Colorado is getting more expensive as technology and growth takes a firmer foothold in the Front Range. The growth (especially if you bought a house 5+ years ago) is a blessing for some, but the cost for many is adding additional pressure to daily life. But there are still many reasons why the bang for your buck in Colorado goes farther than most other tech cities. Here's why:
1 -- You don't have to fly to access world-class outdoors (and you can find a job in outdoor rec technology here)
Skiing, cycling, mountaineering, camping, hiking, dirt biking, motorcycling, kayaking, paddle boarding, rock climbing, you name it... Colorado is home to many of the outdoor recreation destination spots that people all over the world dream of visiting. We have over 23 million acres of public lands, many of which you are free to camp on without a permit (we feel sorry for Californians and their year+ waiting list for camping spots). Drive/bike in, set up, inhale deeply, and enjoy!
We were the second state in the nation to open a government office dedicated to promoting and maintaining the state's outdoor treasures. The Colorado Outdoor Recreation Industry Office (OREC) was established in 2015 by Governor John Hickenlooper to oversee the success of our $34 Billion outdoor recreation sector.
There are also tons of great tech jobs in the outdoor rec business because of the access to these mountains and lands. You can live and work in your passion quite easily here. As you can tell, Colorado definitely prioritizes and empowers the outdoor lifestyle on all levels.
**A quick caveat, if boating on lakes is your thing, we are a little short on large bodies of water within reasonable driving distance from Boulder or Denver. There is Carter Lake about 45 minutes away in Loveland and Horsetooth Reservoir about 1.5 hours away in the Fort Collins area.
2 -- It is wayyy cheaper (30%) than the coastal tech states/cities
Yes, Colorado's cost of living is 12% higher than the national average, but we are 30% cheaper on average than the tech cities that live on the east and west coasts. If you look at the cost of living in California (17% higher than the national average) and Massachusetts (37% higher than the national average), then Colorado is looking really good.
Although California does outweigh Colorado on access to ocean beaches, by an infinite percentage... Hey! It's not our fault we are landlocked!! The ease of access to true wildness, public lands, world-class peaks, and outdoor rec as mentioned in point number one has to be factored in. We have almost four times the public lands in Colorado as Massachusetts has total landmass (23 million versus 6.7 million acres)!
3 -- The median income is still 13% better than the national average
So there is a slight delta that you gain in the cost of living versus median income in terms of the national average. Colorado cost of living is 12% higher than the national average, but the median income is 13% higher... That's almost a 10% delta right there! If you factor that with the access to the outdoors, being cheaper than the other tech cities, having a better climate than most other tech cities, and having an amazing culture... It's pretty obvious that Colorado is the clear choice for people working in tech.
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Please let us know what you think or if we missed anything amazing about what it's like to live in Colorado!
Here at BWBacon Group, we know and live what you are experiencing as an employer or job seeker in Denver, Boulder, Dallas, San Francisco, New York City or any of the other cities we work in. We believe great recruiting starts and ends with understanding people.
If you have any questions about living, working or playing any of the areas we serve, please contact us. We are happy to help. Seize the day, every day, that’s what we say!
