Thinking of retiring in Colorado

[Texas Turnip]

My younger brother has lived in Craig, Vail, Minturn, Leadville and Salida for the past 20 years. Craig is barren, Vail is expensive, Minturn the same, Leadville has one season-winter. He choose Salida 20+ years ago as it has 4 seasons, Ace hardware, Walmart etc.

BUT, the housing prices in Salida have gone thru the roof with an influx of Cal and other buyers. My brother sez that he has to avoid getting on the road from 7to 9am and from 4 to 6pm as the traffic is horrendous. 200K for a tear down house is normal.

He likes it there and could get a mil for his house, but where to move to?

I wish I was rich enough to live in Col June, July and August to escape the East Texas heat and humidity. No, I'll stay right here at the Oleo Ranch as it is paid for and I get by on $1,250 a month SS. Some can't believe I have money left over at the end of the month!

Good luck in your decision,
Tex

[s1120]

Colorado has the Taxpayer Bill of Rights amendment (TABOR), which limits income taxes. A number of years ago, facing a serious budget shortfall, the legislature redefined many government revenue items as user fees. So vehicle registrations went up sharply. As for M/C insurance I'm currently paying about $440/year to cover four registered bikes.

Other taxes vary locally, of course. There are websites that add up cost-of-living county by county including taxes, groceries, rents etc. State by state, Colorado is right in the middle when you average all taxes but a bit above the national average for real estate costs and groceries. My county has very low property taxes (underfunded schools and cheap real estate) so total cost of living is low. The closer you get to a ski resort or to Boulder/Denver, the higher the real estate, property taxes and total costs of living. If you can pay cash for your final real estate purchase, you can strike the cost of rent off your cost-of-living ledger and just look at property tax.

My take on retirement is that you want to balance total local cost of living against quality of life. High quality of life for me includes twisty mountain roads and skiing. So I'm willing to live with a shorter motorcycling season and doing my own wrenching. Ymmv. Maybe you need warm weather. In that case remember that living near the beach may cost extra in real estate and rust prevention.

Ive been starting to do a lot of reasearch on this the last year or so. We are really looking to move and be settled right before retirement. The balance of Tax vs. fees can really get you!!  Also seem most "ten best" lists for best retirement states rank things that most have zero interest in. I really dont care if im near golf courses.... 

[travelingbyguzzi]

I have stayed in Florence, CO several times. It is 25 miles west of Pueblo just off of US 50.
A pleasant small town with a stable economy due to the SuperMax prison.
It has a nice walkable downtown, uncongested, a few taverns and a good library.
A nice climate, centrally located to get anywhere else in CO in less than a day.

[JJ]

I have stayed in Florence, CO several times. It is 25 miles west of Pueblo just off of US 50.
A pleasant small town with a stable economy due to the SuperMax prison.
It has a nice walkable downtown, uncongested, a few taverns and a good library.
A nice climate, centrally located to get anywhere else in CO in less than a day.

Florence looks like a nice, small town.  What more does one need in their retirement?

[LowRyter]

Salida and Buena Vista is nice area for sure.  About 2 hours from Denver.  Watch out for the Highway Patrol on 281 and 50 at Poncha Springs.

The Guzzi National was there a few years ago.

[skippy]

I have stayed in Florence, CO several times. It is 25 miles west of Pueblo just off of US 50.
A pleasant small town with a stable economy due to the SuperMax prison.
It has a nice walkable downtown, uncongested, a few taverns and a good library.
A nice climate, centrally located to get anywhere else in CO in less than a day.

I almost spit my tea out reading the first line but all became clear as to which side of the walls you were on in the last three lines.

Agreed, Florence is a nice little town. Close to the metropolitan centers and close to the fun twisty roads.

Win win in my book.

Skippy

[old head]

I lived in Flagstaff for 4 years.  I absolutely loved it, except for the cost of living. Outrageous.  I had a store on the east of Flagstaff on route 66, but the property taxes kept going up, and Flagstaff is a very far left city.  I  left and moved to Louisiana as the costs to run my store kept going and it just didn't make sense to stay as that is where my family is.  If you have deep pockets its a great place to live.  Winters get cold at night, but the snow is usually gone within a couple of days.  I think the worst snowfall at one time was about 8', and it took about a week before you could really get out and about.  Most of the time, it snows for a time, but its gone in a day or two.  Summer is pretty nice, it did get kinda warm, high 80's for a couple of weeks, but its very dry.  NO bugs, except for the grasshoppers that devoir everything in sight during the spring.

Stay away from New Orleans, it has a high murder rate, and city is dirty.  the music and food is great, but you couldn't pay me to live there.  Traffic is horrendous,  Across the Ponchatrain is very nice.  Slidell, Mandeville, areas are very nice.  Much lower crime rate, very clean, a little pricey, but you are only 30 minutes away from New Orleans if you are into that kind of atmosphere.  Our sales tax is pretty high, approaching 11.5%, but property taxes and car registration are pretty cheap.  Car insurance is pretty high, lots of uninsured people.  It is very hot and humid in southern Louisiana.  we have fall, no winter and that only lasts about a month before summer begins.  I have been here almost 25 years now, and I really hate the area, but you got to work so I am here for now.

Old Head