Denver, Colorado

So much to say about this city but we’re going to start with what has amazed visitors and residents for hundreds of years and will continue to do so for hundreds of years: the view. For the uninitiated, Denver isn’t in the mountains but rather it sits on a high plain just east of the foothills of a first set of mountains that then leads to the front of the Rockies. There are 200 peaks visible from Denver and this view is so important that state law prohibits any structure blocking the mountains from the State Capitol.

One huge bonus for residents trying to enjoy this view is 300 days of sunshine per year (more than San Diego). The average temperature in February is 45 degrees, it’s drier than Phoenix, and has only 14 inches of rain/snow a year, which is the same as Los Angeles. Trust us, you’re going to be outdoors enjoying this city throughout the year.

If you were to ask long-time Denverites what they struggle with the most, many would say, people moving here from California. But the problem isn’t Californians specifically, although they ain’t helping, it’s all the transplants from Cali and Texas and Seattle and elsewhere that are looking to; escape higher costs of living, or weaker economies, or unhealthier lifestyles, and as a result end up in Denver. Lots of new people can change the original vibe of a city that drew them in the first place, jack up costs, and generate all the commensurate challenges population growth brings.

Without question the outdoors plays a significant role in the lifestyle of most “Denverites”. Outdoor play is year-round and whether you’re into hiking, running, skiing, fishing, kayaking or just taking a walk and enjoying the sunshine it never stops here. All that said, Denver has been exploding in big city lifestyle amenities over the years and it is ready to compete (whether locals want them to or not) with any other place.

Many might debate whether a huge microbrewery scene (Denver has a big one) is a signal of important growth for a downtown but when you combine it with one of the best music scenes in the country you get a sense of the fun but casual social scene. Pair that culture of brews and music with cutting-edge dining and a young population and you can get a sense of what it's like to live in Denver. While people certainly do dress up in Denver to attend events at the growing performing arts center it is most notably a city that prides itself on having a ton to do and the majority of it can be done casually.

Check out the Denver calendar of events to see how the city plays throughout the year.

Denver is a perfect storm of a robust local economy, where you can move to for a job in: Aerospace, Telecomm, Healthcare, Bioscience, Energy and Tech, and an amazing place where work-from-homer’s are moving to experience the outdoor lifestyle without any commute. To the chagrin of many of the long-term locals Denver has supplanted Austin as the new in-place for those looking for a progressive, booming economy, to move to to get away from California.

Just like the social scene, the workstyle of Denver is casual. No matter the industry (well maybe not the lawyers) people are in jeans here. Think San Francisco without the tech-culture Patagonia vest and Albirds accessories. If they’re wearing Patagonia here it's because it is winter. One other work culture plus to Denver is how balanced the work/play balance is here. You don’t move to Denver to sit in an office seven days a week. You’re working smack dab in the most amazing outdoor lifestyle scene in the country and employees demand and employers permit a balance of work and play.