Lamar

Larmar, Colorado lies on the eastern plains of Colorado about 15 miles from the Kansas border. The town began as a vision back in 1886 by Colonel Johnson of the Santa Fe Railroad. It had been a stop along the Santa Fe Trail, and was later a rail head for cattle along the railroad. To get the town started, they had an auction on one day and sold over $45,000 worth of lots in the town to both investors and boomers (a boomer was a person who wanted to purchase land the Indians weren't on). The town was named after then Secretary of the Interior.

Although the town has had a fluctuation in population over the years, there are currently 7,800 people living here. You can still find large pastures of cattle grazing, along with many antelope roaming about. Along with a vision of the old, you can also see the progress of new technology in the massive wind farms that are here. Giant towering wind turbines are all producing energy in this small town. Although it's one of the biggest wind farms in the U.S., Limon, Colorado is setting up to take over that title in the next five years.

Residents of Lamar have a median household income of $32,984, which is considerably lower than the state average of $55,430. However, the cost of living in Lamar is also lower and you can find a median priced home for $73,341 which is way below the state of Colorado average of $270,800. Although the town has a pretty small population, there are plenty of places to shop and dine. Lamar may be small, but it caters to a larger crowd during various hunting seasons. Lamar has long been known to be one of the best places in the states for goose hunting and draws hunters from near and far.

For full time residents of the town with children, there are four schools in the town. An elementary, middle school, high school, and a charter school. The schools all rank about average when it comes to state testing standards, with the exception of the charter school which ranks a bit higher than the rest.

The community center in Lamar also doubles as a rec center. There is also an outdoor pool for summertime swimming that has lap lanes, a recreational area, swimming lessons, and a water slide. Lamar also plays host to several runs and triathlons every year.

Overall I would recommend Lamar to anyone looking to raise their family in a nice, community oriented town. The townspeople here have been very nice every time I've been here and it seems like a great place to raise kids.