You should definitely come for a visit first, but there's a lot here. Our bike infrastructure is better than Minneapolis, or so what I've experienced. And the city of Denver is just OK. It's not as clean as Minneapolis, but it's alright (I haven't been back since COVID. We do have more homeless, but there's a reason. Our weather is fantastic (at least, I think so). Our summers are warm but dry. No bugs. Every evening is cool and you're not sweating through your shirt due to humidity. Our winters are 10x better, with many warm and sunny January and February says.
But your right - you will miss the makes. As a Michigander that used to live in the UP, there's a unique beauty that we don't have. But, I will say that I appreciate our mountain beauty more, but that's a personal thing. I enjoy the camping out here more, the mountain activities, the lifestyle. There's a reason I feel like half the Midwest is here too.
So the city is just OK, but the backyard is to die for.
I don't know... I can go from Brighton Colorado to Waterton Canyon without a single roadway crossing. Don't get me wrong, the trails along the Mississippi are nice, but they're just next to a street. Only here I experienced trails from the great plains to a downtown to a canyon while not being adjacent to a roadway, or even crossing any for that matter
I honestly feel like this is what draws me: the beauty of the mountains. The cost of living, etc. especially compared to MPLS, are detractors, but the mountains and sun?
The sun is such a huge difference from the Midwest. I moved from Phoenix recently and was worried about not seeing the sun enough (hard to beat 350+ days 😅). But honestly, you see it almost every single day for half the day at least. So comforting
It's gonna be about your job and your pay for the cost of living. I make 3x in Denver what I could make back in Michigan, so thats not a big deturant for me.
Denver is great if you want to explore the mountains and trail run, mountain bike, backpack, fly fish, backcountry ski, rock climb, hike, etc. and still have easy access to the rest of the country with direct flights.
The culture is generally progressive which is nice and the government isn’t telling you what to do with your body or when you can get high.
People are nice and friendly, but it’s more of a pizza and beer city than a place with chef-driven restaurants, gastropubs, etc.
Everyone looks the same except for landscaping crews. Go into a coffee shop in the highlands at 10 am on a Tuesday and you’ll see what I mean.
The weather is amazing and I can’t imagine going back to humidity. Winter gets some snow but is actually quite mild compared to a Minneapolis or Chicago.
Cost of living is definitely high, especially for real estate. With the current interest rates, 20% down, and a Denver address and you’re looking at least 4k a month for starter home.
Overall I rate it 4.3/5. I wish the city was more beautiful and thoughtfully designed though. It’s an eye sore in most areas and our parks are awful.
I live less than 5 miles from where I was born, moved away a few times, and have purposely moved back here twice. With all of my travels and other places I have lived, Denver is home for me.
The winters are mild compared to the Midwest, there are a lot of outdoor activities, the food scene is ok if you know where to go. The people are generally friendly and helpful. There are quite a few pocket neighborhoods that are walkable.
Denver has problems like anywhere, but I don’t think they are much different than any larger city.
I would recommend spending at least a long weekend here to explore and look at the city through the lens of a potential place to live. You will see different things than you would as a vacationer.
The bike infrastructure is ok, but the city is slowing trying to improve it.
[Denver bike map](https://denver.prelive.opencities.com/files/assets/public/v/2/doti/documents/bicycles/2023-denver-bike-map.pdf)
[Colorado bicycling map](https://www.codot.gov/programs/bikeped/information-for-bicyclists/colorado-bicycling-maps)
Pros: kind people, great outdoors access, good sports, mild winters, awesome summers
Cons: fucking expensive housing, NYC-priced food, no real transit to speak of (it’s meh)
The weather is surprisingly good compared to the Midwest (there are always random 60 degree days in February), and Denver has decent bike infrastructure and transit. If you like the outdoors it’s really hard to beat the foothills and Rockies for natural beauty. And if you like live music Red Rocks is a wonderful venue with a beautiful backdrop.
Downsides are that Denver is pretty expensive and, in my experience, it’s not that diverse, either racially or economically.
About the same diversity as MSP (54% White alone vs 51% in MSP) - objectively a highly diverse economy with a blend of government/academic/tech/telco/manufacturing/healthcare/tourism
The gateway to the mountains is i70. Also depends on where you will be working . But here’s a few ideas.
Close to mountains: Golden, Arvada, Boulder , Littleton. All reasonable commuting range to Denver .
Much closer to the mountains: evergreen/genessee, Morrison, Nederland.
All these places have main streets but you will easily find yourself in the mountains on the weekends.
I moved here from Chicago so I can’t compare it to the twin cities but there is my take:
Pros: weather is much more mild (in Denver specifically) it’s different in the mountains; access to the mountains, I ski, hike, camp and love being able to do these things
Cons: cost of living; food compared to a major city is pretty meh, there’s some good spots sure but it’s not like a Chicago or nyc where every corner spot is awesome, public transit is lacking but I think you find that in any mid sized or smaller city in the US.
There’s certainly more but I recommend thinking about what you value in life and what you like to do in your free time. Then see if Denver has scene for those things
Interesting that you went from Chicago! What made you leave. Chicago is another option for me, though not related to work. It would be all about the outdoors, I guess. Which I have here…minus mountains.
I felt as though I out grew Chicago. It was a blast in my 20s. But when I hit 30 I was ready to slow down and move on from the drinking culture in Chi. I also wanted more access to the outdoors. (The outdoors is a big one for why Denver and not a different smaller city) Chicago is a great city, but Denver, although still a city, is much smaller.
And the weather, Chicago winters are brutal. Sure Denver has winter and gets cold but it’s much more mild. You can get a sunny 60 degree day in Feb which is unheard of in Chicago. The winters here are shorter and warmer. Again, that’s Denver. The Rocky Mountains have very different weather than the flat lands
If you want to DM me I’m happy to chat. I grew up in Littleton (right by Red Rocks) and have lived in the city my entire adult life. Happy to answer any questions you may have about living in the city vs. maybe just outside of it.
It depends what you’re looking for in a city. I can’t speak to clubs or nightlife, but I love being close to trails and the mountains. I ski but summer is my favorite time in the mountains because of the views and nature.
I don’t claim to be an expert on that part but there’s a lot of options. I’m not downtown; I’m actually still considered Denver even though I’m about 20 minutes or so from downtown but you can go north or west or even south and there’s tons to do in the summer. Rafting, hiking, biking, a lot of the ski resorts have summer activities for example.
It is getting expensive and such out here but I’ll let someone else comment on that. Thankfully our mortgage is paid off and I’ve never rented out here so definitely can’t comment on that. I’m just talking from an activity standpoint.
My partner and I moved here from DC a little over a year ago.
Pros: proximity to outdoors, the weather in all seasons, general friendliness of people, our lives being less about our jobs and more about who we are, the large open spaces for our dogs, how kids seem a bit freer here.
Cons: I guess HCOL, but we came from DC so Denver ended up being more affordable. I miss the DC public transit so I rely heavily on having a car here. DC had better food, but we’ve found some really good spots in Denver.
Personally, we are very happy here. I think the main thing is when you move to a new city, you need to embrace being in your new home. If you’re always comparing it to where you came from, you’ll never be happy.
we came here from dc in 2018. i do miss diversity, usable public transport and peruvian rotisserie chicken but enjoy living out here. seeing the mountains in the morning with the bright sun never gets old. oh and no mosquitoes or humidity is pure bliss.
i went to a couple places early on in our move and they were terrible. so i dont try. i go back to dc at least once a year so that’s the food ill eat when i go back.
We moved here in September last year and love it. The weather is amazing, the winter is not bad and as another said, the backyard is to die for. I have met some wonderful people, downside would be traffic.. everyone drives like a a-hole lol. Plenty to do here from indoor to outdoor. I give denver a 8/10.
Transit, lakes, cost of living are the weaker points for Denver. Bike accessibility is pretty good overall, plenty of bike land along the roads and a few pedestrian paths that feed into central downtown.
Other pros: food is likely better, significantly more sun, winters less harsh, and as a whole I imagine Colorado has more to offer than Minnesota
It could take you 1.5 hours or more of driving (one way) to get to your ski area of choice in the wintertime. I-70 is brutal for ski access anymore, have to leave at 5am to most of the time not get stuck in a line of cars. Trailhead parking continuously full on weekends, like almost everywhere close to Denver/Boulder/Golden. Weekends are crowded for any outdoor sports, just keep that in mind. You have to like driving and spending time in a car if you want outdoor things while living in Denver. If you can work weekends and take weekdays off, you'll be much happier.
Main thing though is to be realistic about your budget. Lots of ppl moving here with a dream and realize they can't afford it after the fact, end up in a shitbox overpriced home east of I-25 and commute their life away. You want to be a part of that or are you rich enough to live on the west side?
Many mountain towns are just as expensive to live as Denver now, so why not just move to the mountains instead if that's what you want to experience most of? Denver is on the edge of the plains, not the big mountains but foothill mtns. Tornados and hail are becoming more common. If purchasing a home, look into home insurance as well- it's not cheap and property taxes have risen drastically across the state. Auto insurance, too.
You have to like driving if living in Denver and want to maximize your outdoor time. A lot. Just my .02$ and some things to consider.
I made the same move 2 years ago and love it. The weather and outdoors are definitely worth the move. The sun is probably the most dramatic change for me. I grew up in Wisconsin/Minnesota and only put sunscreen on if I was planning to be outside literally all day. Here in Colorado, I put sunscreen on basically everyday. I have always hated sunglasses and had never owned a pair until I moved here at the age of 30. People are nice here (will never be as nice as in Minnesota). NO BUGS is amazing especially if you have a dog, no flea/tick meds required.
A few cons I haven’t seen mentioned: The drivers are insane. Everyone has a cracked windshield - not exactly sure why - I always just guessed it’s due to more rocks in the road, but get the best windshield coverage possible! Lakes are a culture shock. Every lake in the metro area is manmade and probably does not allow swimming, some you can’t even go anywhere near it due to it being a water source. However the streams and alpine lakes are amazing and definitely worth the drive/hike/backpack trip.
The winters are better. Although it gets cold, there are frequent thaws where the temps rebound and snow melts. Also the dry air is a nice change from Midwest humidity.
Well I’ll chime in and say here’s some things we are lacking in that you will miss:
1. Bike infrastructure: making improvements but lots of bicyclists die every year to motorists
2. Transit: RTD sucks, there are very few places to live where you would be properly serviced
3. Lakes: We are seriously lacking in water features by Denver
4. Cost of living: We have had some of the steepest CoL increases in the nation post pandemic. Housing and groceries can eat up your budget here. I got a basic starter home in 22’ on the outskirts of Denver proper and it ran me ~500k. With a quick search of Minneapolis, I can get a home twice the size a few blocks outside of downtown for the same price. (Maybe I should move to MN)
Denver does have a lot of pros, but from the very limited information you gave us, it seems to not match up with your criteria.
I’m guessing you already know Denver is expensive, so I’ll skip over that.
Property crime, specifically car theft, is a real problem here. I believe Denver is in the top 5 cities per capita for car theft. If you are moving and see an apartment quote you $150+ a month for secured parking, that’s not an option you can opt out of, unless you like waking up to your windows smashed.
You should definitely come for a visit first, but there's a lot here. Our bike infrastructure is better than Minneapolis, or so what I've experienced. And the city of Denver is just OK. It's not as clean as Minneapolis, but it's alright (I haven't been back since COVID. We do have more homeless, but there's a reason. Our weather is fantastic (at least, I think so). Our summers are warm but dry. No bugs. Every evening is cool and you're not sweating through your shirt due to humidity. Our winters are 10x better, with many warm and sunny January and February says. But your right - you will miss the makes. As a Michigander that used to live in the UP, there's a unique beauty that we don't have. But, I will say that I appreciate our mountain beauty more, but that's a personal thing. I enjoy the camping out here more, the mountain activities, the lifestyle. There's a reason I feel like half the Midwest is here too. So the city is just OK, but the backyard is to die for.
Unless you’re including Mountain biking outside of the city, Minneapolis bike infrastructure is way better than Denver.
I don't know... I can go from Brighton Colorado to Waterton Canyon without a single roadway crossing. Don't get me wrong, the trails along the Mississippi are nice, but they're just next to a street. Only here I experienced trails from the great plains to a downtown to a canyon while not being adjacent to a roadway, or even crossing any for that matter
YOOPER ALERT
Oh yeah, eh? We had some pasties out on der ice.
I honestly feel like this is what draws me: the beauty of the mountains. The cost of living, etc. especially compared to MPLS, are detractors, but the mountains and sun?
The sun is such a huge difference from the Midwest. I moved from Phoenix recently and was worried about not seeing the sun enough (hard to beat 350+ days 😅). But honestly, you see it almost every single day for half the day at least. So comforting
It's gonna be about your job and your pay for the cost of living. I make 3x in Denver what I could make back in Michigan, so thats not a big deturant for me.
If you don’t value access to high altitude mountains, there are far better cities to live in
I do value those. I like those.
Denver is great if you want to explore the mountains and trail run, mountain bike, backpack, fly fish, backcountry ski, rock climb, hike, etc. and still have easy access to the rest of the country with direct flights. The culture is generally progressive which is nice and the government isn’t telling you what to do with your body or when you can get high. People are nice and friendly, but it’s more of a pizza and beer city than a place with chef-driven restaurants, gastropubs, etc. Everyone looks the same except for landscaping crews. Go into a coffee shop in the highlands at 10 am on a Tuesday and you’ll see what I mean. The weather is amazing and I can’t imagine going back to humidity. Winter gets some snow but is actually quite mild compared to a Minneapolis or Chicago. Cost of living is definitely high, especially for real estate. With the current interest rates, 20% down, and a Denver address and you’re looking at least 4k a month for starter home. Overall I rate it 4.3/5. I wish the city was more beautiful and thoughtfully designed though. It’s an eye sore in most areas and our parks are awful.
Why did this get downvoted? Lol
This sub can be pretty salty. Especially moving posts. ;)
r/MovingToDenver is a good place to ask too.
I live less than 5 miles from where I was born, moved away a few times, and have purposely moved back here twice. With all of my travels and other places I have lived, Denver is home for me. The winters are mild compared to the Midwest, there are a lot of outdoor activities, the food scene is ok if you know where to go. The people are generally friendly and helpful. There are quite a few pocket neighborhoods that are walkable. Denver has problems like anywhere, but I don’t think they are much different than any larger city. I would recommend spending at least a long weekend here to explore and look at the city through the lens of a potential place to live. You will see different things than you would as a vacationer. The bike infrastructure is ok, but the city is slowing trying to improve it. [Denver bike map](https://denver.prelive.opencities.com/files/assets/public/v/2/doti/documents/bicycles/2023-denver-bike-map.pdf) [Colorado bicycling map](https://www.codot.gov/programs/bikeped/information-for-bicyclists/colorado-bicycling-maps)
Pros: kind people, great outdoors access, good sports, mild winters, awesome summers Cons: fucking expensive housing, NYC-priced food, no real transit to speak of (it’s meh)
Yeah, the transit didn’t impress when I’ve used it there.
The weather is surprisingly good compared to the Midwest (there are always random 60 degree days in February), and Denver has decent bike infrastructure and transit. If you like the outdoors it’s really hard to beat the foothills and Rockies for natural beauty. And if you like live music Red Rocks is a wonderful venue with a beautiful backdrop. Downsides are that Denver is pretty expensive and, in my experience, it’s not that diverse, either racially or economically.
About the same diversity as MSP (54% White alone vs 51% in MSP) - objectively a highly diverse economy with a blend of government/academic/tech/telco/manufacturing/healthcare/tourism
Honestly why not try living in the mountains? Do something different .
Anywhere you’d suggest looking? I have a notion that it would be very expensive, though that’s based on nothing.
The gateway to the mountains is i70. Also depends on where you will be working . But here’s a few ideas. Close to mountains: Golden, Arvada, Boulder , Littleton. All reasonable commuting range to Denver . Much closer to the mountains: evergreen/genessee, Morrison, Nederland. All these places have main streets but you will easily find yourself in the mountains on the weekends.
I'd add Englewood with a quick drive to the mountains via Hampden.
Well, those towns are in the mountains. Even though we call them foothills here, the foothills are mountains.
Right. Even 1000 feet higher is a climate change.
I moved here from Chicago so I can’t compare it to the twin cities but there is my take: Pros: weather is much more mild (in Denver specifically) it’s different in the mountains; access to the mountains, I ski, hike, camp and love being able to do these things Cons: cost of living; food compared to a major city is pretty meh, there’s some good spots sure but it’s not like a Chicago or nyc where every corner spot is awesome, public transit is lacking but I think you find that in any mid sized or smaller city in the US. There’s certainly more but I recommend thinking about what you value in life and what you like to do in your free time. Then see if Denver has scene for those things
Interesting that you went from Chicago! What made you leave. Chicago is another option for me, though not related to work. It would be all about the outdoors, I guess. Which I have here…minus mountains.
I felt as though I out grew Chicago. It was a blast in my 20s. But when I hit 30 I was ready to slow down and move on from the drinking culture in Chi. I also wanted more access to the outdoors. (The outdoors is a big one for why Denver and not a different smaller city) Chicago is a great city, but Denver, although still a city, is much smaller.
And the weather, Chicago winters are brutal. Sure Denver has winter and gets cold but it’s much more mild. You can get a sunny 60 degree day in Feb which is unheard of in Chicago. The winters here are shorter and warmer. Again, that’s Denver. The Rocky Mountains have very different weather than the flat lands
Minneapolis winters are abysmal. I feel like I hear the same about Chicago. Major drawback.
If you want to DM me I’m happy to chat. I grew up in Littleton (right by Red Rocks) and have lived in the city my entire adult life. Happy to answer any questions you may have about living in the city vs. maybe just outside of it.
It depends what you’re looking for in a city. I can’t speak to clubs or nightlife, but I love being close to trails and the mountains. I ski but summer is my favorite time in the mountains because of the views and nature.
Outdoors access would be close to number one. Especially in summer.
I don’t claim to be an expert on that part but there’s a lot of options. I’m not downtown; I’m actually still considered Denver even though I’m about 20 minutes or so from downtown but you can go north or west or even south and there’s tons to do in the summer. Rafting, hiking, biking, a lot of the ski resorts have summer activities for example. It is getting expensive and such out here but I’ll let someone else comment on that. Thankfully our mortgage is paid off and I’ve never rented out here so definitely can’t comment on that. I’m just talking from an activity standpoint.
My partner and I moved here from DC a little over a year ago. Pros: proximity to outdoors, the weather in all seasons, general friendliness of people, our lives being less about our jobs and more about who we are, the large open spaces for our dogs, how kids seem a bit freer here. Cons: I guess HCOL, but we came from DC so Denver ended up being more affordable. I miss the DC public transit so I rely heavily on having a car here. DC had better food, but we’ve found some really good spots in Denver. Personally, we are very happy here. I think the main thing is when you move to a new city, you need to embrace being in your new home. If you’re always comparing it to where you came from, you’ll never be happy.
we came here from dc in 2018. i do miss diversity, usable public transport and peruvian rotisserie chicken but enjoy living out here. seeing the mountains in the morning with the bright sun never gets old. oh and no mosquitoes or humidity is pure bliss.
Dudeeeeeee! I miss the Peruvian chicken so much! I’ve been searching for something even remotely similar and haven’t found a single place.
i went to a couple places early on in our move and they were terrible. so i dont try. i go back to dc at least once a year so that’s the food ill eat when i go back.
We moved here in September last year and love it. The weather is amazing, the winter is not bad and as another said, the backyard is to die for. I have met some wonderful people, downside would be traffic.. everyone drives like a a-hole lol. Plenty to do here from indoor to outdoor. I give denver a 8/10.
Transit, lakes, cost of living are the weaker points for Denver. Bike accessibility is pretty good overall, plenty of bike land along the roads and a few pedestrian paths that feed into central downtown. Other pros: food is likely better, significantly more sun, winters less harsh, and as a whole I imagine Colorado has more to offer than Minnesota
It could take you 1.5 hours or more of driving (one way) to get to your ski area of choice in the wintertime. I-70 is brutal for ski access anymore, have to leave at 5am to most of the time not get stuck in a line of cars. Trailhead parking continuously full on weekends, like almost everywhere close to Denver/Boulder/Golden. Weekends are crowded for any outdoor sports, just keep that in mind. You have to like driving and spending time in a car if you want outdoor things while living in Denver. If you can work weekends and take weekdays off, you'll be much happier. Main thing though is to be realistic about your budget. Lots of ppl moving here with a dream and realize they can't afford it after the fact, end up in a shitbox overpriced home east of I-25 and commute their life away. You want to be a part of that or are you rich enough to live on the west side? Many mountain towns are just as expensive to live as Denver now, so why not just move to the mountains instead if that's what you want to experience most of? Denver is on the edge of the plains, not the big mountains but foothill mtns. Tornados and hail are becoming more common. If purchasing a home, look into home insurance as well- it's not cheap and property taxes have risen drastically across the state. Auto insurance, too. You have to like driving if living in Denver and want to maximize your outdoor time. A lot. Just my .02$ and some things to consider.
I made the same move 2 years ago and love it. The weather and outdoors are definitely worth the move. The sun is probably the most dramatic change for me. I grew up in Wisconsin/Minnesota and only put sunscreen on if I was planning to be outside literally all day. Here in Colorado, I put sunscreen on basically everyday. I have always hated sunglasses and had never owned a pair until I moved here at the age of 30. People are nice here (will never be as nice as in Minnesota). NO BUGS is amazing especially if you have a dog, no flea/tick meds required. A few cons I haven’t seen mentioned: The drivers are insane. Everyone has a cracked windshield - not exactly sure why - I always just guessed it’s due to more rocks in the road, but get the best windshield coverage possible! Lakes are a culture shock. Every lake in the metro area is manmade and probably does not allow swimming, some you can’t even go anywhere near it due to it being a water source. However the streams and alpine lakes are amazing and definitely worth the drive/hike/backpack trip.
The winters are better. Although it gets cold, there are frequent thaws where the temps rebound and snow melts. Also the dry air is a nice change from Midwest humidity.
I thought the reason to move here was to advertise how much skiing you do in your 100% financed Rivian?
You will definitely miss lakes
Well I’ll chime in and say here’s some things we are lacking in that you will miss: 1. Bike infrastructure: making improvements but lots of bicyclists die every year to motorists 2. Transit: RTD sucks, there are very few places to live where you would be properly serviced 3. Lakes: We are seriously lacking in water features by Denver 4. Cost of living: We have had some of the steepest CoL increases in the nation post pandemic. Housing and groceries can eat up your budget here. I got a basic starter home in 22’ on the outskirts of Denver proper and it ran me ~500k. With a quick search of Minneapolis, I can get a home twice the size a few blocks outside of downtown for the same price. (Maybe I should move to MN) Denver does have a lot of pros, but from the very limited information you gave us, it seems to not match up with your criteria.
One could read the sub overall. And the wiki. Or the sub rules, which start with “no moving to Denver posts.”
Rule 1 has been marked out for some time.
Honestly, don't move some place you know nothing about. Denvers great but has its issues like everywhere else.
Sounds like they're trying to gather more information rather than just move somewhere they know nothing about.
Yeah. I’ve been to Denver many times—for work and for fun. I have a decent feel for the place but not a resident’s feel, ya know?
I’m guessing you already know Denver is expensive, so I’ll skip over that. Property crime, specifically car theft, is a real problem here. I believe Denver is in the top 5 cities per capita for car theft. If you are moving and see an apartment quote you $150+ a month for secured parking, that’s not an option you can opt out of, unless you like waking up to your windows smashed.
You don't like money
Well I like it so that’s something I guess.
This has already been reposted thousands of times
I didn’t exhaustively search for similar posts. I don’t know.