# Boulder -- where to live?



## mjdwyer23 (Mar 18, 2009)

Hey folks-
I might be taking a new job in boulder and would be relocating to the area with my wife and 4 month old. We'd probably rent at first but look to buy a place within a year. What are good, family friendly areas round there? We've found some dream home-ish places in the mountains to the west, but we haven't ruled out living closer to the town. I expect not to be bagging any more strava kom's once I'm out here!


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## Samadhi (Nov 1, 2011)

mjdwyer23 said:


> Hey folks-
> I might be taking a new job in boulder and would be relocating to the area with my wife and 4 month old. We'd probably rent at first but look to buy a place within a year. What are good, family friendly areas round there? We've found some dream home-ish places in the mountains to the west, but we haven't ruled out living closer to the town. I expect not to be bagging any more strava kom's once I'm out here!


Lafayette. Close to boulder, but a lot cheaper.

I'd give mountain living a lot of thought. It's beautiful, peaceful and inspiring. I lived in the mountains for 7 years and loved a lot of it. There's also critters messing with your space, forest fires, water issues, being miles from anywhere and so on. Mountain living isn't for everyone.


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## cgraham (Sep 18, 2012)

+1 for lafayette...parents lived there for several years...beatiful and a lot cheaper


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## icsloppl (Aug 25, 2009)

What's your budget and sq ft needs?


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## Ride-Fly (Mar 27, 2002)

Can't go wrong with any part of Boulder. I think it is worth the extra money to live in Boulder proper. When I first lived there, we rented in Gunbarrel. It is actually considered Boulder proper but still didn't give you the true Boulder experience. Then we moved to the southside of Boulder, near the East Boulder Rec Center and it was a totally different experience. Unless you are on a tight budget, I recommend you forgo the close-in towns such as Lafayette, Superior, Longmont, Louisville, and even Gunbarrel. Get the real Boulder experience. Boulder is by far my most favorite place I've ever lived. Caveat, we live in Stuttgart, Germany now and the European experience is pretty phenomenal. The riding isn't on par, although I have yet to ride the Black Forest, which is pretty close to my village. Maybe by the time we leave, this place will supplant Boulder. We shall see. 

Good luck. BTW, what 'icsloppl' asked.


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## icsloppl (Aug 25, 2009)

Try using Zillow or a similar search engine. Boulder is a great place if you can afford it, but the price is steeper than the climbs out of town...


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## Rokh On (Oct 30, 2011)

I know if I were moving to Boulder I would love the live somewhere in the area of the west end of Cascade Ave. Unfortunately though it gets a little pricey once you get west of 9th.


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## PDex (Mar 23, 2004)

It depends. There are great neighborhoods, but lousy nearby schools. Where will you be working? The commutes aren't anywhere near LA standards, but an afternoon snowstorm can turn a 20 minute drive into a two hour nightmare. I've lived here since the late 70s and have lived all over Boulder - each part of town has positives and negatives. PM me if you like.


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## kokothemonkey (Jul 7, 2004)

The North end of town is great for road biking. Jay road and highway 36 (the north version) seem to be the portal to most of the great road rides. Living in the mtns seems cool, but with kids, it's not for everyone, with the mtn lion concerns and driving once the weather gets bad. I live on the North end of town and think it's worth it to live in Boulder proper (biased opinion). Your budget will be the most important component. PM me if you like. Good luck on the KOMs, small fish in a big pond..


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## dino8031 (Aug 8, 2012)

Depends on your budget. Expect to pay $700k and up for a decent house in a good neighborhood. The West side is always nice and usually the most expensive. 
My favorite parts of town are South West, like Devil's thumb and North West up above Wonderland Hill Avenue. The Hill west of 6th is also very nice, but very expensive. 
I agree that mountain living is great, particularly in the summer, but it's not for everyone. If you have kids in school you'll definitely want to live in town. The public schools are excellent for the most part. 

I also agree to skip Longmont, Louisville, Superior, etc. It's just not the same.


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## automaticftp (Oct 18, 2012)

Louisville has been rated the #1 town to live several times in the past few years - more affordable than Boulder, without the wannabe attitude of many Boulderites . . .


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