Bennett

Bennett is 30 minutes from the eastern suburbs of Denver pretty much directly east of Aurora. This little farming community is a nice haven from Denver but close enough to commute. There are only about 2,500 people in Bennett and there is a mix of commuters, local government workers in the school district and town and agriculatural or trucking industry jobs.

The average household income in Bennett is about $47,000 which is about the average of Colorado. This is a good and small farming community that is so close to Denver but does not seem close to the city.

Bennett lies just off the I-70 corridor east of Denver. The population of the town is around 2,360 but a good portion of the residents live outside of town on varying amounts of acreage. Here you can find apartments (very small complexes), duplexes, mobile homes, very inexpensive single family homes, ranches on hundreds of acres, and homes well above average price for Colorado. It is really a mixed bag when it comes to housing. Unfortunately some of the homes in this town aren't well cared for and are in need of repair. Due to the vast variety of homes and land available you can find just about any price range here.

Because of it's small size and somewhat distant location from a big city, there is very little crime. There is the usual opportunistic crime and although there have been issues in the past, for the most part it is safe.

In the town there are several older buildings, grain elevators, and a water tower. Some of the older buildings look as if they should be torn down. Running through the town is a railroad and overall the main street which is Colfax isn't pleasant looking. It's very run down and depressing to look at. On the other hand, at exit 304 there is a new shopping area which includes a King Soopers, liquor store, Subway, McDonalds, and several gas stations. As this is an exit off of a major highway there are always numerous cars stopping for gas or food. There currently aren't any stop lights in town but one may become necessary with the new additional businesses as they can get very busy at times, and trying to get out can take several minutes due to the traffic exiting from the highway. Other than the fast food place there are a couple of restaurants in town, all of them good but none of them great.

Although it can be busy right in this area, the rest of Bennett is peaceful and quiet. From over five miles away you can often hear the train on cooler nights, a group of coyotes, or the many different variety of birds. During the spring and summer months there are some pretty areas near the creek beds that have large, old trees.

The schools in Bennett are sub-par. On state testing standards they usually score well below average and in the past couple of years the schools have been through a lot with beloved principals being fired and long time teachers being let go. As a resident I took my children out of this district several years back and feel it was one of the best decisions we could have made. During our time at the school there were a few really, really good teachers, but overall we were appalled at what some of the teachers did in their classrooms. While my oldest was in school there the elementary principal was fired pending a FBI investigation into child endangerment. Although it is a small school there is still bulllying which the administration doesn't address. Just this year the schools have gone to a four day school week to help the budget, which many parents don't feel is in the best interest of the kids, especially the younger ones.

There are more than several in home day care centers located in and around town and during the summers the local rec center has camps for kids to attend instead of day care. The rec center also has a pool, weight room, meeting rooms, and a large gym. The parking lot isn't paved so if you go after rain or snow, be prepared to get muddy.

Overall, after eight years of living here I wouldn't recommend this town to anyone other than maybe farmers. The amenities are lacking, even for a small town, the schools are poor, and some of the people whose families have been here for generations are less than friendly to newcomers.

The one gem of the community is the public library. Recently built, the new building is modern and has many programs for kids of all ages, not to mention adults. The summer programs are fabulous and are lead by some of the best children's guides I've ever known. Every one of the librarians here is warm and friendly and can help with any question you might have and they are always willing and eager to find the answer to any question you might have.