Finding the Best Places to Retire Since 2006!
Retire in Monument, Colorado?
Overview: Monument sits at the base of the Rocky Mountains in central Colorado, about 20 miles north of Colorado Springs and 10 miles north of the Air Force Academy. For years it was just a sleepy spot along I-25, but now it is a growing bedroom community.
The high altitude landscape is one of rolling hills, buttes, red rock formations and ridges, with the Pike National Forest just to the west. Homes cover the hills and sit in the forest on both sides of the highway. Residences range from simple horse properties with acreage to architecturally stunning custom homes with breathtaking views. The downtown is cute with art galleries, candle stores and book shops in a handful of buildings. All kinds of fast food places, gas stations, motels and such line the frontage road next to I-25. Lavelett Park's community garden grows produce for participating members and the local food bank. Limbach Park hosts summer concerts.
There are countless running, biking and hiking trails in and around the area, and the New Santa Fe Trailhead near Dirty Woman Creek Park wanders west toward Academy grounds. The Monument Open Space Preserve has a mountain bike loop as well as dog-walking trails and equestrian paths.
Population: 6,900 (city proper)
Age 45 or Better: 33%
Cost of Living: 35% above the national average
Median Home Price: $515,000
Climate: Summer temperatures are in the 70s, 80s and 90s, and winter temperatures are in the teens, 20s, 30s and 40s. On average, the area receives 20 inches of rain and 95 inches of snow each year.
At Least One Hospital Accepts Medicare Patients? No, but Memorial Hospital on the northern end of Colorado Springs accepts Medicare patients.
At Least One Hospital Accredited by Joint Commission? No, but St. Francis Medical Center on the northern end of Colorado Springs is accredited.
Public Transit: No
Crime Rate: Well below the national average
Public Library: Yes
Political Leanings: Very conservative
College Educated: 57%
Cons: None
Is Colorado Considered Tax Friendly for Retirement? Yes
Notes: This is a pretty spot, and it is called the Tri-Lakes region thanks to three small lakes in the area. Monument has grown by 38% within the last decade, and it sprawls. The elevation is 7,000 feet above sea level. Monument blizzards are legendary and sometimes shut down I-25.
Recommended as a Retirement Spot? Yes, although the nearest accredited hospital is 15 miles away.
Colorado:
Like 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.
Stats:
Population - 5,505,045
Persons 65 years old and over - 13%
High school graduates, persons age 25+ - 90%
Bachelor's degree or higher, age 25+ - 39%
Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin - 20%
White persons, not Hispanic - 70%
Median household income - $60,269
Median home value - $247,800
Social Security taxed? No
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
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