Advantages & Disadvantages of Moving to Denver

You think about moving to Denver but want to get additional information on the city and the lifestyle before making your final decision in this regard?

Great! Stick with me since I will show you all the pros and cons of living in Denver in the following chapters.

Living in Denver – Overview

Advantages of Living in Denver

1. Property prices in Denver are still reasonably low
2. Rents are affordable for the average person
3. Housing shortage is not a big problem in Denver yet
4. Relatively easy to find a place to stay
5. Competition in the housing market is rather low
6. You don’t have to fear getting evicted that much
7. You don’t have to spend a high fraction of your disposable income on housing yet
8. Denver is a popular city
9. People from all over the US consider moving to Denver
10. Population is increasing in the Denver region
11. People in Denver are friendly
12. You can meet many people from all over the world
13. Denver is a multicultural city
14. People in Denver are pretty tolerant
15. It doesn’t matter where you come from
16. Many big corporations to work for in Denver
17. Relatively low unemployment rate in Denver
18. Highly-qualified people have an easy time finding a job
19. You can build a strong business network in Denver
20. Many nature activities to do around Denver
21. Many recreational spaces to relax
22. Denver has interesting architecture
23. Decent art scene in Denver
24. Many museums to choose from
25. You can watch many sports events
26. You will never get bored in Denver
27. Decent educational infrastructure in Denver
28. Denver provides decent public transport near the center
29. Good medical infrastructure in Denver
30. Easy to socialize in Denver
31. Decent nightlife in Denver
32. Denver is a great place for every age group
33. You may never have to leave Denver again
34. Above-average income level in Denver
35. Denver is a bike-friendly city
36. You may not need a car
37. Traffic is not a big problem in Denver yet
38. Many parking opportunities in Denver
39. You can get from one end to the other rather quickly
40. Denver is not the most crowded city
41. Many spaces to hang out on your own
42. You can try delicious foods in Denver
43. Denver is a family-friendly city
44. Denver is an important economic region
45. Great future outlook for Denver
46. People in Denver are more relaxed than in other big cities
47. Decent shopping opportunities in Denver
48. Denver has an international airport
49. You will find most things for daily life within walking distance
50. Denver offers you the comfort of a big city
51. Real seasons make Denver an interesting place to live in
52. Denver has decent air quality

Property prices in Denver are still reasonably low

One benefit of living in Denver is that property prices are still relatively low compared to other major cities in the US.

This means that you don’t have to spend that much money paying off your mortgage and can spend more of your income on other things you might like.

Rents are affordable for the average person

Denver is not only a great place to move to for landlords, but it can also be an interesting place to live in for tenants since rents are still reasonably low and people don’t have to spend that much money on housing and can rather save and invest much more for retirement or other important things.

Housing shortage is not a big problem in Denver yet

Since demand for housing is not as high as in other big cities yet, housing shortage is not a big problem in Denver yet and you will find many decent properties to buy or rent without having to search for too long.

Relatively easy to find a place to stay

In general, the average person doesn’t have to spend lots of time and money on housing since supply is decent and demand for housing is not as high as in other metropolitan regions and chances are that you will find a good place to stay relatively soon once you move to Denver.

Competition in the housing market is rather low

Also competition in Denver is rather low when it comes to housing and as long as you have a decent job and solid finances, you will have good chances of finding a suitable place to stay rather quickly.

You don’t have to fear getting evicted that much

Since housing shortage is not a big problem in Denver yet, you also don’t have to worry about getting evicted from your property that much since your landlord will often be willing to compromise with you in case you can’t pay rent for a limited period of time.

Even in case you get evicted, you may also find a nice place to stay relatively soon again due to the rather low competition in the housing market compared to other big cities.

You don’t have to spend a high fraction of your disposable income on housing yet

Another upside to living in Denver is that you also don’t have to spend lots of your disposable income on housing since property prices and rents are relatively low and this enables you to afford many nice things and even some luxury, at least if you make decent money and have a good job at one of the big corporations.

Denver is a popular city

Denver is also one of the more popular cities in the US. While it doesn’t have the same high reputation as NYC or Los Angeles, Denver still has a decent standing and some of your friends may even envy you when you tell them about your plans of moving to Denver.

People from all over the US consider moving to Denver

In fact, the Denver region has become increasingly popular over the past years and many people from all over the US consider living in this area and chances are that this trend may even continue in the future since Denver offers decent quality of life while you don’t have to spend enormous amounts of money housing as people living in Los Angeles or other expensive cities often have to do.

Population is increasing in the Denver region

Another sign that the Denver region develops in a positive manner is that population has been growing rapidly over the past decade and this trend will likely continue in the future.

Denver just becomes more popular and may become even more popular just a few years from now.

People in Denver are friendly

Another advantage of living in Denver is that people are pretty friendly and always willing to help you out in case you get lost or have other minor issues that need to be solved.

Hence, you can count on the support of your friends in Denver more than in other regions where people might be more shallow and not that helpful.

You can meet many people from all over the world

Since Denver becomes increasingly popular all over the world, you can also meet many people from foreign countries and can really grow in character in the long run since you will have many interesting conversations and can really see the world from a different perspective.

Denver is a multicultural city

Since Denver attracts many people from all over the world, it is also a multicultural city where you can meet many interesting people who live completely different lifestyles than you and this can give you the opportunity to become more open and flexible and also makes your life more exciting in general since you can learn a lot about the world.

People in Denver are pretty tolerant

Another upside to moving to Denver is that it is a pretty tolerant city and people from many different nationalities get along with each other.

Hence, you can make many new social connections pretty soon and don’t have to worry about getting socially isolated once you move to Denver.

It doesn’t matter where you come from

You should also know that it doesn’t matter where you come from when you move to Denver since you will be accepted as who you really are as long as you are friendly, open and tolerant yourself and also respect different attitudes towards life.

Many big corporations to work for in Denver

Denver is a major city and many big corporations are present in this region.

Thus, you will have more than enough employers to choose from and as long as you have solid education, chances are that you can make decent money in the Denver region.

Relatively low unemployment rate in Denver

Denver also has a relatively low unemployment rate and most people in Denver find solid jobs and can make decent money so that they don’t have to worry about poverty that much, even though this may change in the near future due to increasing property prices since people may have to spend much more on housing.

Highly-qualified people have an easy time finding a job

While the job market in Denver is solid, especially highly-qualified people have a pretty easy time finding a good job since they are often able to provide lots of value to big corporations and those big corporations often pay extremely well.

Hence, if you have decent education, chances are that you will also find a decent job in Denver.

You can build a strong business network in Denver

Since Denver is a big city and also offers many good jobs to highly-qualified people, you can meet many talented and ambitious people in this region and can therefore build a really strong business network in the long run.

Many nature activities to do around Denver

Another advantage of moving to Denver is that the city is surrounded by lakes and forests and you can therefore go swimming, hunting, fishing, hiking or do many other things in nature so that you can reload your batteries for the stressful times yet to come.

Many recreational spaces to relax

Not only will you find many recreational spaces near Denver, but you will also find many places to relax within the city.

In fact, there are many green spaces and parks where you can hang out in Denver during lunch break or after work so that you can unplug from your stressful life a little bit to get enough energy to solve complex problems in the future.

Denver has interesting architecture

You can also enjoy interesting architecture in Denver and if you are interested in this stuff, there will be many nice buildings to visit and to examine and you may also get lots of inspiration for your own career as an architect in this city.

Decent art scene in Denver

While you will not be able to enjoy the same high-quality art scene as people living in San Francisco are able to do, you will still find many artists and many other like-minded people in Denver and can share your ideas with them and can spend many joyful hours together.

Many museums to choose from

Denver also has many decent museums and you can therefore spend lots of time on interesting exhibitions and chances are that you will never run out of ideas in this regard.

You can watch many sports events

Another benefit of moving to Denver is that you can also watch many interesting sports events.

While you will not have the same world-class sports entertainment as people moving to NYC, you will still be able to watch many good sports games in minor leagues and will find lots of entertainment in this regard.

You will never get bored in Denver

Since there are so many interesting things to do, most people also never get bored with living in Denver and will always find something to do in this exciting city.

Decent educational infrastructure in Denver

While you will not find the same high-quality education as in other major cities in the US, Denver still has decent schools and colleges and you can therefore make sure that your kids get solid education and learn everything they need for a happy and content life.

Denver provides decent public transport near the center

Denver also provides pretty decent public transport and it is relatively easy to get around by bus or train in an efficient manner as long as you live close enough to the city center since public transport becomes increasingly worse outside the center and in the outskirts of Denver.

Good medical infrastructure in Denver

Denver also provides decent medical infrastructure and in case you get sick or have an injury, you will find more than enough specialists to cure those things so that you can overcome your issues as soon as possible.

Easy to socialize in Denver

Since most people in Denver are friendly, open and tolerant, you will also have an easy time socializing since you can just start conversations on various occasions of daily life and some of those conversations will help you find like-minded people with whom you may hang out on a regular basis.

Decent nightlife in Denver

While you should not expect the same high-quality nightlife in Denver as you may be used to in other major cities like L.A., you will still find many decent bars to hang out in after work and you can even party until the early morning if you want to.

Denver is a great place for every age group

Since Denver has so many different things to offer, it is a great place to live for every age group and people from different generations get along with each other in a pretty decent manner and are often even willing to help each other out on various occasions.

You may never have to leave Denver again

Since Denver is a great place for every age group, you can move to Denver at a rather young age and may never leave the region again since you may find everything you expect from a big city and your incentive to move again may be fairly low.

Above-average income level in Denver

While people in Denver don’t make as much money as in Silicon Valley or NYC, they still have an above-average income compared to the rest of the US and can make decent money as long as they have solid education and are able to provide enough value to the corporate world.

Denver is a bike-friendly city

Denver is also considered a pretty bike-friendly city and you can therefore leave your car in your garage and rather go by bike for shorter distances.

By doing so, you can save lots of money in the long run and can also do good for our planet at the same time since you can slow down climate change and can contribute to better air quality.

You may not need a car

Since public transport is pretty decent and Denver is a bike-friendly city, you also don’t necessarily need a car to get around but can rather use alternative means of transport, at least if you live close enough to the city center and don’t have to commute for long distances.

Traffic is not a big problem in Denver yet

While you may get stuck in traffic jams from time to time, traffic in Denver is still not as bad as in other major cities in the US and this means that you will have to spend less time in traffic jams and will have more time to spend on nicer things instead.

Many parking opportunities in Denver

Since traffic is not a big problem in Denver yet, you will also have a pretty easy time finding a parking lot in most boroughs of Denver and this means that you will have to spend less time and money in this regard compared to living in San Diego or other major cities.

You can get from one end to the other rather quickly

Since Denver is smaller compared to other major cities, it is also easier to get from one end to the other rather quickly.

For instance, if you want to visit a friend who lives at the other end of the city, you can get to him or her much sooner compared to L.A. where you would often get stuck in traffic jams and it would take you quite a long time to get to your destination and also back to your home.

Denver is not the most crowded city

Compared to other major cities in the US, Denver is also not that crowded and you will also run into people less frequently and will also not feel like a fish in a can that much.

Many spaces to hang out on your own

Since Denver is not that crowded yet, you will also find many public spaces and secret places where you can hang out on your own in case you need some privacy to figure out how to approach complex problems or personal issues in the best possible manner.

You can try delicious foods in Denver

Since Denver is a multicultural place, you can also try many delicious foods from all over the world and can also get many ideas when it comes to cooking at home from all those different culinary experiences.

Denver is a family-friendly city

Denver is also a great place to live for families since property prices are still affordable while the city provides kids as well as adults with everything they need to live a happy life.

Denver is an important economic region

Denver is one of the major cities in Colorado and therefore a pretty important economic region that attracts many people from all over the US.

Consequently, this region will likely stay important for many decades to come and you will also have pretty high quality of life for many years.

Great future outlook for Denver

Since population is growing rapidly in the Denver region, Denver may also have a bright future and people from all over the US and even the world may come to Denver and the city may therefore become an even more interesting place to stay.

People in Denver are more relaxed than in other big cities

Since rents and property prices are still affordable for the average person, people also don’t have the same high financial pressure as people living in more expensive regions and this leads to a state where people in Denver are often more relaxed and not as stressed as other people in more expensive metropolitan areas.

Decent shopping opportunities in Denver

You will also find many shopping opportunities in Denver and can get everything you need without having to drive to another city as would be the case if you lived in smaller towns or villages.

Denver has an international airport

Denver is also well-connected to the world since it has a big international airport and you can fly from Denver to various parts of our planet without even having to deal with layovers or other things that may make your travels less efficient.

You will find most things for daily life within walking distance

Since there are so many shops in Denver, you will find most things for daily life within walking distance and can get everything you need within a few minutes.

Denver offers you the comfort of a big city

In general, Denver offers the comfort people expect from a big city and there are just not many things missing.

Instead, you will find everything you need to live a comfortable and happy life in Denver.

Real seasons make Denver an interesting place to live in

Since you will have warm summers and pretty cold winters, you can also experience real seasons in Denver and this can be great since you can go skiing in winter and surfing in summer and will have a solid mix in this regard.

Denver has decent air quality

Denver also has pretty decent air quality compared to other major cities in the US and while people living in Fresno often have to deal with adverse consequences and health problems related to poor air quality, your risk may be lower in this regard in case you move to Denver instead.

Now that you know all the upsides to moving to Denver, we also have to talk about all the issues that come along with it so that you can better decide whether you still want to move to Denver or rather want to live in a different region instead.

Disadvantages of Living in Denver

1. Denver is not located at the coast
2. You will not get the feeling of big city life
3. Denver is not as popular as other bigger cities
4. Property prices may increase substantially
5. Average person may no longer be able to pay rent
6. Many locals may leave the region
7. Denver may become increasingly crowded
8. Public infrastructure may not be suitable to accommodate many new people
9. Increasing level of inequality
10. Many people live below the poverty line
11. Social cohesion deteriorates
12. Homelessness has become a big problem in Denver
13. You will see many problems that come along with living in a big city
14. Living costs are relatively high compared to national average
15. Average person may struggle to make a living in Denver just a few years from now
16. Many people need a second job to pay their bills
17. Low-qualified people often have a hard time in the labor market
18. Denver doesn’t provide world-class education
19. Nightlife is not as great as in other major cities
20. Hard to meet celebrities in Denver
21. Denver doesn’t attract as many tourists as other cities
22. Cold winters may be annoying
23. You may not spend lots of time outdoors
24. Natural disasters may destroy your home sooner or later

Denver is not located at the coast

One downside to moving to Denver is that the city is not directly located at the coast and you will therefore have a hard time going surfing or doing other water sports that require access to the beach.

You will not get the feeling of big city life

While Denver is a big city, you will also not get the same feeling of big city life as in NYC or L.A. and you may just miss this special feeling in the long run in case you want to live in one of the biggest cities in the US.

Denver is not as popular as other bigger cities

While Denver has become increasingly popular over the past years, it is still not the most popular and famous city and some people may not even know where exactly Denver is located if you tell them that you are from this city.

Property prices may increase substantially

Another problem with moving to Denver is that property prices may increase substantially in the near future and if you wait for too long with buying a home, you may no longer be able to afford it just a few years from now and may not be able to live the American dream in Denver anymore.

Average person may no longer be able to pay rent

Not only property prices may increase significantly, but also rents may increase even further in the future and the average person in Denver may seriously struggle to pay for housing in the future and may lose his or her home sooner or later.

Many locals may leave the region

Since Denver becomes increasingly expensive, many locals are no longer able or willing to spend that much money on living in Denver and rather decide to leave the region.

In turn, part of the city’s charm may be lost and Denver may no longer be an attractive place to live one decade ago.

Denver may become increasingly crowded

Since so many new people from all over the US and even the world move to Denver, the city also becomes increasingly crowded and if this trend continues, you may just no longer feel comfortable in public and may also no longer have enough space for yourself.

Public infrastructure may not be suitable to accommodate many new people

Due to significant population growth over the past years, the city of Denver may also no longer be able to accommodate many new people and public infrastructure may collapse sooner or later and this would greatly decrease overall quality of life in the long run.

Increasing level of inequality

Another disadvantage of moving to Denver is that the city also has to deal with an increasing level of inequality and if this trend continues, chances are that people will become increasingly frustrated and desperate since they may no longer know how to pay their bills anymore.

Many people live below the poverty line

You should also know that many people in Denver live below the poverty line right now and with increasing property prices and rents, this trend may become even worse in the future which would likely lead to higher crime rates in the long run.

Social cohesion deteriorates

Due to the increasing level of inequality, social tensions have increased substantially over the past decade and social cohesion is about to deteriorate and this may lead to a state where people from different social classes may no longer hang out with each other.

Homelessness has become a big problem in Denver

Another downside to living in Denver is that homelessness has become a serious problem and you may just no longer feel safe when you walk down the streets, especially at nighttime where many neighborhoods look pretty dodgy.

You will see many problems that come along with living in a big city

Since Denver is a big city, it also has many other problems that come along with big city life.

For instance, many people consume dodgy substances, behave poorly and you just need the stomach to deal with those things in a healthy manner to become happy with living in Denver in the long run.

Living costs are relatively high compared to national average

Another disadvantage of living in Denver is that living costs are fairly high and while they are lower than in Sacramento or other popular cities on the West coast, you will still have to spend lots of money on many things of daily life and you should therefore have a solid budget to be able to live a decent lifestyle in Denver.

Average person may struggle to make a living in Denver just a few years from now

Since property prices and rents have increased significantly and may continue to do so in the future, the average person may struggle to make a living in Denver just a few years from now and the overall mood in the city may greatly drop since many people will have to worry about how to pay their bills all day long.

Many people need a second job to pay their bills

Many people may also need a second job to make a living in Denver in the future and this may lead to a state where people are just no longer that helpful anymore since they have to spend more time on work and will have less time to interact with others.

Low-qualified people often have a hard time in the labor market

While unemployment rates are fairly low among highly-qualified people, low-qualified people often have a hard time in the labor market and often also have to worry about losing their jobs in the long run.

Denver doesn’t provide world-class education

Another problem with living in Denver is that you will also not find many reputable colleges.

While you will find decent education, you will still not find world-class universities in the Denver region.

Nightlife is not as great as in other major cities

While you will have solid nightlife, Denver is also not the greatest of all cities to party and you may get bored with nightlife in Denver compared to NYC or other big metropolitan regions sooner or later.

Hard to meet celebrities in Denver

Since Denver is not the most popular city, it is also hard to meet many celebrities in this region and if your goal is to connect to many famous people, chances are that you will be better off moving to more glamorous cities instead.

Denver doesn’t attract as many tourists as other cities

Denver is also not the most popular city to visit for tourists and you may therefore not have the same chances to interact with people from exotic places of our planet as you would have in more popular regions.

Cold winters may be annoying

Moving to Denver may also not be great for you in case you want to have warm weather all year long and don’t like the cold.

Hence, if you really want to enjoy the heat, you should rather move to Austin instead of Denver.

You may not spend lots of time outdoors

Since winters are pretty cold, you may also not spend as much time outdoors in the Denver region compared to other people living in warmer parts of the US and this may adversely affect your mood in the long run.

Natural disasters may destroy your home sooner or later

You should also keep in mind that the Denver region may be vulnerable to wildfires or other natural disasters and your home may therefore get destroyed sooner or later and it may make sense to get proper insurance in this regard to be covered in case of emergency.

Top 10 Moving To Denver Pros & Cons – Summary List

Should You Move To Denver?

Denver is a great city to live in since property prices and rents are still reasonably low, medical infrastructure is decent and overall quality of life is pretty high.

However, Denver is not located at the beach and also doesn’t have as many exciting things to offer as other bigger cities.

Thus, it is on you to evaluate all the additional advantages and disadvantages of living in Denver carefully so that you can make the best possible decision regarding whether you still want to move to Denver or rather want to live in a different region instead.

Alternative Cities To Live In

If you don’t want to move to Denver anymore, you should also have a look at the following articles:

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Indianapolis

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Charlotte

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Seattle

Sources

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

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.