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Dramatic Mountain Scenery, a
Casual Western Lifestyle, a Very Low Crime Rate and Abundant Outdoor
Recreation are Reasons Why Retirees Choose Picturesque Estes Park,
Colorado
Cost of Living: Above the National Average
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In north central Colorado, where the air is crisp and the
skies are cobalt blue, Estes Park (population 6,000) is a
picturesque mountain town snuggled along the Big Thompson
River. It sits amid jaw-dropping scenery at the eastern
entrance to 266,000-acre Rocky Mountain National
Park, a majestic landscape where rivers rage and mountain peaks
soar to 14,000 feet. A busy tourist destination in
the summer, Estes Park is a relatively quiet place during the
rest of the year, and a good number of retirees live here (in
fact, nearly 50% of the population is age 45 or better).
They enjoy a slightly funky, outdoor lifestyle and laid-back,
Western character, not to mention a ridiculously low crime rate. In
general, the population leans to the left politically and 30%
has an undergraduate or graduate degree.
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The cost-of-living in Estes Park is 25% above the
national average, primarily because it is cute, touristy and
rather isolated. The median home price is $315,000, higher
than it might be if Estes were not surrounded by national forest
and other public lands not available for residential
development. Foreclosures are few, and, overall, homes
have only lost about 5% of their value since
2007.
Housing includes condos, town homes and single family homes
(manufactured homes are few). Small properties can be
found for less than $150,000, but these usually need some tender
loving care. The median home price will buy a 3 bedroom, 2
bath home with 1,500 square feet and a bit of acreage.
More luxurious homes start in the high-$300,000s and
$400,000s. Fall River Village is the only
manufactured/mobile home community in town, but it is not
age-restricted. Apartments are not in good supply.
Colorado is considered a
tax friendly state for retirees. For people age 55
to 64, $20,000 of retirement income, including Social Security,
is exempt from income tax ($24,000 is exempt for people age 65
and better). Real estate taxes are
assessed at 7.96% of a property's fair market value, and
for people age 65 or better who have lived in their residence 10
years or more, 50% (up to a maximum reduction of $200,000) of
their primary residence's value is exempt. The annual
taxes on a $315,000 home with no exemptions are approximately
$1,700. The state income tax is a low 4.63%
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Estes Park is roughly 90
minutes north of Denver and is reached via a well-maintained
two lane highway that winds through breathtaking mountain
terrain (there is no airplane access). The town sits in
an alpine valley, and its main street, which leads to Rocky
Mountain National Park, is lined from end to end with gift shops, ice cream parlors, cafes, antique boutiques,
rock shops, candy stores, mountain gear retailers and art
galleries. It is a very crowded place during the summer
and early fall. Once off this main drag,
though, Estes is quaint and charming, with cute shops and
delicious restaurants tucked along narrow side streets.
There are several delightful parks along the river where
residents picnic and soak up mountain sunshine.
Pretty Lake Estes also provides a spot for fishing. |
Anyone who has seen the classic Stephen
King movie The Shining is at least familiar with the most
prominent landmark in town, the white, historic, Edwardian-style Stanley
Hotel, which is percded atop a hill and impossible to ignore.
Also not to be ignored are the herds of elk who venture into town from the
surrounding hills during mating season each September and
October. Visitors come to watch the male elk declare their love
for the females with bugling that begins deep and resonant, only to
become a high pitched squeal before ending in a succession of
grunts. It is site and sound not easily forgotten.
This is definitely a small town, and shopping is
somewhat limited. For groceries, it is Country Market or Safeway
(and the nearest Wal-Mart is 32 miles away). There are a number
of very good restaurants, serving everything from Mexican dishes to big game,
as well as some top-notch art galleries, wineries, movie houses
and historical museums. There are several festivals each
year, including the Scottish Festival in September and the Elk Fest in
October. The annual Art Walk each May lets residents
stroll through 18 different art galleries, and the Jazz Fest, also in
May, brings nationally known musicians to this high altitude oasis.
There is a free shuttle during the summer months, but
otherwise there is no public transportation (but much
of Estes can be reached on foot). The city offers several free
parking lots near downtown for those who want to drive to the center
of things and then walk.
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.
The Estes Valley Public Library has an interlibrary
loan program, free wifi, public access computers, a book club, a
discussion club, art shows, homebound book delivery and a volunteer
program.
Estes especially beckons to those who
love the outdoors and healthy living. Living in the gateway to
Rocky Mountain National Park provides residents a picture postcard
playground for backcountry fishing, camping, hiking, cross country
skiing, bicycling, horseback riding, mountain climbing and bird
watching. The Park is home to snowcapped peaks and abundant
wildlife, including bighorn sheep and mule deer (and is not a good
place to get lost). Trail Ridge Road, the highest continuous
road in the United States, starts just inside the Park and is
breathtaking. It travels over the Continental Divide,
through alpine meadows, around turquoise lakes and along
heart-stopping cliffs. Tall poles
outline the two lane road so that it can be found in the winter
because when winter arrives at 12,000 feet, it can come with a
vengeance (Trail Ridge is only open to the public in the
summer). Back down in town at 7,522 feet, golfers
love the thin air and enjoy 27 holes on two separate courses with
mountain backdrops and the occasional elk.
The Estes Park Medical Facility has 25
beds and is a Level IV adult trauma center (it is not, however,
accredited by the Joint Commission). It has 24-hour emergency
department, 24-hour ambulance service and emergency air
transport. Seventy-two percent of patients would recommend the
hospital to a friend, which is above the national average.
Medicare and Medicaid patients are accepted. For military
retirees, the nearest VA outpatient clinic is in Fort Collins, 25
miles south, and the closest VA hospital is in Denver, 65 miles south.
The Estes Park Senior Center ($20
annual dues) overlooks the lake and provides a number
of activities each month, including art classes, tai chi lessons,
card games, fitness classes and potluck dinners. Speakers give talks
on topics such as seniors' legal rights, health issues, historical
events, Medicare issues and how to maintain balance in one's everyday
life. Trips are planned to Denver
museums, Colorado Rockies' baseball games, the theatre and historic
sites. Congregate noon meals are served ($4.50), and Meals on
Wheels is active.
Estes summers are
short, and temperatures are in the 70s, 80s and low-90s.
It is usually cooler in the surrounding high country (and Trail Ridge
Road is always a little chilly, even in July and August).
Winters bring temperatures in the teens, 20s and 30s but also plenty
of sunshine. Precipitation primarily comes in the form of snow,
and February and March are the whitest months with 6 to 12 inches of
snow each. Over the entire year, however, Estes receives only 12
to 15 inches of moisture. On the comfort index, a
combination of temperature and humidity, the town ranks well above the
national average. The suns 245 days of the year. The
air quality meets the national average, and the water quality is well
above the national average.
There are a few issues
to keep in mind if considering retirement in Estes Park. The
elevation might be an issue for some people, and the winters are
certainly not everyone's cup of tea. Ethnic diversity does not
exist, and the town can feel isolated in the winter.
Tourists take over the town in the summer.
Still, everyone seems
to love Estes, with its amazing scenery, mountain charm and relaxed
lifestyle. Whether strolling through art galleries or hiking in
the back country with wildlife always nearby, Estes Park retirees know
they have found a great retirement spot in this high altitude Colorado
hamlet.
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