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Want to know where you can live out your best years in Colorado? HomeSnacks knows.
Yes, if you are looking to hike 14ers outside of Steamboat Springs, golf Jack Nicholson's courses in Denver, or just hang with your friends at a brewery in Montrose, then look no further than HomeSnacks' list of the best places to retire in ColoradoColorado for 2023.
But, you better put some pep in that retirement step because Colorado is one of the fastest growing states in the country with the 65 and older population expected to increase to 15% of the state's population by 2023.
Not to mention, The Centennial State's best places to retire are some of the best places in the state in terms of safety, affordability, amenities, and distance to closest international airport. But, what really makes Colorado great for retirees, is its down-to-earth, active people and creative, friendly communities. And while the whole place is downright lovely, some spots in Colorado deserve special attention for standing out as truly extraordinary for anyone looking for a great place to spend their golden years.
So, grab yourself a cold Fat Tire and a sunny spot on Aspen Mountain's sundeck and read on as we uncover Colorado's top ten best places to retire.
The 10 Best Places To Retire In Colorado For 2023
Why did Windsor take the top spot? And where are Denver and Colorado Springs?
HomeSnacks is also happy to report that Colorado's best places to retire have great neighborhoods, parks, and programs to keep its residents happy, healthy, and you guessed it, safe.
So, what's the best place to retire in Colorado for 2023? According to the latest FBI and Census data, that would be, Windsor.
To see how your favorite places in this Rocky Mountain paradise compared, take a look at the list below; and if you don't see it there, head to the bottom.
For more Colorado state reading:
- Best Places To Live In Colorado
- Cheapest Places To Live In Colorado
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Colorado
- Best Places To Retire In America
The 10 Best Places To Retire In Colorado For 2023
/10
Population: 31,972
Rank Last Year: -
Median Rent: $1,498
Distance to Closest Airport: 44 miles
More on Windsor: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 45,465
Rank Last Year: 2 (No Change)
Median Rent: $1,414
Distance to Closest Airport: 26 miles
More on Littleton: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 20,098
Rank Last Year: 1 (Down 2)
Median Rent: $959
Distance to Closest Airport: 195 miles
More on Montrose: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 75,938
Rank Last Year: -
Median Rent: $1,447
Distance to Closest Airport: 43 miles
More on Loveland: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 13,193
Rank Last Year: 3 (Down 2)
Median Rent: $1,581
Distance to Closest Airport: 121 miles
More on Steamboat Springs: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 13,976
Rank Last Year: 5 (Down 1)
Median Rent: $789
Distance to Closest Airport: 94 miles
More on Sterling: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 33,500
Rank Last Year: 6 (Down 1)
Median Rent: $1,314
Distance to Closest Airport: 22 miles
More on Englewood: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 30,307
Rank Last Year: 7 (Down 1)
Median Rent: $1,733
Distance to Closest Airport: 24 miles
More on Lafayette: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 107,972
Rank Last Year: 8 (Down 1)
Median Rent: $1,810
Distance to Closest Airport: 21 miles
More on Centennial: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 13,296
Rank Last Year: 21 (Up 11)
Median Rent: $1,280
Distance to Closest Airport: 205 miles
More on Fruita: Real Estate | Data | Photos
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Places To Retire In the Centennial State for 2023
To create our list of the best places in Colorado to retire, we first used Census data to find all places in the Centennial State -- 450 cities and towns.
We then narrowed it down to places with at least 10,000 people that weren't townships. This left us with 42 places from across the state.
For these 42, we looked at the following criteria taken from the Census, the FBI's Crime Report, National Weather Service, and OpenFlights:
- Low cost of living as measured by rent
- Low crime
- Things to do (Museums, Colleges, and Libraries in town)
- Nice weather
- Distance to the closest international airport
- Other retirees (High median age)
We then ranked each of these places for each criteria from one to 42, with the lowest number being the best.
Finally, we took the average rank across these criteria. The place, in this case Windsor, with the lowest average rank was crowned the best of the best, a place for you to start your second careers. You can download the data here.
Summary: Maybe You're Not Ready To Retire In Colorado Yet...
So there you have it, the best place to retire in Colorado goes to Windsor.
If you're not ready to hang up your office apparel yet, then these places might be up your alley:
- Fountain
- Lone Tree
- Boulder
For more Colorado reading, check out:
Where Are The Best Places To Retire In Colorado?
| Rank | City | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Windsor | 31,972 |
| 2 | Littleton | 45,465 |
| 3 | Montrose | 20,098 |
| 4 | Loveland | 75,938 |
| 5 | Steamboat Springs | 13,193 |
| 6 | Sterling | 13,976 |
| 7 | Englewood | 33,500 |
| 8 | Lafayette | 30,307 |
| 9 | Centennial | 107,972 |
| 10 | Fruita | 13,296 |
