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Durango, Colorado
Nestled in Beautiful Mountain Scenery, Touristy Durango is an Outdoor Adventure Hub with a Cute Downtown
Beneath cobalt blue skies at 6,525 feet above sea level in rugged southwestern Colorado, Durango (population 20,000) is nestled along the Animas River and swaddled by gorgeous scenery. It started as a railroad hub and mining supply town in the 1880s, but today it is touristy and a little bohemian with a "shabby chic" vibe. Backcountry adventurers in particular love this town.
Thirty percent of the population is age 45 or better. Politics lean very much to the left, and more than half of residents have at least a four year college degree. The crime rate meets the national average. The cost of living is 75% above the national average.
The median home price is $800,000, reflecting a 1% increase since last year. Housing stock ranges from bunglalows in town to ranch ramblers, cabins, chalets and custom estates on nearby mountainsides. Home sites are dotted with Aspen trees and Ponderosa pines.
Five surrounding downhill ski resorts and abundant opportunities for fly fishing, river rafting, kayaking, hiking, snowmobiling, camping and backpacking in majestic the San Juan National Forest draw people here all year long. The closest ski area, Purgatory, is renowned for its chest-deep powder, and Mesa Verde National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that attracts people interested in ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings, is just 25 miles away.
The wonderful Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, a steam-powered, narrow gauge heritage railroad that first began operation in 1881, runs between Durango and Silverton, and seats are booked months in advance. The 45-mile trek over tall train bridges, along steep canyon walls and through high-country valleys is intoxicating.
Although this Alpine hamlet is home to the well-heeled, it also draws a youthful, somewhat grungy, outdoorsy crowd. River rats and ski bums are at home here, although many are poor. Fort Lewis College, a four year liberal arts college, has 4,000 students and sits on a bluff overlooking town. It enrolls a lot out-of-state students, many of whom come to ski while they study (or study while they ski).
The cute downtown, most of which is a national historic district, has a main street with side streets radiating from it. Downtown buildings, both 1880s originals and more modern ones, house restaurants, ski shops, hotels, markets, banks, micro-breweries, outdoor gear stores, coffee housees, bookstores, art galleries and cafes. Large shopping venues are limited.
A number of annual events, including Music in the Mountains, a classical music celebration, and Snowdown, a winter festival, attract attentive crowds. The Sky Ute Casino and Resort is 30 minutes away and has gaming and a hotel.
This is a walkable place, but Durango Transit provides fixed bus service around town. A paratransit service is also available.
Durango has two roads in and out. Two lane Highway 550 is mountainous and parallels the Animas River. Going north it reaches the town of Silverton (elevation 9,320 feet) and becomes part of the Million Dollar Highway, one of the most awe-inspiring, and sometimes white-knuckle, drives in the nation.
Highway 160 is also two lanes and travels east to Mesa Verde and west over the Continental Divide's Wolf Creek Pass (elevation 10,857 feet). Winter drives can be particularly treacherous. There is, though, a regional airport. Greyhound Bus also has service.
The library has two branches, an interlibrary loan program, tech tutoring, a literary festival and public computers with Internet access. The enclosed Durango Mall features both box store retailers and specialty shops.
Services for older adults are provided by La Plata County at the Durango - La Plata Senior Center and include home chore services, noon meals, home-delivered meals, classes and activities (painting, cards, healthy living, income tax assistance, etc.), transportation to doctors' appointments, the post office, etc.
Mercy Regional Medical Center is a Level III Trauma Center and has won awards for patient safety excellence and overall patient experience excellence. It accepts Medicare patients and is accredited by the Joint Commission.
Summers are glorious but short, with temperatures in the 60s, 70s and 80s. Winters are cold, with temperatures in the teens, 20s and 30s. On average, the area receives 68 inches of snow and 19 inches of rain each year. Humidity is practically non-existent.
Recommended as a Retirement Spot? Mostly Yes | Is Colorado Tax-Friendly for Retirement? Yes
With its gorgeous setting, outstanding outdoor recreation, good medical facilities and good senior programs, Durango has a lot going for it. The long winters and remote location should be considered, though, before making the retirement move here.
Colorado:
Similar to California, the Colorado area was surrendered to the United States in 1848 at the end of the Mexican-American War. It did not become a state until 1876, 100 years after the nation's birth.
The Centennial State's geography includes high plains, deserts, foothills, and mountains. Its Rockies are part of the 3,000-plus mile geologic uplift known as the North American Cordillera. More than 50 of the Cordillera's peaks taller than 14,000 feet are in Colorado. Outdoor recreation ranges from backpacking and climbing to road cycling and skiing.
With roots in mining and agriculture, Colorado's economy has branched in many directions. It currently has a high concentration of tech and scientific research companies. Food processing, manufacturing, and tourism round out the state's industries.
The Centennial State maintains a long list of superlatives. It has the highest paved road, the deepest geothermal hot spring, and the nation's largest concentration of scenic byways. Colorado is the only state in the Union to reject the Olympics and one of the first to legalize recreational marijuana.
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