A. Colorado Springs is the most affordable city to live with an average rent of $1553 per month whereas $1994 per month in Denver. Frisco. The town sits at an elevation of 6,320 feet. Don't miss staying at WeeCasa, a tiny home hotel that's one of the country's most uniqueand adorableplaces to lay your head. Nestled in San Juan National Forest, this ski area is minutes from downtown Durango. Living in one of the best mountain towns in Colorado is a lot different than visiting. In western Colorado, Crested Butte is surely apretty place to live with your familyand the view of lush green fields. The city is located in southern Colorado near the border of New Mexico and offers lots of fun things to do. During the fall, it's a popular gateway for leaf peeping Colorado's yellow aspens. Hessie Trailhead is the start to a lot of the excellent hikes near Denver in the Indian Peaks Wilderness. Every year, people flock from all over the world to experience the best mountain towns in Colorado. The town embraces a fun atmosphere with an annual fruitcake toss, pie baking contests, ghost tours, ice cream events, and a lot more. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is home to some of the most-well-preserved archaeological sites in the U . Although its still on the list of cheap mountain towns in Colorado, partly thanks to its amazingly low living costs and median home prices being below $250,000, Alamosa is one of the bigger towns on this list. Add to Steamboat Springs to your summer bucket list. The funkily named Fruita is home to Dinosaur Hill and The Trail Through Time at Rabbit Valley, both of which feature fossils of the long-gone critters, as well as the Museum of Western Colorado: Dinosaur Journey, where visitors can check out skeletons, robotic dinosaurs, and scientists preparing bones for display in a real laboratory. Silverton features some of the best things to do in Colorado. have gotten way too expensive in the last few years. What makes Salida stand out is its higher-end town with plenty of ways to kick back and relax in the mountains. It sits just on the east of the Middle Fork South Platte River, northward to Alma and Hoosier Pass, and close to Breckenridge for skiing. Youll find cowboys and cattle roaming in the streets! You can ski and golf in one of Colorados most picturesque towns. If you buy something through one of those links, you wont pay any extra penny, but Ill get a small commissionthat encourages me to deliver more helpfulcontent for you. Outdoorsy types might want to leave time for a trek up nearby Quandary Peak, one of Colorado's 58 mountains that measure 14,000 feet or taller. It is also just an hour and a half from Colorado Springs. The total cost of a single adult annually is around $37,516 which is less than the annual cost of living for Colorado of $40,026. To start the best up and coming Colorado towns, we have the small town of Fraser. The waterway is saluted during the FibArk (First in Boating on the Arkansas) festival and there's a hot springs pool in town, too. Photo Credit: benedek (iStock). , but you can also enjoy things like trail riding, Rocky Mountain Wildlife Park, a ski resort, and rafting experiences. Population: 399 Cost of Living Index: 15% Below Colorado Average Median Home Price: $353,000. Local Tip: In 2021 reservations are required to visit the Maroon Bells Scenic Area. A great weekend getaway from Denver, Breckenridge is an epic place to visit for all kinds of outdoor adventures. Overall, its a quiet town that is good for families and has a. , making it one of the top affordable mountain cities in Colorado. With the lower than average cost of living, this will appeal to anyone looking for cheap mountain towns in Colorado. There are also breweries to check out, and all in all, this is a very affordable place to live. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Mancos features a small-town feel where almost all of the residents know each other. Northern Colorado's Fort Collins was named one of the 100 Best Places to Live in part due to the strength of its business community, which features a mix of major employers like Anheuser Busch, Hewlett-Packard, Kaiser Permanente, Wells Fargo and Xcel Energy, as well as innovative . If youre looking for cheap mountain towns in Colorado where you can combine, in the summer seasons, Buena Vista is a great place to live. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The medical facilities of Gunnison Valley Health or Crested Butte Medical centers are up-to-the-mark. The median home value here is just $189,600, less than the national home value of $204,900 on average. Also, if youre coming for two days to Colorado, include these places in your itinerary. I thought he is planning to take me toChristmas towns in Florida. Contents1 Where is the [] Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Dont you think it is one of thecheap places to live in Colorado? From the incredible rock formations and stunning landscapesto gorgeous mountain views, picturesque hiking trails, and lots of historic treasures Colorado Springs is dripping with spots that offer the perfect retreat for couples and honeymooners. 2. Changing aspens can be explored along Kebler Pass, the scenic road connects the mountain towns of Crested Butte and Paonia. Durango is one of those magical Colorado Mountain towns that is hidden away in the Southwestern part of the state, right near the New Mexico border. Longmont. Explore the parks, go ziplining, or try out some white water sports when the weather is hot. I was here from October to August, working, living, and enjoying my life. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. However, as per data collected from 247wallst, the total cost of a single adult including health care, taxes, housing, food, and other expense is around $46,573 a year. Ridgway. Where is the cheapest place to live near the mountains? It sits an hour west of Colorado Springs in Teller County at the base of the backside of Pikes Peak with amazing vistas. Worry not though, magazine House Beautiful has listed the most affordable mountain towns in the USA to make that dream a reality. Mancos features a small-town feel where almost all of. If you want to stay in a more peaceful area you can choose a neighborhood like Fall River Estates. What gives Fort Collins the edge in 2023 is its relatively affordable cost of living. In winter you should explore the ice caves in Colorado, the place feels no less than a Frozen Hollywood movie set. However if youre looking for the prettiest mountain town in Colorado, youll certainly want to scope out these amazing gems: The best Colorado mountains towns to visit in the fall are: The best Colorado mountain towns to visit in the winter are: The best Colorado mountains towns to visit in the summer are: Looking for amazing Colorado mountain towns? This historic steam engine takes passengers on a scenic journey from the wild western town of Durango to the historic mining town of Silverton. I was lucky to spend the last 10 months in themost affordable mountain town in Colorado, Crested Butte which is also calledColorados Last Great Ski Town. Massive, two of Colorado's highest peaks. The highest town in the U.S., Leadville sits at a soaring 10,152 feet, doubling Denver's elevation and earning it the nickname "The Two-Mile High City." Glenwood Hot Springs is family-friendly, while Iron Mountain, right on the Colorado River, has a good vibe and a more relaxing ambiance. This makes visiting these sought-after landscapes relatively simple (with a little planning of course). If you want to check out the fall foliage, try to go during the week or expect to wait in some serious traffic. The giant troll, who goes by the name of Isak Heartstone, is truly a sight to see. Guanella Pass is also one of the very best places to see the fall colors in Colorado, but that makes it incredibly crowded during leaf-peeping season. where all the residents know each other, feel connected, and help each other out. Everyone dreams about living a quaint and rugged life in the Rocky Mountains, but many of the famous ski towns like. At the base of Pikes Peak, west of Colorado Springs sits Manitou Springs, a funky artistic Victorian mountain town, and a hippie haven for families, retirees, and artists to reside. Salida also has plenty of cultural significance. County: Logan. It is themost affordable Colorado mountain townin Larimer County sitting at an elevation of 7,522 feet. However, I heard from one of my friends that the town has now become nosier and lacks walkable space compared to the western side of the town. If youre looking for cheap mountain towns in Colorado where you can combine small town life with a bit of vibrancy in the summer seasons, Buena Vista is a great place to live. Affordable Mountain Towns in Colorado Our Research Methodology, The Affordable Mountain Towns in Colorado for 2023, Affordable Mountain Towns in Colorado Summary, The 16 Best Places to Live in Florida for 2023, Here are the 12 Cheapest Beach Towns in California, 12 Stunning Resorts in Florida for Every Budget, California vs Florida - Our Full Comparison, 12 Cheapest (and Safest) Cities to Live in Florida in 2023, 8 Fastest Growing Small Towns in Texas in 2023 Charming & Desirable, What is a Good Salary in Florida in 2023? Just under a2 hour drive from Colorado Springs, Trinidad is conveniently located on the I-25, and it offers some extraordinary surrounding views. People can access and enjoy beautiful scenery, hiking trails, alpine lakes, and other attractions. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Westcliffe is tiny and quaint, and it has the atmosphere to match, with agood sense of community. Its famous for its historic architecture and a great artistic culture, and although it mainly caters to tourists, its also quaint and homely. Incredible mountain views can be seen from the town, which features a number of cobbled streets in a newly developed area and a colorful collection of summer vacation stays and year-round homes. The word Ouray means The Arrow and the town was named this because it sits in a narrow valley with steep mountains on three sides. Among other things in Telluride are the Sheridan Opera House (a performing-arts venue) and the Telluride Gallery of Fine Art. The Riverwalk is among the most popular attractions. Our mission is to provide a digital resource with original insights on lifestyle and travel experiences. While its costs are the same as the Colorado state average, it is clear that the city is far from average. Inside, youll find: PS. 6. Its less than an hour drive from, ts historic architecture and a great artistic culture. Shoppers will want to peruse Ned's fantastic independent emporiums, kids will love the restored carousel from 1910, and music fans won't want to miss The Caribou Room, where national acts like the Rebirth Brass Band play. The West Elk Loop scenic byway and Kebler Pass are close by for a nice drive. Colorado's Rocky Mountains are filled . So, which one is calling you? Overall, the atmosphere is friendly and the community is tight-knit, which is critical for such a small town. A. Leadville is a warm, close-knit community to live in the Rocky Mountains for all outdoor enthusiasts and retirees. Heres how you can explore the best of the Centennial State like a local, not a tourist. It sits 10,000 feet above sea level. You can also have some fun with llama trekking and the town even has a little theater, too. The Rocky Mountains traverse the states core. 10. Then, we scored all of the mountain communities in Colorado based on these categories to find the most affordable Colorado mountain towns. This town has a population of 14,000 residents over two square miles, making it a dense urban area. Note: Estes Park is also the safest place in Colorado. If youre interested in history, youll also enjoy the range of museums that the town has to offer. In summer, the temperature rose to make me feel happy and energetic. Leadville is the highest town in North America sitting over 10,000 feet above sea level offering sheer Centennial State beauty than you can imagine. Salida is a cozy mountain town located where the, , including rafting and some history tours, and if youre a fan of hot springs, youll be pleased to learn that its only about a, 10 minute drive to the relaxing Poncha Springs, Salida also has plenty of cultural significance. Western vibes still thrive in the small town backdropped by the La Plata Mountains. If theres one thing that makes the Rocky Mountain State so unique its an impressive lineup of the best mountain towns in Colorado.