Living in Denver is a choice that most young people make. That’s because the city boasts of a strong economic system. Despite the strong economic situation in Denver, some people think that the country is expensive and populous.
From observations, there may be other likely reasons why anyone would agree to accept or ditch the idea of living in Denver. Hence, we’ve put together this guide – featuring pros and cons that will help you decide if living in Denver is a right or wrong choice. You can read more about living in Colorado here.
Pros and Cons of Living in Denver
| Pros of living in Denver | Cons of Living in Denver |
| Young people dominate Denver | There’s always high traffic congestion on the major roads |
| It’s known for being a home of professional sports | Rent prices are often high |
1. Booming Economy
Businesses and careers tend to thrive more in Denver. The city ranks 18th best in education and 32nd in employment growth.
Some leading tech companies have currently established their headquarters in Denver and its surrounding cities. Because of this move, the employment growth rate in the city became higher as residents will have the opportunity to land new jobs.
Some of these tech companies include:
- IBM
- Lockheed Martin
- Western Union
- Denver Health
Industries, especially tech, are booming when it comes to mobile and software development in Denver. It sits on the 11th overall position for cities with the biggest household median income. That’s no surprise as there are more than 4,000 tech companies that offer high pay in the state.
2. Adaptable Cost of Living
After you start living in Denver, paying for housing costs might be one of the biggest worries to encounter. Nevertheless, the rent is much cheaper when compared to some other states across the country.
Other notable things about the general cost of living in Denver are:
- Sales taxes are higher than property taxes. You will spend an average of 4.63% ok income taxes
- Health care is quite pricey as it’s above the national average by 17%
- Grocery shopping is cheaper because the amount spent is often 4% less than that of the national average.
3. Adventurous
Most residents end up having more activities than they planned on their bucket list. That’s because Denver and its surrounding cities are equipped with lots of attractions that will keep you busy all day long.
Even past residents will let you in on a long list of movements you didn’t think of making.
In other words, there’s no room for boredom in Denver. Rafting, fishing, camping, hiking, biking, backpacking, etc are part of the things you can do in this city.
4. Iconic and Gorgeous
From Denver’s Rocky Mountains, you can easily reach the red-hot music arena, best cultural attractions, sumptuous delicacy, flourishing microbreweries. These are what make Denver a beautiful, iconic city.
Denver is filled with vibrant scenery. This beauty is what seems to inspire and motivate reputable authors and artists who live in the city.
Finally, Denver is blessed with lots of natural landscapes and beautiful attractions. This is why it’s listed amongst one of the best cities in America.
5. It’s Dominated by Young People
Young people of not more than 44 years make up 80% of Denver’s population and these numbers keep growing daily.
Businesses that are targeting the young population usually take advantage of this dominance to sell their products and services.
For example, there are several gyms and clubs in the city. These businesses seem to have achieved maximum profit regularly. There are just a lot of young people!
6. Professional Sports
If you’re a lover of sports, the mile-high city will be your most favorite destination in the world. That’s because it’s home to at least four professional sports teams.
Colorado Avalanche, Colorado Rockies, Denver Nuggets, and Denver Broncos are among these teams.
Do you love playing or watching baseball, hockey, lacrosse, football, rugby, soccer, or basketball? Denver has some of the best athletes.
Cons of Living in Denver
1. It Can be Expensive
While it’s easy to adapt to the overall cost of living in Denver, house and estate rents are relatively expensive in the city.
A large number of residents in Denver have a problem with the high rent prices. As there is little to no increase in their salaries, it’s tough adapting to the high cost of rents in Denver.
2. Congested Road Traffic
There’s a large instream of new residents – This, merged with the poorly set-up road infrastructures, causes the traffic on the major roads of Denver and its surrounding areas. It can be dreadful on Mondays.
3. High Altitude
Denver is often referred to as the “mile high city” because of the surrounding mountains. The city is higher than the sea level by 5,280 ft. This means that there won’t be enough oxygen to breathe in.
If you’re looking to live in Denver soon, then you must get ready for hair and skin dryness. Dehydration is a common thing in this state so your nose may likely become bloody in the long run.
As a new resident, adapting to Denver’s altitude will be difficult. You can purchase an effective chapstick or skin lotion to combat the dryness whenever the need arises.
4. Lack of Supportive Public Transportation Structure
Owning a vehicle is essential if you’re planning to live in Denver. Yes, there’s a readily available light rail and an extensive bus system. Still, there’s no proper development as regards the infrastructure.
Also, if you don’t live in the center of the state, you might encounter several inconveniences when it comes to boarding public transport.
5. Water Activities
Because Denver isn’t situated close to water bodies, residents who would love water sports are left with lesser options.
Even though you can find lakes in the state, they are often filled with people. Do not also keep In mind that other water activities such as kneeboarding, kayaking, canoeing, scuba diving, etc are not done too.
Conclusion
Like every other city in the world, Denver has got its pros and cons. However, the city keeps growing and more people will choose to live in it. It’s ranked amongst the top 3 states that offer good quality living in the USA.
For a lot of people, the advantages of living in Denver seem to outweigh the disadvantages – it depends on you to look through this guide and choose what you think is best for you.
