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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 2022.
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 2022.
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 2022
Why did Montrose 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 2022? According to the latest FBI and Census data, that would be, Montrose.
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 2022
/10
Population: 19,396
Rank Last Year: 2 (Up 1)
Median Rent: $936
Distance to Closest Airport: 195 miles
More on Montrose: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 46,208
Rank Last Year: 1 (Down 1)
Median Rent: $1,359
Distance to Closest Airport: 26 miles
More on Littleton: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 13,048
Rank Last Year: -
Median Rent: $1,437
Distance to Closest Airport: 121 miles
More on Steamboat Springs: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 19,342
Rank Last Year: 4 (No Change)
Median Rent: $1,682
Distance to Closest Airport: 25 miles
More on Louisville: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 14,421
Rank Last Year: 14 (Up 9)
Median Rent: $814
Distance to Closest Airport: 94 miles
More on Sterling: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 34,840
Rank Last Year: 5 (Down 1)
Median Rent: $1,224
Distance to Closest Airport: 22 miles
More on Englewood: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 27,952
Rank Last Year: 6 (Down 1)
Median Rent: $1,685
Distance to Closest Airport: 24 miles
More on Lafayette: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 111,331
Rank Last Year: -
Median Rent: $1,728
Distance to Closest Airport: 21 miles
More on Centennial: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 31,889
Rank Last Year: -
Median Rent: $1,164
Distance to Closest Airport: 23 miles
More on Wheat Ridge: Real Estate | Data | Photos
/10
Population: 62,218
Rank Last Year: 19 (Up 9)
Median Rent: $895
Distance to Closest Airport: 214 miles
More on Grand Junction: Real Estate | Data | Photos
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Places To Retire In the Centennial State for 2022
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 37 places from across the state.
For these 37, 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 37, with the lowest number being the best.
Finally, we took the average rank across these criteria. The place, in this case Montrose, 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 Montrose.
If you're not ready to hang up your office apparel yet, then these places might be up your alley:
- Fountain
- Lone Tree
- Golden
For more Colorado reading, check out:
Where Are The Best Places To Retire In Colorado?
| Rank | City | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montrose | 19,396 |
| 2 | Littleton | 46,208 |
| 3 | Steamboat Springs | 13,048 |
| 4 | Louisville | 19,342 |
| 5 | Sterling | 14,421 |
| 6 | Englewood | 34,840 |
| 7 | Lafayette | 27,952 |
| 8 | Centennial | 111,331 |
| 9 | Wheat Ridge | 31,889 |
| 10 | Grand Junction | 62,218 |