Founded in 1882, Montrose, Colorado (population
18,000) started out as a railroad hub and for much of its history was an
unassuming, 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 50% in the last 10 years. Why
do they come? The conservative values, clean, dry,
crisp air, below average cost of living, mountain views, nearby
recreation venues, 300+ days of sunshine and low crime rate are big
reasons. Of the population, 22% is age 45 to 64,
and 20% is age 65 or better. The median age is 41, above the
national average. The median home price is $150,000 and
everything from older manufactured homes to Victorians to new
ranch-style construction in master-planned neighborhoods (not to mention
actual working cattle ranches on the outskirts of town) can be
found. The median cost of living is roughly 5% below the national
average.
Although Montrose is more than a mile above sea level,
it actually sits in a high plain valley with mountains in the distance. The
city itself is very flat, and the sky, bluer than blue, stretches
endlessly. To the east is the spectacular Black Canyon of the
Gunnison National Forest, and to the north is the Grand Mesa National
Forest. To the south in the Uncompahgre National Forest are
the San Juan Mountains and perhaps some of the most extraordinary
mountain scenery in the United States, the kind that on a sparkling
summer day makes one stop, inhale and whisper,
"Wow."
As would be expected, outdoor recreation opportunities
in this area are nearly unlimited and include everything from river
rafting to 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, including
intensive care, cancer care, general surgery, emergency care, neurology,
radiology, respiratory
care and more. The hospital has not won any particular quality
awards but is fully accredited. The San Juan Cancer Center and the
Black Canyon Surgical Center provide further care. Another
hospital is within 25 miles and two more are within 50
miles. 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. There are seventy churches, and the Montrose Public Library has been operating
since 1890. Computers with internet access are
available.
Summers are
hot (it can reach 100 degrees) but dry as the city does not receive more
than an inch of precipitation each month. Some of that comes in
the form of up to eight inches of snow during winter months, and
temperatures during December through March 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 along pretty but mostly two lane roads
to Denver). There is an airport, though, with daily flights
to Denver, Salt Lake, Utah, etc. Jobs are hard to find and
offer low pay. Traffic has increased and the edges of town are
seeing urban sprawl (such as it is in a city this
size). It can get very hot in the summer. 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.
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Recommended
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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, senior programs, adequate medical facilities,
beautiful scenery, outstanding outdoor recreation and
low humidity, potentially making it a great retirement
spot. |
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