Advantages & Disadvantages of Moving to Colorado

You think about moving to Colorado but want to get more information about living costs, housing, public transport, medical infrastructure, safety, entertainment, climate and much more before making your final decision?

Great! This article is exactly for you since I will show you the pros and cons of living in Colorado in the following chapters.

Table of Contents

Living in Colorado – Overview

ClimateWhile summers in Colorado are pretty hot, winters can be extremely cold and snowy.
HousingHousing shortage is not a big problem in most parts of Colorado yet and rents are property prices are still pretty affordable.
IncomeMedian household income in Colorado is slightly above national average.
CrimeColorado has an above-average crime rate compared to the rest of the US.
EducationWhile you will find solid schools and colleges in Denver and other big cities, it is pretty hard finding decent education in the rural parts of Colorado.
Job MarketUnemployment rate in Colorado is slightly above national average and especially in rural areas, people often have a hard time finding enough jobs and often move to the bigger cities to start their careers.
CultureWhile you will find many different cultural influences in the biggest cities of Colorado, cultural diversity may be rather limited in the smaller towns or villages.
Leisure ActivitiesHiking, camping, rock climbing and fishing are just a few of the many things you can do in nature in the Colorado region.
LandscapeColorado has many beautiful lakes, forests, creeks and mountains and is a really great place to relax and reload your batteries since you can get enough exercise and can spend lots of time outdoors.
InfrastructurePublic transport and medical infrastructure are not great in most rural parts of Colorado while it is pretty solid in the biggest cities.
Level of ToleranceColorado is a pretty tolerant place and people are welcome from all over the world.
NightlifeNightlife is not great in most parts of Colorado.
Total Population5.69 million inhabitants.
advantages and disadvantages of living in colorado

Advantages of Living in Colorado

  1. Living costs in Colorado are not as high as in many other states
  2. Housing shortage is not a big problem in most parts of Colorado
  3. The average person can still afford to buy a decent home in Colorado
  4. Rents are still affordable in most parts of Colorado
  5. You don’t have to search for a long time to find a decent place to stay
  6. You can go fishing, camping and do many other things in nature
  7. People in Colorado can spend lots of time outdoors
  8. You can exercise in a completely natural manner
  9. You may be at rather low risk of becoming obese
  10. People in Colorado can get lots of fresh air
  11. People in Colorado can live a pretty original lifestyle
  12. You can go back to the roots
  13. Colorado may be a good state for a self-sufficient life
  14. You may find inner peace by moving to Colorado
  15. Moving to Colorado can be great if you don’t like big city life
  16. More than enough recreational spaces in Colorado
  17. Decent supply of material goods in the Colorado region
  18. Overall financial pressure for people living in Colorado is rather low
  19. People in Colorado can make decent money
  20. You can teach your kids quite a lot about nature
  21. Colorado may be an interesting place for property investors
  22. Colorado will not run out of drinking water anytime soon
  23. Colorado is a rather relaxed region
  24. You don’t have to waste lots of time in traffic jams in Colorado
  25. Easy to find a parking lot in Colorado
  26. You have enough space to be on your own when you want to
  27. Moving to Colorado lets you slow down your stressful life
  28. You may discover many new hobbies by living in Colorado
  29. You may be able to grow in Character by moving to Colorado
  30. Most people in Colorado are pretty friendly
  31. People often help you out on various occasions of daily life
  32. People in Colorado are usually pretty tolerant
  33. You can find many genuine people in Colorado
  34. Colorado is a great place to make friends for a lifetime
  35. Many people will envy and admire you for moving to Colorado
  36. Moving to Colorado can be the start of a new life
  37. Decent air quality in many parts of Colorado
  38. Many regions in Colorado have pretty decent tap water
  39. Colorado is a rather pet-friendly state
  40. Colorado may be an interesting state to retire
  41. Living in Colorado may give you a feeling of freedom
  42. Decent future outlook for Colorado

Living costs in Colorado are not as high as in many other states

One advantage of moving to Colorado is that living costs are often pretty low, especially in the rural parts of Colorado and while people living in California and other expensive regions often have to spend lots of money on various things of life, you will be able to afford much more for the same budget in Colorado on average.

Housing shortage is not a big problem in most parts of Colorado

You should also know that housing shortage is not a big deal in most parts of Colorado and you will find more than enough housing options at a reasonable price.

The average person can still afford to buy a decent home in Colorado

Thanks to rather low property prices, many people in Colorado are still able to afford to buy a decent home and can live the classic American dream of owning a home, having a nice car and so on.

Rents are still affordable in most parts of Colorado

Not only property prices are pretty low, but also rents are still affordable in most parts of Colorado and people therefore don’t have to spend lots of money on housing in general and have more money left to spend on other nice and important things of daily life.

You don’t have to search for a long time to find a decent place to stay

Since housing shortage is not a big problem, you also don’t have to search for a long time to find a decent place to stay in most parts of Colorado while people moving to San Francisco or other popular regions often have to search for many months in this regard.

You can go fishing, camping and do many other things in nature

Since Colorado offers lots of beautiful nature, you can go fishing, hunting, camping and do many other things in nature on a regular basis and not only will this make your life pretty interesting but it also allows you to release some pressure so you can relax and unplug from your stressful life and reload your batteries for demanding things yet to come.

People in Colorado can spend lots of time outdoors

Since you can spend lots of time in nature, you will also have an incentive to spend lots of time outdoors and this really helps you explore the world and you will likely also understand natural processes much better than people living in regions with less attractive natural environments.

You can exercise in a completely natural manner

Another upside to moving to Colorado is that since you can spend many pleasant hours in nature, you can also get enough exercise and can stay fit and vital in a natural manner while people in more urban regions may often just sit in front of their computer all day long and may not stay in shape in the long run.

You may be at rather low risk of becoming obese

Since you will get lots of natural exercise, you will also not be at great risk of becoming overweight or even obese and this may also reduce your risk of suffering from serious health conditions later on.

People in Colorado can get lots of fresh air

By spending lots of time in Colorado nature, you may also be able to get lots of fresh air and this can be great for your body and your brain since the more fresh air you get, the better your mind will work and the better your performance in various parts of life may be.

People in Colorado can live a pretty original lifestyle

By moving to Colorado, you can also live a pretty original lifestyle and can live in line with natural forces and this can give you a really great feeling since you may be able to preserve our natural environments as best as possible.

You can go back to the roots

If you want to take it one step further, you can also really go back to the roots and life like our ancestors have lived decades or even centuries ago for a limited period of time so you can experience their struggles and will appreciate all the amenities we have in our modern age much more.

Colorado may be a good state for a self-sufficient life

Many people in Colorado also live a self-sufficient life, especially in rural areas where they often have more than enough space to grow their own veggies, raise cattle and so on and if you are the type of person who loves this kind of lifestyle, moving to Colorado may greatly improve your overall quality of life.

You may find inner peace by moving to Colorado

Another benefit of moving to Colorado is that you may also find your inner middle and your inner peace. In fact, living in line with natural processes can be healing on an emotional level and may also help you see the world from a different perspective so you can appreciate what you got much more in general.

Moving to Colorado can be great if you don’t like big city life

Since there are not many big cities in Colorado, you will also not get the feeling of big city life in most regions. While many people may miss this feeling, others just love living in a smaller town and if you belong to the second group of people and don’t want to stay in a big city and rather want to spend lots of time in nature, you may love your life in Colorado in the long run.

More than enough recreational spaces in Colorado

While you will find more than enough nature reserves and national parks outside the big cities of Colorado, you will even find many decent parks and other green spaces within city borders and people in Colorado therefore find many places to relax and reload their batteries.

Decent supply of material goods in the Colorado region

Another advantage of living in Colorado is that you will usually also not run out of important things of daily life since supply of material goods is pretty decent and you will just find everything you need to live a happy and comfortable life in this region.

Overall financial pressure for people living in Colorado is rather low

Due to rather low living and housing costs, also overall financial pressure for people in Colorado is often pretty low while people living in New York City or other fancier and more expensive regions often have to worry about financial problems quite a lot and may no longer be able to sleep well at night.

People in Colorado can make decent money

You should also know that the median household income in Colorado is above national average and if you move to one of the big cities, you may be able to make a really good income and may be able to live a fancy lifestyle in the Colorado region.

You can teach your kids quite a lot about nature

Since there is so much nature in Colorado, you can also make many nice day trips with your family and can teach your kids quite a lot about nature so they become aware of the fact that it is important to preserve our natural environments as best as possible so we can hand over a working planet to the next generations.

Colorado may be an interesting place for property investors

Since there is no strict rent control in Colorado and rental yields are often pretty decent, it may also be an interesting place to invest in real estate and to build a property portfolio and if you search for profitable rental properties right now, moving to Colorado may also make quite a lot of sense in this regard.

Colorado will not run out of drinking water anytime soon

Since there are many big lakes and it also snows in Colorado quite often, people in Colorado also don’t have to worry about running out of drinking water while people living in Las Vegas or other desert regions may run out of water sooner or later and overall quality of life may drop significantly in this region.

Colorado is a rather relaxed region

Another upside to moving to Colorado is that it is also a pretty relaxed region where people are often not as career-focused as in many other states and will take more time to engage in conversations with you.

You don’t have to waste lots of time in traffic jams in Colorado

Since population density in Colorado is pretty low, traffic is also not a big problem in most parts of Colorado yet and you will therefore be able to get around by car in a more efficient manner compared to people living in L.A. or other more crowded regions who often lose lots of time in traffic on a regular basis.

Easy to find a parking lot in Colorado

Since traffic is not a big deal in many parts of Colorado yet, you may also have a rather easy time finding a parking lot, especially outside the big cities where there will be more than enough space to park your car close to your home.

You have enough space to be on your own when you want to

Due to low population density, you will also have more than enough public space for yourself during times you want to be on your own so you can solve complex problems and think about things that may bother you right now without being distracted by other people.

Moving to Colorado lets you slow down your stressful life

If you currently suffer from high stress levels and feel like being stuck in the rat race, moving to Colorado may also give you some relief in this regard since you may be able to have more leisure and slow down your stressful life a little bit since you may no longer have to deal with extremely high living and housing costs you may be used to from other bigger metropolitan regions.

You may discover many new hobbies by living in Colorado

Since Colorado offers lots of beautiful nature, you may also be able to discover many new hobbies. For instance, you can go kayaking, forage for food and do many other interesting things which can really make your life much better in the long run and also gives you the challenge to master new skills.

You may be able to grow in Character by moving to Colorado

Since you can experience many new things, you can also really grow in character and become more confident in the long run which may help you in various parts of life.

Most people in Colorado are pretty friendly

You should also know that many people in Colorado are pretty friendly and also have a good soul and are also open-minded to try new stuff so you can have a pretty great time in this region.

People often help you out on various occasions of daily life

You should also know that people in Colorado are often pretty helpful and are willing to help you out on various occasions of life and by helping them out as well, everyone can benefit from this cooperation in the long run.

People in Colorado are usually pretty tolerant

Another benefit of living in Colorado is that you can also meet many tolerant people, especially in the bigger cities and you therefore don’t have to worry about your origins since you will be welcome no matter where you come from and can just have a great time in this region.

You can find many genuine people in Colorado

Since many people in Colorado are honest and real, you can also really rely on those people and in case you need the support of your friends on an emotional or practical level, you can be sure that they will be there for you.

Colorado is a great place to make friends for a lifetime

Since you can really rely on most people in Colorado, you will also have a pretty easy time socializing and making friends for a lifetime and this can give you a great feeling since you will always have someone caring for you in case you urgently need it.

Many people will envy and admire you for moving to Colorado

Since there are so many beautiful spots in Colorado, many of your loved ones will also really envy and admire you for your plans of moving to Colorado and you can therefore get a pretty high social standing among your peers.

Moving to Colorado can be the start of a new life

If you have enough from your old life and want to experience something new, Colorado may also be a great place to start since you may be able to heal your soul in those natural environments and may be able to get out of your misery sooner or later.

Decent air quality in many parts of Colorado

You should also know that overall air quality is pretty decent in many parts of Colorado, especially outside the big cities and while you may not deem this important, you should still know that air quality and our overall health status greatly correlate and clean air may therefore help you stay healthy in the long run.

Many regions in Colorado have pretty decent tap water

Since there are many mountain regions in Colorado, many regions also have pretty great tap water quality and you may therefore no longer have to rely on bottled water from the store which may help you save lots of time and money in the long run.

Colorado is a rather pet-friendly state

Colorado is also a rather pet-friendly state and by walking down the streets with your dog, you will often find many like-minded pet owners to start conversations with so you can meet many like-minded people in a natural and playful manner.

Colorado may be an interesting state to retire

Since housing and living costs are rather low in most parts of Colorado while you can still enjoy lots of beautiful nature and will find many amenities of daily life, it may also be a great place to retire for many people who don’t want to retire in a big metropolitan region but rather want to spend the last chapter of their lives in a quieter atmosphere.

Living in Colorado may give you a feeling of freedom

Since there is so much untouched nature, you will also get a great feeling of freedom and independence in many rural parts of Colorado and may just feel like being your own boss.

Decent future outlook for Colorado

Since Colorado has lots of beautiful nature and will not run out of drinking water anytime soon, it may also have a solid future outlook and may also be an underrated state to live from which you may be able to benefit by moving to Colorado right now.

As you can see, there are many reasons for moving to Colorado.

However, it is still not all sunshine and we also have to talk about the drawbacks of living in Colorado so you will be better able to decide whether you still want to move to Colorado or rather want to spend your life in a different state.

Disadvantages of Living in Colorado

  1. Public transport is rather poor in most parts of Colorado
  2. Bicycling is often not an option due to long distances in Colorado
  3. You may urgently need a car to get around in an efficient manner
  4. Medical infrastructure is rather poor outside the big cities of Colorado
  5. You may miss big city life when moving to Colorado
  6. Colorado is not located at the coast
  7. Nightlife in most parts of Colorado is not great
  8. Limited entertainment options in Colorado
  9. You may get bored with living in Colorado in the long run
  10. Moving to Colorado is not great if you don’t like nature
  11. Smaller towns and villages may still be pretty conservative
  12. Many people in rural parts of Colorado complain about poor internet connection
  13. Hard to find really good schools in Colorado
  14. Colorado may not be the greatest state for college students
  15. Living in Colorado may imply some extra work
  16. Cold winters in Colorado may become annoying
  17. Natural disasters may damage or even destroy your home
  18. Many people living in rural parts of Colorado have to rely on themselves
  19. Not many great shopping opportunities in most parts of Colorado
  20. You may miss cultural diversity in the rural parts of Colorado
  21. Not many really big cities in Colorado
  22. You may not find what you are looking for as a young person in Colorado
  23. Above-average unemployment rate in Colorado
  24. Crime rate in Colorado is higher than in many other states
  25. Not many international airports in Colorado
  26. You will not meet many tourists in the rural parts of Colorado
  27. Hard to build a strong business network in smaller towns of Colorado
  28. You may not be able to meet many celebrities in Colorado

Public transport is rather poor in most parts of Colorado

One problem with moving to Colorado is that public transport is rather poor in many parts of this state, especially in rural areas where you will not be able to get around by bus or train in a reliable manner at all while people living in Chicago or other bigger metropolitan areas often have a much easier time in this regard.

Bicycling is often not an option due to long distances in Colorado

Since distances are often pretty long outside the big cities, bicycling is also not a valid option to get from A to B in a reliable and efficient manner most of the time and you may therefore have to rely on other transportation alternatives.

You may urgently need a car to get around in an efficient manner

Due to rather poor public transport and since bicycling infrastructure is not really great in most parts of Colorado, you may have to rely on your car to get around in a decent manner and this may be problematic for people who just can’t drive or lost their driver’s license due to various possible reasons since those people will often get stuck and may not be able to participate in society as much as they might want.

Medical infrastructure is rather poor outside the big cities of Colorado

Another upside to moving to Colorado is that you will often have a hard time finding good doctors and hospitals, especially if you live in smaller towns or villages and it may take you quite a lot of time to get medical support in case you suffer from a serious health condition that needs to be treated as quickly as possible.

You may miss big city life when moving to Colorado

You will also not get the feeling of big city life in most parts of Colorado and if you are just a city person and don’t like the rural lifestyle, you may be far better off moving to Austin or other bigger cities instead.

Colorado is not located at the coast

You should also know that Colorado doesn’t have access to the coast and while people living in Long Beach or other regions can enjoy the beach and go surfing on a regular basis, people in Colorado just don’t have the same options.

Nightlife in most parts of Colorado is not great

While you will find solid nightlife in the biggest cities of Colorado, nightlife is still not great in most other regions of this state and in case you are a party person, you may just not get happy with living in Colorado in the long run.

Limited entertainment options in Colorado

Another disadvantage of moving to Colorado is that your entertainment options will be rather limited. There is just not much action outside the big cities and if you need adrenaline all day and night long, Colorado may just not be the best state to live in for you.

You may get bored with living in Colorado in the long run

Due to rather poor entertainment options, you may also just not know what to do in your leisure and may therefore get bored pretty quickly.

Moving to Colorado is not great if you don’t like nature

In general, while living in Colorado can be great for people who really love nature, it may be a nightmare for people who can’t stand nature life at all and if you belong to the second group of people, you may be far better off moving to Fort Worth or other metropolitan regions where city life plays a much bigger role.

Smaller towns and villages may still be pretty conservative

While people in the bigger cities of Colorado are usually pretty tolerant and open to new things, people in the rural parts of Colorado are often still pretty conservative and you may therefore have to adjust to local customs and traditions you may not even like quite a lot to become an appreciated member of society.

Many people in rural parts of Colorado complain about poor internet connection

Another problem with living in Colorado is that internet connection is pretty poor in many rural regions and you may therefore have problems staying connected to your loved ones in different regions and may also not be able to stay up-to-date with latest political developments. Moreover, working from home may be almost impossible if you don’t have a solid internet connection and you may therefore be less flexible compared to people living in states with better internet connection.

Hard to find really good schools in Colorado

While you may find solid schools in the urban parts of Colorado, you may have a hard time finding good schools in rather rural regions and may even have to use homeschooling since bringing your kids to school and picking them up may just not be practical due to long distances.

Colorado may not be the greatest state for college students

There are also not many really great colleges and universities in Colorado and if you want to get the best education possible, you may be better off moving to Boston and studying at Harvard or other elite schools.

Living in Colorado may imply some extra work

Since distances are often pretty long and public infrastructure is not great in many rural parts of Colorado, living in those areas may also imply some extra work since organizing your daily life may take you quite a long time and you may also have to spend more time picking your kids up and getting to work than in many other states with more urban infrastructure.

Cold winters in Colorado may become annoying

Another downside to living in Colorado is that winters can be pretty cold and if you are the type of person who doesn’t like cold weather at all, you may be better off moving to El Paso or other regions where you can experience warm weather all year long.

Natural disasters may damage or even destroy your home

If you are unlucky, you may also get hit by snow storms or other natural disasters and may lose your home and even your life and may also suffer from serious financial damage in case you don’t have proper insurance to fix things after those tragic events have taken place.

Many people living in rural parts of Colorado have to rely on themselves

Since population density in the rural parts of Colorado is pretty low, you may also have to rely on yourself when it comes to fixing stuff, doing renovations and so on and you may just not have the same opportunities to hire someone who may help you out as in regions where distances are shorter and you will find more assistance in various parts of life.

Not many great shopping opportunities in most parts of Colorado

Moving to Colorado also doesn’t make sense if you are a shopping queen since you will just not find many fancy boutiques or malls and may find rather basic things of daily life instead which may not be enough to make you happy in the long run.

You may miss cultural diversity in the rural parts of Colorado

While you can experience many cultural influences in the bigger cities of Colorado, you may still miss cultural diversity in rather rural parts of the state and may also not be able to try as many foods from all parts of the world as in more urban regions.

Not many really big cities in Colorado

You should also know that there are not many really big cities in Colorado. In fact, you will not find a single city crossing the one million inhabitant mark and if you are used to big city life and also want to be surrounded by many skyscrapers and hectic people, chances are you will not get happy in most parts of Colorado in the long run.

You may not find what you are looking for as a young person in Colorado

Since there are not many entertainment options in the rural parts of Colorado and nightlife is not great, moving to Colorado may also not make sense for young people who want to explore many different and exciting things and many young people may therefore also leave this region sooner or later.

Above-average unemployment rate in Colorado

Another disadvantage of living in Colorado is that unemployment rate is above national average and many people in rather rural regions often have a hard time finding decent jobs.

Crime rate in Colorado is higher than in many other states

Since crime rates in Colorado are above national average, moving to Colorado may also not be a great idea in case you are a careful person who wants to have a maximum level of safety.

Not many international airports in Colorado

Since there are not many really big airports in Colorado, you may also have a hard time traveling the world since you would have to deal with many layovers and other unpleasant things that may prolong your traveling time quite a lot and may just be less fun in general.

You will not meet many tourists in the rural parts of Colorado

Since the rural parts of Colorado are not really attractive to tourists, you may also have a hard time getting in touch with many people from all over the world and may just not have as many interesting conservations with people from foreign countries compared to people living in San Diego or other regions that are much more popular among tourists from all over the world.

Hard to build a strong business network in smaller towns of Colorado

Since unemployment rate is above national average and many young and ambitious people may leave the Colorado region sooner or later, you may also have a hard time building a strong business network and this may slow down your career progress since the more people you know, the easier it will usually be to climb the corporate ladder.

You may not be able to meet many celebrities in Colorado

Since there are not many big cities in Colorado, you may also have a hard time meeting celebrities or other influential people and this may just make your life less interesting than in many other more vibrant parts of the country.

Top 10 Moving To Colorado Pros & Cons – Summary List

Living in Colorado ProsLiving in Colorado Cons
Housing shortage is not a problem in many parts of ColoradoRather poor medical infrastructure in many parts of Colorado
Rents in Colorado are still pretty affordablePublic transport is rather limited in the rural parts of Colorado
Many people are still able to buy decent homesHard to get around by bicycle in Colorado
Living costs in Colorado are still reasonably lowPeople who don’t own a car may just not be mobile enough
Lots of beautiful nature in the Colorado regionHard to find great entertainment in many parts of Colorado
You can spend lots of time outdoorsYou may get bored with living in Colorado sooner or later
Living in Colorado may help you relaxHard to find really good schools in Colorado
People in Colorado can live a pretty traditional lifestyleColorado may not be a great place for students
Colorado is not the most crowded stateMany young people may leave Colorado
Decent air and water quality in ColoradoWinters in Colorado may be too cold for you
Advantages & Disadvantages of Living in Colorado

Is Colorado A Good Place To Live?

While Colorado can be a great place to live since living and housing costs are pretty low and you can enjoy your time in beautiful nature, you should still know that public transport and medical infrastructure are rather poor in the rural parts of Colorado and you may also run out of entertainment options sooner or later.

In the end, it is on you to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of moving to Colorado properly so you can make the best possible decision in this regard according to your individual preferences and circumstances.

Most Popular Cities To Live In Colorado – Comparison

Living CostsProperty PricesIncome LevelInfrastructure
Denverhighhighhighdecent
Colorado Springsmoderatemoderatemoderatedecent
Auroramoderatemoderatemoderatedecent
Fort Collinslowlowmoderatepoor
Lakewoodlowlowmoderatepoor

Alternative States To Live

If you no longer want to move to Colorado, you may also want to have a look at the following articles:

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Arkansas

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Alabama

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Arizona

Sources

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/CO

About the author

This site is about living, moving and traveling to various parts of our fascinating planet.

My name is Andreas and when I was younger, I traveled the world and learned a lot about different cultures and countries.

Thus, I want to share my experiences with you so that you can benefit from them and avoid common mistakes in this regard.

In my articles, you will find everything you need to find the best location for a happy and successful life.

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