Cedaredge

Cedaredge is a small community with only about 2,250 residents. This isn't a true mountain town, although it lies at an elevation of 6,230 feet. There are some great views of the mountains around town though. Cedaredge lies in the Surface Creek Valley at the base of the world's largest mesa, Grand Mesa. Many things have stayed the same since the U.S. Army drove out the Ute Indians back in September of 1881. There are still many areas which are great for farming and ranching, and there are numerous orchards in the valley. The winters here are mild with light snow while the summertime can get pretty hot.

Educational services is the largest industry in this predominantly white town (almost 90% white). The median household income is $34,481 and although this is much lower than the state's average, it fall in line with housing prices. Most of the homes around town are single family detached, and there is a small area where there is a group of mobile homes. Most of the homes here lie on a little bit of acreage, even the ones in town, giving this area a more rural feel. There are numerous trees along the streets making this a very pretty place, especially in the spring and summertime.

There are four schools in town and students typically score higher than state average on testing standards. Overall there is a great community feel to the place - one where neighbors know and care about one another. One drawback to Cedaredge is how remote it is. The closest town is Delta, and Delta itself has under 9,000 residents so it's not too big either. For big shopping or a wide variety of dining options, residents can travel to Grand Junction which is just over an hour away.

Cedaredge was officially founded in 1907 but had been settled by “the white men” since around 1880. Up until around 1880 most of what is now western and central Colorado was inhabited by the Ute Indians, after the indians where literally pushed out towards northeastern Utah the Cedaredge area gradually began to be cultivated into farming fields and homesteads. The town sits southeast of the Colorado River Valley up in the Grand Junction area. It is a good hour drive to come into the Grand Junction area from Cedaredge, so the isolation of the small town is real.

Deer Creek Village Golf Club is a prominent beautiful area with creeks and cedar trees growing at around 6,000 feel elevation. Homes around the course are really nice and would make a great retirement investment or family home. Besides golf, a more social thing to do in Cedaredge is the annual Applefest where the town folk and tourists come to listen to bluegrass, folk and blues music from local and visiting musicians. The talented artists of the area also showcase their work at the festival. There is also a space for rodeo in town and September kicks of the big event annually.

Grand Mesa scenic highway runs north through Cedaredge, as you come in and out of town you can see the farms and ranches in the outskirts of town. This is a beautiful valley and if you go north enough you get into the plateau area of the Grand Mesa with all the lakes and reservoirs of the area.