Move to Colorado

Why move to Colorado?  Colorado gets a lot of hype and most of it is well-deserved. There’s no doubt about it, Colorado is an amazing place to live. We will give you a few things about what it’s like living in Colorado. 

The mile-high city, home to nuggets, Rockies Coors beer, and of course sitting in the same state our famous friends grew up with Stan Kyle Cartman and Kenny, deliberately placed near the mountains, but not in the mountains, a place you can go for over 300 sunny days a year, come enjoy craft beer hikes and tons of farm-to-table food in only Colorado. 

As of July 1, 2018, the population of Colorado was 5,695,564, making it the 21st most populous state in the US. Its landmass is 104,094 square miles, consisting of the Southern Rocky Mountains, the northern portion of the Colorado Plateau, and the western edge of the Great Plains. Colorado’s diverse geography makes it a desirable playground for those who love the outdoors.

Cost of Living in Colorado. 

When considering a move to a new state, it is important to learn about any potential changes in your cost of living. Fortunately, when it comes to Colorado, the cost of living is not as high as you might initially fear. In fact, when compared with other states, Colorado’s index of 131.5 is only slightly higher than the national average. This higher cost of living is mostly due to housing, grocery, and transportation costs. For instance, when it comes to purchasing a home, the median price is approximately $336,000. If you are considering the Denver metro area, you will be looking at prices in the upper $400,000 range.

However, this slightly higher cost of living is not so bad if you take into consideration that the median household income is actually 13 percent higher than the national average.

Job Market in Colorado. 

Colorado has a diverse economy comprising a variety of industries, such as energy, agriculture, and manufacturing. Other industries include tourism and real estate. However, when moving to a new state, it is important to educate yourself regarding the top industries to help inform your job-searching activities. When it comes to Colorado, the following industries are the most popular.

Business, Architecture and Engineering, legal, mathematics and computers, social, physical, and life sciences. 

Denver Housing Market. 

The typical home value of homes in Denver County is $530,249 according to Zillow. This value is seasonally adjusted and only includes the middle price tier of homes. Denver County home values have gone up 10.8% over the past year.

Colorado Weather. 

Colorado is located, on average, 6,800 feet above sea level. This high elevation results in low humidity and moderate yearly temperatures across most of the state. For instance, when it comes to the summer, the average high is around 86 degrees Fahrenheit.

However, due to varying elevations, weather can be rather localized. In the eastern part of the state, for instance, the weather is more similar to the semi-arid plains of Kansas where temperatures are much higher in the summer. In this area, there is also very little rain. Finally, the eastern part of the state experiences dramatic changes in temperatures due to the low humidity.

Conversely, colder temperatures and increased precipitation are the norm for higher elevations. For instance, Vail can drop to the single digits in the winter and experience over 125 inches of snow and rain in just one year’s time.

Colorado Taxes.

Whether you are in a high- or low-income bracket, you will be paying 4.6 percent tax on your income. Additionally, if you are single, the standard deduction is $12,000, and if you are married, you can simply double that amount.

When it comes to property tax, Colorado is ranked fourth lowest in the US. You should expect to pay approximately $1,800 per year if you are an average homeowner as the real-estate tax rate ranges between .55 and .57 percent.

Colorado’s sales tax rate is currently at a mere 2.9 percent. However, it is important to understand that the rate can increase to as much as 7.01 percent as municipalities and cities in Colorado are permitted to set their own sales tax rate.

Things to do in Colorado.

• Garden of the Gods – Colorado Springs.

If you want to see the colors of the Rio landscape, this is a place to go. There are so many trails in hiking areas to keep you busy for hours. 

• Breweries. 

Colorado is known for it’s amazing breweries macro brews or microbrews they have it all we have two favorites New Belgium brewery and Fort Collins which is famous for its Fat Tire beer and they also have a great sour beer then down in Durango you also have ska brewery with crazy coconut curry beers each one has a lot of great beers and offers a unique experience make sure to check them out. 

• International Church of Cannabis – Denver.

If you support the recreational and spiritual use of cannabis, the International Church of Cannabis might be an intriguing place for you. 

You’ll enjoy this activity Filled with their own forms of spiritual practices, this institution welcomes and opens their doors for everyone who wants to join in their ceremonies. Learn about the sacred practices related to this religious institution, and maybe even know a new thing or two about the infamous plant.

• 16th Street shuttle – Denver. 

If you want to enjoy the best of Denver in one day this free shuttle is your friend. You’ll find lots of great museums, restaurants, and stores just a short walk from the shuttle stop. 

• Pike National Forest – Colorado Springs.

The Pike National Forest is a serene destination that’s perfect for those who want to get away from the daily grind for a while. Spanning over 1 million acres of lush landscapes and full of wildlife. 

This forest is a gold mine of refreshing adventures and immersive nature experiences. Visit nearby towns to get acquainted with the slow-paced life of rural life, and learn a thing or two about Colorado’s immense biodiversity by exploring the depths of the beautiful forest.

• Pearl Street Mall – Boulder.

If you’re running out of stuff to do in Colorado, you can never go wrong in paying the Pearl Street Mall a visit. Lined with all sorts of local shops, gorgeous restaurants, alongside a wide stretch of all sorts of businesses and services, this destination will keep you busy the whole day.

Drop by in all the different stores for an extraordinary find, or dine by the various for a scrumptious meal.

5 Best Places to Live in Colorado

• Castle Rock. 

Although it’s just a 35-minute drive from Denver, Castle Rock holds its own as one of the best places to live in Colorado. This city has some incredible, small-town hospitality and, combined with its castle-shaped butte overlooking the Colorado valley with a population 62,276. This city definitely makes for a charming place to live. Spend a day shopping and head to The Barn, a co-op of more than a dozen specialty and antique shops. Get outdoors and hike the 1.5-mile Mitchell Creek Canyon Trail during the springtime when the wildflowers are ubiquitous along the trail. If 1.5 miles doesn’t do it for you, head to Ridgeline Open Space where more than 13 miles of walking, hiking, and biking trails await.

• Boulder. 

The crown jewel of this city might be the University of Colorado at Boulder, but there’s plenty more that puts this city in the running for the best place to live in Colorado. In fact, Boulder was named one of the best bike cities in North America by Outside Magazine. Eldorado Canyon State Park and Boulder Canyon are both in this city’s backyard and provide residents with ample space for climbing, hiking, biking, and simply enjoying the outdoors.

Along 13th Street, you’ll find UC Boulder-friendly bars and restaurants like The Sink, which also happens to have some of the best grub in town, and Bohemian Biergarten, where their annual beer holding competition takes place. If you’re looking for love, Boulder might be your best bet; it took the number one spot on our Best Cities for Singles list, beating more than 300 U.S. metro areas.

• Colorado Springs. 

This city sits at an elevation of 6,000 feet, so you might need to take a moment to catch your breath after first moving here. Because the air is thinner at higher elevations, you might find yourself feeling lightheaded or short of breath. This is normal, and your body will adjust. 

Old Colorado City, a national historic district near downtown, boasts local coffee shops, bars with live music, and some delicious country cooking, all featuring a view of the surrounding Rocky Mountains. Head to the Garden of the Gods for a truly spectacular hike through a beautiful natural rock formation, or hike Pikes Peak for one of the best workouts and views in the city. We could go on and on about why this is one of the best places to live in Colorado. 

• Denver. 

It’s no surprise that when Katharine Lee Bates wrote the iconic “America the Beautiful” she was sitting atop Pike’s Peak, just 100 miles from the “Mile High City” of Denver. The capital city of Colorado has been on the list of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S. since 2010, with a population that’s rapidly approaching three million residents. Sitting between the Rocky Mountains to the west and the High Plains to East, Denver gives urban dwellers proximity to weekend adventures in Keystone, Colorado Springs, Vail, and dozens of other mountainous destinations. 

Claiming the top spot in our list of best cities for beer drinkers, the capital city continues to keep both visitors and locals happy. It’s in the top five for both breweries and bars per capita, so new breweries like Zuni Street Brewing Co. and Woods Boss Brewing Company may have their work cut out for them, but they’re rising to the occasion.

• Fort Collins. 

Located 56 miles north of Denver, Fort Collins is home to Colorado State University. Like many of its neighboring cities, Fort Collins boasts 300 days of sunshine each year, yielding the perfect backdrop for its large number of college-aged residents to enjoy the local music circuit and frequent festivals held in the city each year.

Fort Collins is also a college town, home to Colorado State University, and a great one at that. It was recently named #3 on College Ranker’s 50 Best College Towns. Horsetooth Mountain Open Space, a 29-mile connection of hiking, equestrian, and mountain biking trails, front range views, and free-flowing waterfalls in the spring might have something to do with that. Or, maybe it’s the easy access to whitewater rafting down the Cache la Poudre and local shops in downtown Fort Collins. Whatever it is, locals love Fort Collins, and it’s not hard to see why.

Are you ready to make your move to Colorado?

Move to Colorado can be a big event for most people, especially if you come from a smaller town. For all of your long-distance moving needs, be sure to keep We are the Best Moving and Storage in mind as our movers have handled moves for millions of customers across the country. Keep your mind at ease and go with us to move you to Colorado.