Founded in 1882, Montrose, Colorado (population 18,000) started out as a railroad hub and for much of its history was an
unassuming and rustic, high altitude (5,800 feet) small town off the beaten path. Today, though, Montrose has become a magnet for retirees (and others), growing nearly 40% in the last 10 years. Why do people come?
The conservative values, crisp air, mountain views, nearby recreation venues,
320 days of sunshine a year and below average crime rate are big reasons. Of the population,
42% is age 45 or better.
The cost of living is roughly 2% below the national
average, and the median home price is $170,000. Real
estate includes older manufactured homes, Victorians and new ranch-style construction in master-planned neighborhoods.
A few actual working cattle ranches are just beyond town limits.
Montrose is more than a mile above sea level and sits in a high plain valley with mountains in the distance.
The city itself is very flat. The spectacular Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Forest is to the east, and the Grand Mesa National Forest is to the north.
To the south in the Uncompahgre National Forest are the San Juan Mountains and
some extraordinary mountain scenery. Outdoor recreation opportunities are nearly unlimited,
with residents (and a few tourists) enjoying everything from river rafting
and wildlife watching to snow skiing. There are old mines to explore, jeep tours to enjoy and even five golf courses to test.
Montrose also has a growing assortment of good, if not five-star, restaurants and shopping venues. The city sponsors a wonderful Christmas Parade of Lights, and there are craft shows, art walks, farmers' markets, festivals, mountain bike races and more throughout the year. For a bit of culture, the Valley Symphony and Valley Symphony Chorus present an extensive schedule.
Montrose Memorial Hospital is a 75-bed, non-profit regional medical center and has a full range of
services. It recently won a national award (T-System Client Excellence) for its
emergency medicine department, and it is accredited by the
Joint Commission. Seventy-four percent of patients
would recommend the hospital to a friend, meeting the national average, and
Medicaid and Medicare patients are accepted. The San Juan Cancer Center and the Black Canyon Surgical Center provide further care.
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Montrose, Colorado
To help Montrose's more mature set (age 50+) stay active, the city's Recreation District has a
plethora of programs, from shopping trips to snow shoeing lessons.
The Montrose Pavilion Senior Center is located in a 10,000 sq. ft.
building and is the hub for a variety of local organizations that
work with the senior population. Activities and programs
include exercise classes, art classes, card games and congregate
noon meals. The Center also provides transportation to shopping
venues, medical appointments, banks and the like. All
Points Transit also provides rides to similar destinations around
town ($1.50 donation requested).
Montrose has seventy churches, and the Montrose Public Library has been operating since 1890.
It is open 7 days a week, has an interlibrary loan program and
public computers with internet access.
Summers are hot and dry (it can reach 100 degrees). The city does not receive more than an inch of precipitation each month, some of which comes in the form of up to eight inches of snow during winter months when temperatures can dip into the teens, 20s and 30s.
Autumns are simply amazing.
For all of its positives, retirement in Montrose does have some drawbacks. It is far from any major city
(6 hours to Denver along pretty but primarily two lane
roads). There is, however, an airport with daily flights to Denver, Salt Lake, Utah, etc.
Jobs are hard to find and the ones available offer low pay. Traffic has increased, and the edges of town are seeing urban sprawl (such as it is in a city this size). Some residents report that the town still has a bit of a backward, "good ole boy" feeling to it and that newcomers can sometimes have difficulty breaking into existing social circles.
Recommended
as a Retirement Spot?
Yes
It is isolated, has few jobs and still has, some say, an aversion to outsiders, but Montrose offers a reasonable cost of living, a low crime rate,
good senior programs, a good hospital, beautiful scenery, outstanding outdoor recreation and low humidity, making it a great retirement spot.
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