Working in Aurora CO...where to live?

[vulcanbill]

So, hypothetically, if one were to get a job in Aurora, and given that Aurora is a little bit bigger and higher crime a city than one might prefer, what would you recommend as a nice place to live that would afford a reasonable commute.  Take into consideration traffic, about which I know nothing.  I could do  up to an hour commute if necessary but would obviously prefer less.  We've researched a few really cute towns nearby.  Firestone, Superior, Louisville, and Lafayette have been researched.  What else is in the vicinity that one should look at?  Other considerations?  Assume work location is in the vicinity of 70/25/270 interchange(s).  Money will be a factor so 1/2 million dollar and up neighborhoods are out.  

Where would you live and what would be your justification?  Or...where do you live and what are your thoughts?

Thanks.

[Justin]

Well, there is "Aurora" and there is "Aurora"   - What I mean is that Aurora is pretty big, including the not so savory inner city part, then the urban sprawl east and south. The latter is what we call Saudi Aurora, and is totally different than the former. We used to live out in southeast Aurora and it was fine, just suburban sprawl as mentioned above.

[vulcanbill]

Were either of the nearby airports an issue?  How far South and East?  Thanks.

[Justin]

Were either of the nearby airports an issue?  How far South and East?  Thanks.

Not sure what you mean by "issue"?

DIA is north and east of Aurora, and does not really impact it in any way. Arapahoe county airport is small and does not either really. And then there is Buckley AFB - that one would be the only one that is gonna make any noise locally. Where we were in Aurora, it did not affect us. But we were down in this area - http://g.co/maps/nuat4

[JimWilliamson]

Family lives in far far east Aurora, east of Expensive-470, south of Quincy. Cookie cutter two-story HOA neighborhood. In general, a decent place to be. As for airport issues, I'm not there too often (but did live there for several months), so I'd say no issue.

DIA patterns are over the house but high enough (with quiet commercial engines) to be essentially silent. Buckley - 100% rock'n noise, the few times they fly. Though when they T/O the house is darned near directly under the flight path. They are in packs of two or four, typically.

Nice story: I pulled up to their place after dusk/dark one evening (IME early AM and late PM noise from Buckley is not typical) and saw two Buckley jets taking off and about to fly over my head. Turning to the southeast, their direction, I notice a commercial jet lining up for final for DIA. The first military jet had a wide clear area to stay flat/low and ahead of the commercial flight - but the second jet following behind not astride didn't. That pilot flipped the loud lever and pulled back on the stick. My view was directly in line with ? 70 degree ? "up" flight path for those seconds as it lofted. It went up and over the commercial flight. It was nice looking directly into the full orange engines for several seconds. Icing on the cake was a neighbors car alarm going off (when I could hear neighborhood sounds again). Been traveling there for four years - only time to experience something like that - a treat.

They'll be selling the house next spring/summer - FWIW

[blakebird]

We've researched a few really cute towns nearby.  Firestone, Superior, Louisville, and Lafayette have been researched.  

Do you want to cross the north metro in commute traffic? No.
If you want to be closer to the mtns, and that commute is worth it to you....

The SE edge of things is not bad.

[vulcanbill]

Do you want to cross the north metro in commute traffic? No.
If you want to be closer to the mtns, and that commute is worth it to you....

The SE edge of things is not bad.

That's kinda what I'm after.  What is north metro commute?  I'm currently driving 44 miles and it takes anywhere from 50 minutes to an hour and a half.  I've done the DC Beltway before and went to school at GWU so I'm no stranger to traffic.  So, I guess my question is, since Denver doesn't seem to often make the 10 worst lists regarding traffic, how bad is it really?  Would it be an hour from the mts to Aurora?  Is that the northern route or the southern route?  Can you even get there from here?  

So many questions.  

Thanks guys.  Keep em coming.

BillO

[DNA]

I have close family in Parker nice HOA type area much like a newer DC burb (think lake lig developments)

The traffic in Denver on a very bad day is about like DC on a normal weekday.  I have rarely had a really bad traffic mess like a typical Friday night in DC.

To put it in perspective, people always ask how my new commute is in the Bay area.  When I say an easy 45 min the look shocked - but compared to where we came from is is apiece of cake.

Once conditioned to DC traffic- most everywhere is going to be significantly better, and quite frankly we have not look back.

You serious about movin?  I got a lot of peeps out there to assist should you need it.

[Justin]

The traffic in Denver on a very bad day is about like DC on a normal weekday.  I have rarely had a really bad traffic mess like a typical Friday night in DC.

Yeap, I laugh sometimes when I hear people complain about traffic here. It does not even compare to places like DC, Atlanta, Chicago etc.

To the last question, if you are OK commuting 1-1.5 hours to get to work, then you could live in the foothills in a place like Evergreen, and commute to Aurora. Without traffic it's like 45 minutes from Evergreen to Aurora. Not sure what towns you were looking at though, just using that for an example.

[DNA]

Yeap, I laugh sometimes when I hear people complain about traffic here. It does not even compare to places like DC, Atlanta, Chicago etc.

To the last question, if you are OK commuting 1-1.5 hours to get to work, then you could live in the foothills in a place like Evergreen, and commute to Aurora. Without traffic it's like 45 minutes from Evergreen to Aurora. Not sure what towns you were looking at though, just using that for an example.

Everygreeen is a cool place - awesome roads.  Check it out.

[vulcanbill]

Yeap, I laugh sometimes when I hear people complain about traffic here. It does not even compare to places like DC, Atlanta, Chicago etc.

To the last question, if you are OK commuting 1-1.5 hours to get to work, then you could live in the foothills in a place like Evergreen, and commute to Aurora. Without traffic it's like 45 minutes from Evergreen to Aurora. Not sure what towns you were looking at though, just using that for an example.

Well, 1.5 hours might be a bit much.  If given the opportunity, I'd like to keep it at under an hour and it's all still hypothetical at this point but if it were to come together, there would be a LOT more research to be done.  We like the small town feel of a 50K person town but with enough in the way of amenities that you can still get stuff done.  Kinda like Frederick, MD.    

How dramatically does the weather change from the SE bits of Denver area to the North?  

[blakebird]

How dramatically does the weather change from the SE bits of Denver area to the North?  

Depends completely on the system moving through.... we're at 6,100 ft in Parker and if the system is moving through to the south end of things, we'll get good snow.
Frequently it will pass to our north and hammer Arvada and we won't get any.

You asked about the north-metro commute.... to get from Louisville, Broomfield area back out to Aurora, I-36 to 270 to I-70 is your main artery. That section between I-25 and I-225 can be a clogged nightmare, just creeping along north of Commerce City....during commute hours, and you don't have many options other than surface streets.

Compared to the truly nasty commute cities it's not bad - but that's still a lot of time out of a day to donate to sitting in your car/riding your bike.

Wife is a native, grew up in north Denver and still has huge amounts of family up there. We lived in Arvada for a couple years, both working down in the Tech Center.... We picked Parker for day-to-day peace of mind getting to work and back. That commute sucked the life out of us.

[JimWilliamson]

If you've not visited the site yet...

www.cotrip.org/speed.htm


As for weather - brother's family is in Highland's Ranch (southwest) with sister's family as commented in far east Aurora. Snow in one location could be 6-10 inches while the other might have 1". Precipitation - winter or summer - can be rather localized east of the mountains.

Summertime forecasts often say, all week long mid-summer 10% chance of rain. What that's due to is the daily afternoon clouds. IF you're under "that one cloud" as it rolls over you'll be 100% soaked, but a mile to either side - clear blue sky.

[vulcanbill]

Brilliant site, Jim.  Thanks.  So much research to do.  Looks like SE might be a pretty good bet from a traffic perspective.  Maybe way east?  

[DNA]

Maybe way east?  

Seriously desolate.  

Nothing like it in the east.

Flat flat flat
hot hot hot
dull dull dull

West is way mo betta - if you can do it.

[shawn and gwyn]

we live in Elizabeth. about 20 miles southeast of aurora.. lots nice places for sale out here.. no HOAs to speak of and lord over what you can do,, also dint have to deal with the emissions testing BS that you will have to deal with in the metro counties.  also i would check out Parker and castle rock. both are easy commutes to aurora. and within 20 miles west is some great ridding. puts you right into the foothills.  

Shawn

[vulcanbill]

Starbucks and a Sonic.  Woot!  Something to think about.  

Got anyplace I can plug in my travel trailer for a couple months.  

[JimWilliamson]

Got anyplace I can plug in my travel trailer for a couple months.  

And this Chevy Chase Christmas scene pops into mind...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKeaa0QaYX8

no, not that you'd ever do such a thing!!

[basco]

Well, 1.5 hours might be a bit much.  If given the opportunity, I'd like to keep it at under an hour and it's all still hypothetical at this point but if it were to come together, there would be a LOT more research to be done.  We like the small town feel of a 50K person town but with enough in the way of amenities that you can still get stuff done.  Kinda like Frederick, MD.    

How dramatically does the weather change from the SE bits of Denver area to the North?  

I would stay away from the north. In fact Parker or anywhere in Douglas County is good but on the pricy side. I've lived in the south side for 3 years before moving to the Springs. I see yellow-brown smog just about every day when driving down into Denver area. Elbert County is good too but in parts its flat.

[bluedogok]

I moved up there at the beginning of this month, right now I am living in a friends condo in Aurora (Illif & Peoria area) until he gets back from the South Pole in February, I work in LoDo near Coors Field. My commute is half the distance of what it was in Austin, the morning commute time is about the same (30 min.) because it is all on city streets and my Austin commute was up Mopac. The evening commute is about 40 minutes, in Austin that would be 1-1.5 hours. My wife is still in Austin (I am actually here over the holiday weekend) to get the house on the market, she quits her job in February. Right now we are planning on renting in Aurora unless my wife gets a job before we look for a house in January, then we will be looking in an area closer to her job. After the first year when we know where she will be we will be looking to buy somewhere.

I was more familiar with Westminster/Arvada/Morrison because that is where my friend lived from 1991-2001, he moved to Aurora since his job from 2000 on was south of DIA. We are going to build a house at some point, (I am in architecture after all, we have to build at least one house for ourselves) and really would like to find some land out in the Morrison, Evergreen or Genesee area, maybe even as far out as Idaho Springs.

It's a great place, I have thought off/on about moving up there for 20 years and my wife and I have thought about it for 6 years, we had planned on moving around 2009 but then the economy happened. After the brutal summer here in Austin this year we just decided to go look for a job up there, I got one much quicker than we really expected. Given the chance, we just decided to go for it.

Good luck with it.