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Dynamic Denver, Colorado, with its
Beautiful Weather, Healthy Downtown, World Class Amenities and
Eclectic Neighborhoods, Beckons to Active Retirees
Cost of Living: Above the National Average
| Out West, where the Great
Plains meet the Rocky Mountains, the mile high
metropolis of Denver, Colorado (population 2.4 in the
metro area) has been the stomping grounds of cowboys and
gold miners, labor bosses and oil tycoons. Founded
as a mining town in 1859, today Denver is a bustling,
dynamic city with beautiful weather, green spaces,
excellent dining, four professional sports teams, a
lively cultural scene, plentiful shopping venues and a
vibrant downtown. Once
known as a "cow town," Denver has become a
first class destination with Western hospitality,
attracting professionals, families and retirees, all in
search of the amenities of a large city and a high
quality of life, two things that do not always go hand
in hand. The cost of
living is about 10% above the national average, and of
the population, 20% is age 45 to 64, and 12% is age 65
or better. This is a liberal city, with
nearly 70% of its citizens calling themselves Democrats.
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Clean, well-managed
and often bathed in sunshine under a cobalt blue sky,
Denver has dozens of wonderful neighborhoods, each with
its own character. Capitol Hill attracts
young, non-traditional residents. Congress Park
has stable mix of families and retirees. Bonnie
Brae boasts beautiful, older homes. Washington
Park has very desirable, established homes, and Cherry
Creek is dotted with expensive new and older
residences. There are small bungalows,
trendy lofts, ranch-style homes, condos, town homes,
Denver "squares," Victorians and more.
Today the city is covered with trees, but back in the
early days, there were no trees here, and so most homes
are built of brick.
And in the
surrounding suburbs, even more choices are available.
Englewood to the south has smaller, older residences and
is popular with retirees. To the west, Lakewood
has lots of ranch homes and a mix of ages. In
Golden, in the foothills west of the city, homes are
large, often on acreage, and expensive. In short,
architectural styles, neighborhood ambiances and price
ranges are varied, offering something for nearly
everyone.
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Apartments are abundant, and the average monthly
rent is $825 per month. One bedroom units can be found for
around $600 a month, but expect to pay more for a unit in a nice
complex. Two bedroom units are available for $700 a month, but
again, this may not be in the best complex. Apartments are also
plentiful in the surrounding suburbs, and prices may be less.
Denver's property taxes are lower than those in most
other areas of the metro area and in many other major cities.
Generally, they are a little more than 1/2 of 1% of a property's fair
market value. The annual taxes on a $205,000 house would be
$1,000. Taxpayers age 65 and over can exclude up to $24,000 of
Social Security from state income taxes. The sales tax is 7.6%.
This is an
interactive map. Click on the arrows in the upper left hand
corner to move the map to the East, West, North or South, and click on the +/- signs
(more than once if necessary) to zoom in
and out.
Denver is a pretty city, full of parks and greenbelts. Within
the last 15 years, a professional baseball park, a new professional
football stadium, a beautiful new conference center, a new basketball
arena, a new, visually interesting, 5-story public library and a
striking new art museum, designed by Daniel Libeskind, have been
built. Downtown is healthy and packed with high-end hotels,
upscale restaurants, nightclubs and fashionable retail outlets.
People-watching along the always busy downtown 16th Street pedestrian
mall is great fun, and trendy LoDo, once the warehouse district, is
now home to beautiful residences, parks and walking paths along the
river.
Retirees will find shopping venues abundant and
varied. The Cherry Creek Shopping Mall caters to an upscale
crowd and has 170 stores, including Lord and Taylor, Ann Taylor, Hugo
Boss, Coach, Brooks Brothers, Neiman Marcus and Tiffany's. The
area just to the north of the Mall, Cherry Creek North, is an old
Denver neighborhood full of boutiques, art galleries, spas and
restaurants. Other malls, indoor, outdoor and of varying sizes,
are located throughout the city and in surrounding suburbs.
The cultural and arts scene is alive and well.
Denver has more than a dozen community and professional theaters,
including the beautiful Denver Center for the Performing Arts complex
that hosts Broadway productions. The Denver Symphony and the
Colorado Ballet complement the theater scene, and the expanded Denver
Zoo, the expansive Denver Botanic Gardens, the Denver Museum of Nature
and Science, dozens of smaller museums and art galleries, amusement
park Elitches and the Downtown Aquarium ensure that there is always
something to do. Colorado residents overall tend to be active
and healthy, and Denver inhabitants are no exception. For those
seeking outdoor pursuits, the city has miles of bicycling and walking
trails and an extensive offering of recreation programs.
Downhill snow skiing, hiking trails and scenic mountain drives are
anywhere from twenty minutes to ninety minutes away.
The city also has a number of fun events, such as
the Taste of Colorado (in which restaurants showcase their cuisines),
the Cherry Creek Arts Festival (a huge juried sidewalk art show each
July), the Race for the Cure (the second largest in the country), the
National Western Stock Show (still the biggest assemblage of cowboys
and ranchers in the country) and the Capitol Hill People's Fair (a
giant gathering of all kinds of merchants and funky people). The
Denver Nuggets (basketball), Colorado Rockies (baseball), Denver
Broncos (football) and Colorado Avalanche (hockey) ensure that sports
fans are never bored. Four universities, the University of
Colorado at Denver, Regis University, Denver University and Metro
State University, provide venues for intellectual pursuits. The
dining scene is extensive, offering everything from hole-in-the-wall
diners to 5-star French restaurants.
There are nearly a dozen hospitals, including
outstanding University Hospital, associated with the University of
Colorado, and nationally-recognized National Jewish Hospital.
More medical facilities of all kinds are found throughout the metro
area.
Traffic is a problem along the highway system during
rush hours, but a major highway renovation project was recently
finished, and congestion has lessened somewhat. Denver has a
good public bus system, and the light rail system, FasTracks, while
somewhat limited, is clean, fast and affordable. From some
suburbs, it is the best way to reach downtown. Denver
International Airport, on the eastern plains outside of the city, is
sprawling and one of the busiest hubs in the country, but it is modern
and efficient.
Fifty-two senior centers of varying sizes are scattered
about the Denver metro area, many run by recreation departments.
The Senior Hub is a social services agency that provides support and
referral to seniors in north Denver. RSVP (Retired Seniors
Volunteer Program) is active, as is Meals on Wheels. The Jewish
Senior Recreation Network is a coalition of synagogues and community
organizations that provide recreation and leisure programming for
Jewish seniors. The Seniors' Resource Center is a private,
non-profit organization, serving older adults and their families and
providing adult day and respite services, transportation, job
training, in-home care services, volunteers, care management and
referrals.
This is a four season city, but it is not in the
mountains so the weather is milder than many people think.
Summers are hot with temperatures in the 80s and 90s and very low
humidity. Springs can be cool or hot, dry or rainy.
Winters see temperatures in the teens, 20s, 30s, 40s and even 50s.
Snow is not uncommon, and it can blizzard, but generally snowfalls are
2 to 4 inches and only last a day or so, leaving behind frosted trees
shimmering under a breathtakingly blue sky. Autumns are crisp
and clear, the best time of the year.
Denver has something for nearly everyone, but there
are drawbacks to retirement here. The city has a higher
than average crime rate, but the amount and type of crime depends on
the neighborhood, and less desirable areas can easily be avoided.
The rough economic climate is taking a toll, with some libraries being
shuttered and city offices being closed occasionally to help offset a
budget shortfall. Some might consider Denver's left-leaning
politics a drawback, but several suburbs (Highlands Ranch, Centennial,
etc.) are more conservative and still close enough to let residents
enjoy Denver's shopping, dining and entertainment venues.
The city's air quality, while much better than 20 years ago, still
needs improving, particularly during winter months. And
Denver's popular mayor is running for governor; if he wins, it will be
a loss for local residents. Overall, though, Denver's
Western hospitality, eclectic neighborhoods, beautiful weather and
world-class amenities make it a great place for an urban retirement.
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