Cañon City
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Great for
- Parks & Recreation
- Cost of Living
- Lack of Traffic
- Parking
- Peace & Quiet
Not great for
- Internet Access
- Nightlife
- Public Transport
- Childcare
- Gym & Fitness
Who lives here?
- Families with kids
- Retirees
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Reviews
Cañon City
rating details
2yrs+
- Neighborly Spirit
- Safe & Sound
- Clean & Green
- Pest Free
- Peace & Quiet
- Eating Out
- Nightlife
- Parks & Recreation
- Shopping Options
- Gym & Fitness
- Internet Access
- Lack of Traffic
- Parking
- Cost of Living
- Resale or Rental Value
- Public Transport
- Medical Facilities
- Schools
- Childcare
"A great place to take visitors"
When I think of Canon City, I generally think of all the touristy things to do here. Along with the Royal Gorge Bridge and Park, there is whitewater rafting, Dinosaur Depot museum for kids, the Museum of Colorado Prisons, hiking, horseback riding, and just generally good sight-seeing. The suspension bridge is 1,053 feet in the air and not for the faint of heart. I'm not afraid of heights and it still gives me a rush every time we go there. The town itself has long been a popular place, beginning with many different tribes such as the: Sioux, Ute, Kiowa, and Comanche. The area has a mild winter climate due to its location and there used to be many hot springs in the area which the Indians used. The city is now known mostly for the state penitentiary which is located here.
There are many jobs in Canon City due to the penitentiary, such as law enforcement, health care, and social workers. There are close to 1,000 prisoners currently incarcerated in Canon City. There is also a prison in nearby Florence, so law enforcement officers are in demand in this part of Colorado. Construction workers are also in demand here. The median household income is $34,199 which is lower than the state average, but you can also purchase a home here for much less.
The town is predominantly white at 85%, followed by Hispanic, which is pretty common for cities and towns in Colorado. The schools here are good and rank pretty high academically. Most years, the city boast a higher than average crime rate when compared nationally.
There are many jobs in Canon City due to the penitentiary, such as law enforcement, health care, and social workers. There are close to 1,000 prisoners currently incarcerated in Canon City. There is also a prison in nearby Florence, so law enforcement officers are in demand in this part of Colorado. Construction workers are also in demand here. The median household income is $34,199 which is lower than the state average, but you can also purchase a home here for much less.
The town is predominantly white at 85%, followed by Hispanic, which is pretty common for cities and towns in Colorado. The schools here are good and rank pretty high academically. Most years, the city boast a higher than average crime rate when compared nationally.
Pros
- mild winters
- good schools
Cañon City
rating details
2yrs+
- Neighborly Spirit
- Safe & Sound
- Clean & Green
- Pest Free
- Peace & Quiet
- Eating Out
- Nightlife
- Parks & Recreation
- Shopping Options
- Gym & Fitness
- Internet Access
- Lack of Traffic
- Parking
- Cost of Living
- Resale or Rental Value
- Public Transport
- Medical Facilities
- Schools
- Childcare
"Canon City has an old west highway town feeling on the way to Royal Gorge"
Canon City is a dusty gateway town into the mountains of southern Colorado via the Arkansas River road HW 50. There is a tourist train ride in Canon, big grocery stores for the town folk and surrounding mountain folk, and a state (or maybe federal?) penitentiary just on the west part of town. From my childhood I also remember a skyline drive that brings you up through some dirt bike hills and up, up above town on a shortcut to HW 50 to the west.
I can't say I would want to live in Canon, it is more a go to place to grab goods, go to court or head towards the Springs. My aunt lives in Westcliffe so in order to get to most northern Colorado destinations we would go through Canon. It is often hot, dusty and trafficky through the main drag. In the winter, on the other hand, Canon does not get the severe snow storms that the mountains to the west and north do, so in the winter Canon is fairly mild as far as weather.
There are some pretty streets on the west central side of "downtown", homes with nice years, adobe buildings and big pretty trees. I also imagine that home prices are really reasonable in town and maybe even in the outskirts where the land is rocky and there are ranches scattered around. Just up the canon on the river road there are some nice properties and that area would be a nice blend of being near a town but in the mountains or at least up a pretty canon a bit.
There are also a lot of trails and roads to explore around Canon and the Royal Gorge is not far west of town, there are amazing homes and properties between Canon City and where you turn off to get to the Royal Gorge.
I can't say I would want to live in Canon, it is more a go to place to grab goods, go to court or head towards the Springs. My aunt lives in Westcliffe so in order to get to most northern Colorado destinations we would go through Canon. It is often hot, dusty and trafficky through the main drag. In the winter, on the other hand, Canon does not get the severe snow storms that the mountains to the west and north do, so in the winter Canon is fairly mild as far as weather.
There are some pretty streets on the west central side of "downtown", homes with nice years, adobe buildings and big pretty trees. I also imagine that home prices are really reasonable in town and maybe even in the outskirts where the land is rocky and there are ranches scattered around. Just up the canon on the river road there are some nice properties and that area would be a nice blend of being near a town but in the mountains or at least up a pretty canon a bit.
There are also a lot of trails and roads to explore around Canon and the Royal Gorge is not far west of town, there are amazing homes and properties between Canon City and where you turn off to get to the Royal Gorge.
Pros
- shopping access
- county services
Cons
- hot hot summers
- highway town/dusty
Recommended for
- Families with kids
- Retirees
