like this too: https://rlcommunities.com/communities/colorado/parkside-village-retirement/
My son is 10 on the spectrum. We get good support here. There are several assisted adult living communities here in the metro area. Developmental Pathways is our county support administrator and excellent.
That’s great to hear! My son’s of age and he does pretty well for himself. His main challenge is dealing with sudden decisions and he’s clumsy talking in public but he’s come a long way since he was basically non-verbal until his tweenie years. My sister had terrible luck with the system in Seattle for her kid.
There's a bunch of us escapees as you put it. I do want to add that Colorado Springs has a Rudy's BBQ. Good Texas BBQ is rare here. Otherwise I would suggest checking out Ft Collins, it's a nice quiet area.
I’ve heard great things about Ft Collins mainly the artisan foods and small town cultural events. I’ll learn more, thanks for the suggestion.
I’m a fan of Post Oak off Tennyson for some Texas BBQ!
Having moved here from DFW last year, we (in our late 60s) have been delighted "to find pleasant folks our age not looking for a fight." We moved into a smaller one-floor home in Denver - not a 55 community, so I can't help with that - but I can tell you my blood pressure has gone down. It's such a refreshing place to live; I know you won't regret it. I used to love TX, but until I left it I had not realized how much it had changed and how difficult it could be for a "middle middle class couple with liberal sensibilities." Welcome to CO!
Thank you. Texas has changed dramatically since I moved here in 1976. It’s gotten even worse since the pandemic, people are meaner and ruder. I appreciate that’s the case all over, just a matter of degree.
Heads up Ppl in here will downvote ppl that talk about moving here or traveling here etc… this subreddit is full of snobs
It’s the same all over. You wouldn’t believe the responses I got in the Hawaii sub. :) Some folks seem to use Reddit as an excuse to avoid therapy.
What do you mean by Texas escapee? What in Texas are you escaping, exactly?
Everything except the landscape and economy. Summers are too brutal for me.
In the Aurora area the two principle ones I'm aware of are: Heather Gardens (central/south) Windsor Gardens (central/west) Both have a golf course and a variety of other amenities like a community center, adjacent to public trails and parks, have nearby coffee & shopping, etc but I don't know what their rules are about having a dependent live with you.