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28th Street is the closest thing to "Main Street" that Boulder has. 28th is HW 36 when traveling between Estes Park and Denver. There are some homes on 28th along the northern portion of town but for the most part 28th is where the grocery stores, Target and lots of business and restaurants occur. This is THE busiest and most high traffic road in Boulder.

A new Trader Joe's for example just went in on 28th at the 29th Street Mall area. 28th has a lot of RTD buses for local passengers and riders going through Boulder.

If you stay on 63rd St. going north crossing HW 119 (Diagonal Highway) heading away from Gunbarrel you really start getting in the country. The scattered homes and farms along 63rd are isolated yet really close to Boulder, Longmont, Gunbarrel and even Lyons.

There are alot of horses and open pastures in the area and for someone wanting country living but to be close to the city this is ideal. The views of the mountains just a few miles to the west are spectacular. The cost of living is very reasonable but the cost of land is still BOulder County prices but not as high as the city of course.

Monte Vista is a small town desert town of about 5,000 people. It is just about 10 miles or so west of Alamosa along HW 160 in the heart of the San Luis Valley. The town is surrounded by agriculture and mountains on the horizons.

The average household income is about $28,000, below Colorado's average. This is a nice little town but it is not "in the mountains" and can be super hot, dry and windy in the summer and desolate and cold in the winter. Monte Vista is pretty especially during the spring and fall and is also famous for the sand crane migration. There is the annual Monte Vista Crane Festival each during the first week of March.

Red Cliff is a tiny town of about 300 people in Eagle County south of Vail along HW 24 on the way to Leadville. This is a pretty valley along the Eagle River and named after the red quartzite cliffs.

The town was a silver mining community early days. This is an amazing valley area with lots of property for the adventurous souls looking for mountain property or land for horses. Average household income is about $50,000.

Estes Park is one of the most touristy places in Colorado due to Rocky Mountain National Park...however it is also a great town and I have several friends who live there and really love it.

Estes Park is great for nature lovers and those who want to take advantage of the world class hiking trails (but that by no means is only found here, that is throughout most of the mountainous part of the entire state!)

Thinking about buying real estate in Estes? The price of property is especially high though there are some areas that have "normal" neighborhoods and high but not extraordinarily high prices considering it is "Estes". The National Park really gives Estes Park a unique market and the tourism in summer is rediculous.

There are many pros and cons of Estes, but if you are a people person, a mountain person and want to buy property in an up and coming town that will only get stronger check out Estes. As of late 2013 the flood in the area really threw the town for a loop and destoyed a lot of property but the community has bounced back and seems to be back to normal for the most part, the community got stronger!

Drake has a population of about 1,000 folks. For most Drake is the little summer town about half way between Loveland and Estes Park along the Big Thompson River road--HW 34.

There is a campground along the river appropriately named, Riverbend Campground close to town. If you take HW 43 just west of Drake there are some county roads and homes up the North Fork of the Big Thompson and eventually you get to the little town of Glen Haven. This whole area was seriously flooded during the recent 2013 floods.

North out of Drake there is Storm Mountain Road and a set of roads where there are beautiful properties and homes. This is pretty area and would be a great spot to buy land or build a cabin, not far from Estes nor Loveland really if you did not have to commute on a regular basis. There are a lot of tourists in the area sight seeing and camping in the summer months mostly because of the proximity to Rocky Mountain National Park.

The area has plenty of hiking trails and whitewater rafting/kayaking and fishing spots.

Boulder County off course includes Boulder, the town, at its heart right at the junction of where the mountain change to plains. The county is not one of Colorado's largest but it has a lot of diversity as far as landscapes and resources. Boulder County is one of the top school districts in the state if not the entire region. It also has one of the most expensive rental and real estate prices, especially in Boulder city limits.

The western boundary of the county is the continental divide up along the Indian Peaks. There are no roads that cross the continental divide, only hiking trails anymore. Then there is Nederland, Ward and the mountain towns...down the many canyons along the border of the foothills you find Boulder the city or tiny Eldorado Canyon the town.

Out away from the mountains to the east the county has some great little towns with amazing "old towns" such as Longmont, Louisville and Lafayette. The county as a whole is also famous for some crazy inventive and progressive legislature. The "green belt" environmental laws that were passed decades ago protects Boulder town from growing and becoming a constant suburb all the way east, this gives the town some of its real estate power. Do not underestimate the cost of land and property in Boulder county especially in the city and up in the foothills around Boulder. This is beautiful and unique country and people.

Salt Creek is a neighborhood west of Pueblo that is primarily Hispanic. The average income is about $30,000 a year and the area's properties are affordable and many are big homes with extra ranch buildings and large lots. Somewhat of a ranchette place out in the flat plains west of Pueblo, but there are creeks and highways in and around the area. Highway 50 marks the northern boundary of the Salt Creek area.

Gypsum is a small town right along I-70 just west of Eagle, basically Gypsum is between Vail and Glenwood Springs on the south side of the interstate.

Gypsum Creek Golf Club is a notable landmark when you are driving through and the area is also know for the Gypsum drywall plant and mine. Gypsum the mineral is calcium sulfate dihydrate, known in its clear form in a rock shop as selenite, in sculpting as alabaster and simply gypsum in building materials and mining--it is also known as plaster of Paris. It is also used as a fertilizer as a source of sulfur for crops.

The town is near both Glenwood Springs and Vail and has economically done well because of the vicinity. There is beautiful land and existing properties that anyone looking to live in the mountains but have access to the ski resorts or larger towns would enjoy. Gypsum is more affordable than nearby Glenwood or Vail but the area is just as nice, just not as many amenities. The average household income in Gypsum is about $60,000.

Glen Haven is a tiny town with only a few handful of people who live in the town, there are residents around the town. There is the famous Bed and Breakfast Inn with a restaurant room and Victorian style rooms. The Inn has been called "One of the Most Romantic Places Ever".

This little sleepy mountain town north of Estes Park is along the North Fork of the Big Thompson River. In September 2013 a "1000 year flood" rages through Glen Haven on its way down the North Fork as it made its way to the The Big Thompson River just about 10 miles down stream to the east. The Big Thompson River was the famous site that also historically flooded in 1976. The 2011 flood all but destroyed the businesses and homes of the town and as of a month or so after the flood everything is in the process of being repaired and rebuilt.

Not to deter the hardy mountain folk and for anyone looking for a pretty mountain spot to live that is not far from the front range towns of Fort COllins/Loveland, Glen Haven may be a perfect place, especially now, to invest in land and property. Considering the devestation from the flood there may even be some folk who are selling their properties in order to avoid future flood events.

Just 10 minutes east of Castle Rock is Franktown, this is a very small town of only about 400 people. The average household income in town is high relative to the average for Colorado, it is about $60,000 in Franktown.

The little town has an historic cemetary and is really a fairly short commute to the Denver area to its north, especially for those commutting into the tech center of south Denver. There are some businesses in town but there are some really amazing homes (big properties) outside of town. This would be a great place to invest in land/property if you needed to be near Denver but wanted a country feel and view of the mountains.

There are many many resorts of course, but also some condos and nice homes up on the hills around the ski area. This place is great in the summer and also in the winter if you can take the tourists you will love it.

Conifer is a small unincorporated town not far west of Denver along HW 285. This is a beautiful area that is commutable to and from Denver if need be. It is close enough to Denver but is still deep enough in and through the foothills to feel like the mountains. Many people who have dreamed of living in the mnts but still work in the front range live in Conifer. The price of land and homes is more reasonable than many other comparable places.

The area has some ranches and cattle range still in the southern realms and there are many homes and neigborhoods that are still growing. There are minimal but adequate amenities such as groceries, services and restaurants. Firefighter? Conifer might be a great place to get a job, or if you are in the construction industry too. Schools have a great reputation too.

Highway 285 can get kind of crazy due to tourism traffic especially in the summer but the roads are great and well maintained in the Conifer area.

Louviers is a very small town SW of the Denver metro area right along the foothills area. The town is along HW 85 south of Highlands Park and Chatfield State Park before HW 85 reaches I-25 at Castle Rock.

The population of Louviers is only about 250 people and the average media income is $40,000 or so. This is a pretty area but more of a wayfar for travelers, luckily the nice little town is just west of HW 85 on the other side of Plum Creek so it is protected from the traffic. There is a park with a nice baseball diamond and the neighborhoods have trees and are rather pretty. And if you work in Denver this area is not a bad place to checkout for country lovers, the commute wouldnt be too bad at all.

The neighborhood around Rollins Drive is more affordable by far than any other neigborhoods in Boulder. This is the area and neighborhoods NE from the major intersection of Valmont?Foothills Highway in east Boulder. This is known as a more affordable option for folks who really want to live in Boulder but can't afford to do it west of 28th Street where the real estate climbs significantly steeper as you move west towards Pearl Street pedestrian area. Rollins Drive is one of many small courrts and streets that fishes through the area. Check it out, there are great schools and bike paths all around to get into town and to explore the countryside that is just to the north and east of the neighborhood.

Rifle Ct. has a few homes/ranches just off HW 36 north of where 36 starts heading towards Lyons and gets out of town. Longhorn Road describes the area even better (Rifle Ct. is off Longhorn). This is a great area if you want to live a bit in the country but be close to Boulder for shopping, schools etc... It is not cheap in this area but not as expensive as many areas in BOulder. You can buy larger acreage for about the same price of much much smaller plots of land in or nearer to Boulder proper.

Cokedale is a small town of about 100 people, it lies just west of Trinidad in the far southern realm of central Colorado (about 10 miles west of Trinidad on HW 12). Cokedale lies just a mile or so west of Trinidad Lake and Trinidad State Park.

The town is a former coal mining town and today the average household income is below the Colorado average, in town it is about $25,000. The area is really pretty and is in kind of a scrubby, foothill area, if you keep going west of town it gets more mountainous. There are mining ruins around Cokedale and places to hike and explore.

Marine Street in Boulder reaches almost from the foot of the foothills through campus all the way to eastern Boulder. But...there is one thing that Marine St has in common as it makes its way from west to east, it is all (literally all) about the university! Marine St apartment on the hill is packed with students as you east then Marine St. is where you find Marine Family Housing for CU then Marine St east of campus is still more student dominated housing. For anyone moving to Boulder looking into real estate on Marine st means either you are a student or you are wanting to rent to students.

Simla is a small town way out in the Colorado eastern plains on HW 24 well east of Colorado Springs and not too far from where HW 24 and I-70 meet before continuing east to Kansas. Simla became a town in 1912 and continues to be a hub of the potato farmers in the area today.

Simla really is in the middle of nowhere Colorado and feels like Kansas at that point that far east, you can no longer see the mountains in the west and would have to drive for a couple hours to get to the front range.

The average household income in Simla is about $30,000 a year, below the Colorado average. If you are a farmer looking for land there are possibilities here otherwise the schools are not very strong and you would be very far away from mountains and amenitites.

Sherrelwood is an area of Denver with a population of nearly 20,000 people packed in between Federal Heights and Westminster. Sherrelwood is basically the neighborhoods along the east of HW 36 and the west of I-25 just before the two highways meet each other just north of Denver. This is a great location for getting to most places in the Denver area including DIA.

The average household median income in the Sherrelwood neighborhoods is above $40,000. Funny but the area of Sherrelwood is not really a known word outide of the northern Denver area, the area is better known as part of Westminster or even the southern tail of Federal Heights, this area of Denver is very congested and there are no lack of restaurants, shopping venues, malls, theatres and things to do. Not a bad place if you want to live close to Denver and do not mind being so surrounded by highways.

Haswell is a very small Colorado town of less than 100 people out on the dusty plains far east of Pueblo, It takes about an hour to get to Pureblo to the west and in Haswell you are just a little too far east to even see the mountains. It is kind of like you are already in Kansas or Oklahoma.

There are no major interstates, HW 96 runs through the little town and that is about it. There are not many amentities and work is hard to come by. The financial hardtimes of the early part of this century has taken a toll on Haswell, it is already pretty isolated and low income is a norm there. If you are looking to purchase land or farm for drought resistant crops this may be a good place if you want peace and quiet and affordable land and home prices. This however is not the best place to raise kids due to the schools being very isolated and under funded.

Masonville is a very small area in the mountains just west of Fort Collins, all shopping and amenities etc are in Ft Collins for residents but they seem to prefer that! There is a general store but besides that not much besides land and country roads. If you love Fort Collins but want to be a little ways out of the city check out the land and homes for sale up around Masonville. It is a pretty tite little community, I had some friends that rented a home pretty close to Horsetooth and he loved to fish and she loved the country but they both worked in Ft Collins so renting in Masonville was a great compromise.

Mineral Road to me is better known as HW 52 which heads east from the Diagonal Hway out into the plains. HW 52 runs all the way east past I-25 and beyond. The part called Mineral Road near Boulder is directly across from the IBM facilities on Diagonal Hwy. There are some homes and farms on Mineral Road and for being so close to Boulder (5 minutes) it really does feel like the country. If you find a ranch or home along Mineral or its side roads and you like the country this would be a great place to live.

South Boulder Road is a wide straight east route from south Boulder up the hill and out of the valley and into Louisville then Lafayette. I take the road 4x a week from Boulder to Lafayette, sometimes taking alternate routes but it is the quickest. There really are not a lot of homes near the Boulder section until you climb the hill to Louisville then there are the best (in my opinion) neighborhoods on both sides of S Boulder Road in Louisville. Any street coming off South Boulder Road is worth checking out for real estate!

Habitat Dr is the turn off the main road 63rd, that goes into the Habitat apartments in Gunbarrel. This is a pretty complex and the nearby homes are very nice. There are bike/walking trails all around and off Habitat and the Twin Lakes are just across 63rd just to the east of Habitat.

This little mountain town of only about 100 people has amazing views and a high standard of living, the average household income is above Colorado's average at about $60,000. The town sits in a pretty valley at nearly 10,000 feet.The town sits in a valley a mountain from Telluride to the north. This is a truly beautiful place to visit and explore and there are great forest access roads (winter only) that cut between HW 550 to the east and HW 145 to the west of town.

Named after the gold rich Arabian city, Ophir did have a goldrush of its own thus lending the name. Ophir was also the site of the world's first commercial system to generate and transmit alternating current electricity.

Manzanola is a town of about 500 that lies about 30 minutes drive from Pueblo. Manzanola is east of Pueblo along the Arkansas River Valley where HW 50 heads along the highway. The town was originated around the railroad and there is still a lot of history and railroad memorabliai to be had in Manzanola. About 1/3 of the population is considered below the poverty line and the average household income is well below Colorado's average. The average in Manzanola is $20,000. There is some shopping in Manzanola but most residents travel west to Pueblo for restaurants, shopping and cultural events and trips to the mountains. Denver is a good 3 hours plus from Manzanola.

Central City is in Clear Creek and Gilpin counties about an hour or so from Denver and Boulder area. Central City/Blackhawk are two sister cities that started off as mining towns and now are full fledged gambling towns, decked out with saloon style casinos and full hotel, modern casinos (buffets and all)

The population of Central City is only about 500 but it is visited by thousands and thousands of tourists every year. This is not really a place to raise a family. Back during the Pikes Peak Gold Rush in the 1860s Central City was known as the “richest square mile on Earth”

In the early days of the town there were many Chinese workers. The gold rush of course died off and the hunt for gold and the city’s population eventually dropped way down to about where it is today in the 1950s. Ironically, the median household income today is only about $30,000 well well below Colorado average.

The Gilpin county school district is pretty good actually and there are some surrounding properties and homes up in the hills surrounding the town worth checking out. It is an interesting place to visit. There is also an historic opera house that is amazing anytime of year.

Mead is a relatively new booming"neighborhood" as far as Front Range living goes, yes it has been farmland since pioneer times but not until the last couple decades have the homes been really popping up out of the plains that used to be fields. Established back in the first decade of the 1900's Mead has history, still to this day however it is small--there are no traffic lights in Mead so far.

There are about 3500 residents that call Mead home and growing. Right now the issue of oil and gas regulation and fracking is a big deal in Weld County where Mead resides. There is even talk of the eastern plain counties including Weld to become a new state, separating from Colorado and being called something like NoCo. Sounds crazy but the political issues of the plains and the way (in my opinion) the folks there are more than willing to make a quick buck off the last at the expense of their water and air supply, when really the corporation are the ones that will make a quick buck. Enough said (I'm from Boulder afterall)

Mead is more conservative than most Colorado communities but that is not unusually or even noticable, it is a quiet, beautiful area of Colorado north of Longmont and not too far from Loveland and Fort Collins to its northwest.

Leadville "North" refers to an area north of the established, mining town of Leadville in central Colorado. Leadville North is commonly known as the West Park subdivision too. "Leadville North" is literally just north of town less than 1 mile from downtown. The area is quite, harsh but beautiful winters and perfectly warm and mild summers surrounded by ski resort not far to the north and south and wilderness/hiking/climbing all around. The Collegiate Range is just to the west and there are reserviors and lakes in the area for fishing and woods for hunting in National Forest land all around. Not a bad place to call home and schools are fair.

The population is about 2,000 and growing. The average household income is about $40,000 and the homes and land are nice and spreadout for the most part.

Lake City Colorado is a small town deep in the heart of Colorado's mountain country, surrounded by wilderness and some of the highest peaks in the state. This is a great place for adventurers with RVs, rafters, climbers and hikers and campfire enthusiasts --although with this fire season maybe skip that last one;(

Lake City sits up at almost 9,000 feet and has a population of about 400. This little town still has over 200 historic structures, a testament to the old mining boom days in the 19th century. The little town has faithful residents, nature and history lovers--the average household income in about $40,000 and there is one school.

At this elevation and placement in Colorado the July temperatures reach into the low 80s in the day and February hovers around zero degrees F for many days at a time. This is a surprisingly livable place offering wildlife, solitude, clean air and fair real estate prices.

As HInsdale County's county seat, this little town is isolated from surrounding communitites. Grand Junction far to the north and Durango far to the south. The Front Range is about 6 hours drive away to the east.

Johnstown is a small rural town of about 10,000 people out away from the Front Range southeast of the Loveland/Fort Collins metro area. The population in the last 10 years has doubled in Johnstown and it is no longer the small farming community it used to be. You could say it is a bedroom community of Loveland/Fort Collins. Just 40 miles north of downtown Denver, Johnstown for some is a bedroom community for folks who drive to work all up and down the Front Range cities of Colorado. The cost of living makes Johnstown a little more affordable than the cities and a lot quieter and slower living.

Johnstown has two school districts and a good reputation as far as education goes. The average household income is about $50,000, a little above Colorado's average. Sitting just east of I-25 Johnstown is tucked away in its own little world.Yet close enough to still have a great view of the mountains to the west! This would be a great community to check out for a family just moving to Colorado who want to live and work along the northern Front Range and who want a rural feel but close to the action of the Front Range and its cities and easy access to the canyons and mnts.

In June 2002 the big Colorado forest fire known as the Hayman Fire put the Deckers area on the national map, news wise. Deckers is an unincorporated mountain/Front Range area/community between Denver and Colorado Springs. This really is a pretty area and close enough to the Front Range communities and accessible to DIA to be doable for retirees or business people that travel. This would be a great place for a summer (or winter) home or investment property in Colorado. There are areas that are burnt but they are now safer from future fires and you would be surprised how growth in just a year or so can rehabilitate the landscape after even a major scorcher.

Another name for the area is Dafodill or Deckers depending on who you talk to. The area is remote and close to the city at the same time, a unique area to check out for real estate or a Sunday drive.

Manassa is a small town that is layed out exactly as a square mile, if you check it out on satellite image/map it truly is square. Only 10 miles north of the New Mexico border, Manassa has about 1,000 residents. The closest town is Alamosa to its north, about 20 minutes drive. This is where folks from Manassa get their groceries and visit restaurants. There really are not any cities close, maybe Pueblo to the east or Durango further west but both are significant many hours drives away.

Especially to the west of town there is a lot of agriculture and there are ranches all around. The average household income of Manassa is about $25,000 a year. Other notable things about Manassa is that is was founded and still occupied by many Mormans and there are also descendents of Spanish immigrants that settled there as far back as the 1600's.

Today there is one elementary in town and older students travel about ten miles out of town for Middle and HIgh School. There seems to be a strong sense of community and a good school district in Manassa. The yearly Mansassa festival is the weekend around the end of July each year and is one of the oldest in Colorado.

Cottonwood is a little community just east of Centennial and north of Parker--basically a south Denver suburb. The population is about 1,000 and the average household income is well above the Colorado average at almost $65,000 a year. There are very nice homes in Cottonwood and would be a great place to look for real estate if new to the Denver area and looking for a nice, safe but close to the city location to settle with a family. This is not really a mountain town by any means, it is the city but on the outskirts. There are plenty of places to eat and shop and it is easy to commute to the tech center or downtown. There are some nice parks and the homes/neighborhoods are laid out in a nice way.

Crook is a little NW Colorado town of about 150 people about 10 miles from the border with Nebraska. The town lies just north of I-70 and is not far west of where I-70 & I-80 meet in Nebraska. The trucking industry and agriculture is strong in the area, this is a remote area and people do not commute to any area cities, the Front Range communities of Colorado are hours away. The closest town is Sterling to the west on I-70.

The household income is about $30,000, a bit below Colorado average. The people are nice and the the area has a true country feel, more like the midwest than western really. But you will find your far share of cowboys.

Ridgway (yes w/o an "e") is home to only about 700 souls, it was a railroad town founded along the Uncompaghre River in the northern San Juan Mountains. The town has the only stop light in Ouray County, at HW 550 and HW 62. This is a seriously amazing area of SW Colorado at around 7,000 feet it is surrounded by steep cliffs, water/lakes/creeks/rivers, cool nights and clear skies. The area is famous for its wildlife especially bald eagles.

A funny trivial fact about Ridgway is that the phonograph Grammy Award trophy is made and has been made exclusively in Ridgway by a little company is town.

The average household income in Ridgway is $40,000 bout average for CO. The town brings in a lot of tourists especially due to the popular clothing optional Orvis Hot Springs. This is a sweet little town worth the drive to check out this remote mountainous area of Colorado.

Lone Tree is a community just south of Centennial, so its also a southern Denver suburb. There are about 10,000 people who call Lone Tree home. With Parker and Castle Rock to the southish, Lone Tree is a great location to commute into Denver/Tech Center but not be in the heart of Denver.

The average household income is about 100,000 so this is a wealthy community with amazing well layed out neighborhoods, great schools and abundant shopping and restaurants. A real downfall is that it truly is still the city, not the mountains of Colorado or countryside further east, I-25 & 470 cross the heart of Lone Tree making this a serious commerically active and traffic heavy, sometimes congested area. For those who like to be close to Denver this is great but going just a bit south to Castle Rock gets you more into the classic Colorado vibe and much more affordable housing/living.

Black Forest is a community north of Colorado Springs that is by proxi part of the Springs ad Air Force Academy area. Black Forest is a nice community that has a population of about 13,000 people who chose NOT to incorporate the area, there are amazing homes among the ponderosa pines that the area is named for. The average household income is $77,000 and the properties reflect that above average level.

This is a sought after spot in the Springs and while still along I-25 has a remote area for being so close to the city and the interstate. This would be an ideal place for a family or retiree to look for an investment home that is close to the Springs but within a short drive that has a remote mountain feel with often great views of the Pike Peak range.

There are about 4,000 people who live in Basalt. Situated mid-way between Aspen and Glenwood Springs, Basalt is a bedroom communitity and affordable place for people who live, work and play in Aspen and its resorts and mountains.

Basalt is a highway community and there are some mobile home parks and small scattered homes in neghborhoods along the highway, there are also some homes and properties up in the county roads mostly off roads leading north out of town. It is a pretty valley where Fryingpan River and Roaring Fork River converge, it is green and has pretty views and really is much more affordable than Aspen and Glenwood. The views are amazing but the downfall is the transient, touristy nature of HW 82 that flies by most of the time. Its named for basalt rock formations in town. There is an indy and interesting subculture in Basalt that is more real and more rough than polished flitzy Aspen feel. The average household income however is not low it is well above the average in Colorado @$67,000 a year.

Romeo is a very small dusty town in SW Colorado not far north of the Colorado/New Mexico border. This is a poor community and as you drive through you have missed it! Alamosa to the north is where those from Romeo can shop and visit a restaurant. Most of the residents work in the area and there are ranches and some farming in the area.

Pritchett is a two horse town about 30 miles from Oklahoma and Kansas. This is the dusty plains of southeast Colorado. The town is directly east of Trinidad, the closest Front Range town to the west. There are farms and ranches out in the grassy farmland country around Pritchett.

The average household income is about $20,000, far below the average in Colorado, there are only about 150 people who call the area home and it is a quiet spot away from any major interstates or even big highways except HW 160. New Mex is no far to the south and a bit of the rodeo/southwest flare is found in Pritchett. Land is cheap but the summers are hot, dusty and dry and the winters are no better.

Cripple Creek Colorado is just on the back side of Pikes Peak from Colorado Springs, a crow could fly direct in less then 10 miles but humans have to trek up and around the 14er on highways and it takes over a half hour usually. This little historic town was a booming gold town back in the late 1800's and now it is a gambling town and tourist spot.

There are about 1,000 people who call Cripple Creek home and much of those folk are part of the tourism industry or are retired. The average median household income in town is about $40,000 and there are beautiful pieces of land for sale, some with mining rights. The area is gorgeous for its views and cool mountain air, a great getaway close to the Front Range in the summer months.

Montrose rocks! There are a lot of rocks, canyons, a desert and high country mountain feel that combines with the quiet and remoteness of the SW and found in abundance in this neck of Colorado. Uncompagre National Forest to the west and Gunnison to the east this is a unique spot in Colorado and definitely in North America.

Montrose offers amazing land and culture, views and shopping options for half the cost of higher end ritzier (and busier) mountain communities in Colorado. This is no Aspen but the views are just as spectacular and the people are down to earth and friendly. There is no much land and county roads to explore. Ranches and some farm land abound, and lots of tucked away mountain properties for the rugged.

There are about 15,000 people who call Montrose home and the average household income is about $33,000. this is a chill mountain community that you should check out if you want to live in the heart of Colorado, with a bit of the southwest flare that comes with the area.

Located about 65 miles east of Pueblo, Las Animas is along the Arkansas River valley along HW 50. Out along the lush river valley there are farms and ranches, but as soon as you go north or south of the river the land gets semi-arid and hot and dry in the summer, cold and even dusty in the winter. Lying only 50 miles from the New Mexican/Colorado border this area of Colorado has a desert like feel even along the greened land enlivened by the river.

About 2,500 people call Las Animas home. The average household income is about $25,000. Many work in the agricultural/ranching business, many also work for the county, city and school district. Some make their long hour plus trek to Pueblo to work.

Fountain is Colorado Springs southern "suburb" housing about $25,000 people. When you cruise through Colorado Springs on I-25 Fountain is the southern realm of the Springs and in some ways -at least in my mind- is still part of the city. Just east of Fort Carson the army base there is a lot of military influence and the vibe is conservative and kinda bored and stiff. There are much prettier and more fun places in the Springs than Fountain.

The town is named for Fountain Creek that flows through and the spot was a railroad stops and farming and ranching hub back in the late 1800's when it was getting established. The average household income is about $40,000 and average is a good way to explain this place in general. It is ironic that Fountain is in a legal battle to take water from a Custer County ranch down south, I guess Fountain is a dry fountain in more than one way.

Padroni is only about 5 miles from North Sterling reservior and surrounded by big ag fields and cattle ranches. The town of Sterling is about 10 miles to the south and I-76. There is not too much happening in Padroni and only about 100 people life there.

Padroni is too far from the Front Range to really commute, especially on a regular basis and DIA the airport is a haul away as well. Out in this are of NW Colorado you can not see the mountains to the west and it feels more like nearby Nebraska than what many think of as Colorado. The dry hot summer wind blows and the cold dry winter wind as well. This is a farming community and also has some truckers that live there due to the trucking industry along I-76. The average household income is about $25,000 a year, well below Colorado's average.

Elizabeth is a small town of about 1,500 people less than 20 minutes east of Castle Rock. Elizabeth feels isolated because there are no major interstates but really it is within 30 minutes of most of Denver and not really that far from Colorado Springs to the south and DIA up to the northeast.

The average household income of Elizabeth is $50,000 a year, so above the Colorado average. It is a nice and quiet community and many who live there have been there since the 1960's when a large influx of residents took root. There are some interesting shops and restuarants and most who live there commute to Denver.

Dillon is a cool town adjacent and pretty much connected to Silverthorne just to its west. Dillon Reservoir is a big lake as far a Colorado goes and it is popular for sailboats and speedboats, it usually freezes in the winter and it a landmark when traveling west into the mountains from Denver, once you see the lake you have gotten through the Eisenhower Tunnel pass on I-70 and you are on your way farther west to Utah or making your turn towards Breckenridge or onto the Vail Valley and Aspen. This is a great community to live in too for ski bums or business minded people who want to take advantage of the tourists and live in a great place. This would be a nice place for a family to check out real estate or invest in a vacation property.

There are about a thousand people who live in Dillon and the average household income is about $50,000/year.

Foxfield is a nice little community south of Denver just east of Centennial and south of Cherry Creek Reservior. There are only about 800 people who call Foxfield home, it is an area only about 1 square mile straddled between Arapahoe and South Parker Road. However, there are seriously nice homes and big properties in Foxfield. The average household income is just over $100,000 and the homes go for around 1 million. This is a great area if you work in Denver and have the means to invest in a gorgeous big home. The schools are great and everything in the Front Range is within a short drive including the mountains to the west:) There is also a lot of recreational possibilities such as lakes to hike and boat in and golf courses all around Foxfield.

Crested Butte is a town of about 1,500 people and before the white folk settled East River Valley the Utes used the area in the summer months. This beautiful valley was settled by trappers, then coal and silver miners then ranchers. Today the real estate is more fairly priced than other ski towns and the beauty and views are unique and isolated even for Colorado.

The ski resort is great and there is also a lot of backcountry skiiing in the area. The town has chill character and there are festivals and fun things to do year round. There are so many trails, hikes, camping and mountain biking possibilities in the area. The average income is about $40,000 so around the Colorado average.

Carbondale is in site of the lovely Mt. Sopris and just about 20 miles from Aspen. Carbondale is just south of Glenwood Springs on the way to Aspen. There are about 6,500 people who call Carbondale home and the average household income is about $52,000 which is less than Aspen's $60,000. This is a bedroom and more affordable community than living in Aspen. There are so many beautiful properties around Carbondale and there is affordable homes and apartments in the town.

The town was names after Carbondale, Pennsylvania where some of the early Colorado settlers came from. Many of the early settlers were part of the silver boom in Aspen and many early settlers also farmed the pretty wet valley. Until the 1980's Carbondale was in the coal business from mines mostly up in the nearby coal Crystal River Valley. There are natural hotsprings up in that regions not far from Carbondale. There are also many trails and county roads and amazing places to explore in the area.

Campion is in an isolated pocket of the northern Front Range of Colorado right by the foothills, the town is surrounded by Loveland to the north and Longmont far to its south. Few people visit Campion because it is not along a major interstate or highway and it is just far enough south of Loveland that most do not venture down there.

Campion is a town of about 2,000 people. Carter Res is not far to the west and the area that the town resides in is really pretty and close to the mountains. There are lots of farms and ranches in and around Campion and the sugar beet capital of Colorado. The average household income in Campion is about $50,000 a bit above Colorado average. This really is a nice community and well worth checking out to by land or raise a family in.

Byers is a small town of just over a thousand people out east of Denver along I-70. The average household income is about average for Colorado and higher than most other eastern plain communities of Colorado. The average is about $45,000 a year. The town primarily lies on the southern side of the interstate.

Byers is close enough to Denver to commute, it is about 40 miles from downtown abd about a half hour to Aurora and the Denver airport (DIA). The town is surrounded by big agricultural fields and ranches. There are a couple restaurants and the trucking industry and industrial/construction business near the interstate.

Burlington is only 10 miles within the Colorado border and the first town you hit when coming from the east into Colorado along I-70. The country seat of Kit Carson County, Burlington is surrounded by big irrigation circles, ranches and the trucking industry. There are about 4,000 people who call the town home. Summers are Kansas dry and hot and windy and winters are dry and freezing and windy, but the sun does shine most days and the people are decent.

The average household income in Burlington is reported to be about $34,000 a year, less than the Colorado average but not far off the mark. You can not see the mountains from here, not for another hour or two drive but it is Colorado even though it just feels like Kansas:)

Brighton has about 33,000 people and is a rural but city like area well north of Denver. Brighton has several large, new subdivisions that are relatively cheaper than the other Denver suburbs such as Thornton or Westminster nearby to the west.

Brighton is north of Commerce City but feels well away from the industrial stink of the interstates and industry of that area. Brighton was founded in the 1870s as a stage/railroad depot and farming community and continues to have that open crossroads feel. I personally would not want to live in Brighton, the new homes are cheap yes but they are cookie cutter for the most part and great if you need to be close to DIA or to commute to north Denver. I would much more prefer to live in a different Denver area or better yet up near Boulder or west towards Golden.

Boone is a very small community of only 300 or so people. Situated along the HW 50 & HW 96 corridor out east of Pueblo. The town is about 15 miles east of Pueblo. The town was originally named Booneville after Daniel Boone's grandson Albert Gallatin Boone who was the postmaster and indian agent for a bit.

The average household income is about $25,000, lower than average for Colorado. Many people who live in Boone work in Pueblo or work for the county or school district. Many people also work in agriculture/ranching and in the trucking industry.

Beulah Valley has about 500 people who call the area home. Beulah Valley is not a town (there is the very small town of Beulah in the valley) but the area is more a spreadout mountain area to the west of Pueblo than a town. The area is truly beautiful and not as remote as it feels when you are there. It takes about a half hour to get into Pueblo West for shopping and really not that far, maybe an hour from Colorado Springs.

The famous "one man castle" Bishops Castle is in Beulah Valley and Mission Wolf is there as well. Not far just to the northwest is the great little mountain town of Westcliffe/Silvercliff. For those who want to live in the mountains, clean air and water but be relatively close to a city for shopping and going to a couple times a week purchasing property in Beulah Valley would be ideal. The weather changes quickly, typical of Colorado yes, but the elevation in the valley gets you away from the beating summer heat of the Front Range.

Reportedly, the average household income in Beulah Valley is about $50,000, most people are either independently wealthy or are those who own companies in the valley or are independent contractors. There are also established homesteads that go back many many generations. This is an interesting area not too too far from the New Mexico border. It is a nice mix of Colorado and the deeper SW feel of the region.

Bethune is out in the far eastern border of Colorado, just 20 miles from Kansas. The average household income is about $29,000/year in Bethune and there are about 300 people who call the little agricultural community home. Since it is along I-70 there is a lot of trucking industry related jobs. Bethune is way too far to commute on a regular basis to the front range cities of Colorado.