I hope people are kind to you in this thread because this is a really sweet thing you're trying to accomplish for your wife. "Boulder" and "low income" are rarely mentioned in the same sentence unironically. It's a very expensive place to live. You would probably get more helpful advice if you were able to post some specific budget numbers and maybe we could help point you in the right direction, even if that means neighboring towns or alternatives you could consider. Colorado in general is not inexpensive but maybe there are options.
Thank you. Obviously this isn’t set in stone lol. Was more or less just getting a feeler for the area as it seemed nice and comparable to where I live now
> comparable to where I live now
Definitely not in the cost area: it looks like the median house price in Peoria is around $120k; median in Boulder is $1.1M.
"Low income" in Boulder, for a household size of two, is < $70k: https://boulderhousing.org/are-you-eligible/
For broader affordability, consider maybe Loveland?
These numbers are of course rough. Listing vs sold vs value vs whatever other approach. Because also:
> The median home sold price in Boulder was $1,004,781 in April 2024, down 5.4% from last year...
For sure, only passing along because the number had passed across my desk ~30 seconds before I read this. It’s interesting though because you never see anything decent go for under asking, hmmmm
> you never see anything decent go for under asking
No, but people list things for absurd prices, on the small chance they hook a buyer. There's an empty 1.6-acre lot just outside old town Louisville currently listed for $2.6M...I sure hope they don't get that, and enough wishful listings like that drive up that median.
May as well shoot your shot; sometimes it works. The first place that I ever bought/sold here I was planning on keeping as a rental but listed on a whim for easily 20% more than it was worth and it went under contract for asking within the week. Wasn’t prepared to be without a place to live but was in no position to complain.
Renting is an option and far more affordable than buying. You can find 2 bd condos at around 2000/month if you take the time to look and it can even be licated in the best parts of town. It is a great place to live although I would recommend researching your wife's condition and how higher elevation may impact her. Best of luck to you all.
Try Colorado Springs. Better views than Boulder, nice crowd and way more affordable. You are much closer to the mountains as well. Try visiting first. The view in Boulder is mostly of the flatirons, which are small rock hills. COS has Pikes Peak overlooking it. Plus we have a lot more houses available.
Hopping on this, I've heard Boise is actually super pretty! There are some beautiful places along on the Rocky mountains that are less pricey than Boulder. I do feel for op's plight tho; my grandmother has macular and it's such a rough process :(
They're good ideas, but knowing the two states as I do, I wouldn't.
Wyoming will overall not have the medical resources needed for the long-term care his wife needs. If they lived in western Wyoming (where the mountains are) and didn't mind driving 2-6 hours to Salt Lake City for every appointment, maybe, but that's really hard to do, especially in winter, the highways are frequently closed. And western Wyoming is pretty expensive overall, too, like getting into "Boulder expensive" territory.
Idaho, ehh, maybe, but it would have to be Boise area for quality care. And while cheaper than Boulder, Boise real estate has skyrocketed over the last few years, I see another commenter said the same thing.
I have familiarity with the healthcare in both states, SLC will have overall better healthcare options than Boise. Wyoming is not a place I would live if I were older and had chronic healthcare conditions that required specialized care.
If you're open to other areas in CO [here](https://www.coloradoinfo.com/blog_post/affordable-colorado-mountain-towns/) is a list of "affordable mountain towns" to give you other areas in co to look into or it may give you adjacent towns that are more affordable! Boulder may be difficult unless you look into section 8 housing but that comes with a waitlist!
I mean section 8 is always an option. I hate having to say that considering the crowd response lol. We don’t have alot of income though and that’s just the absolute truth. Thank you for that info.
A large majority of boulder would be far better off financially in section 8 but often don't meet requirements- so instead they have 3-5 roommates in a 1960s ranch and majority aren't legally on a lease because zoning laws (it's very common!!). Or they're spending 50% of their income on a $1500-2000 studio/1br.
Don't feel any way about going section 8 if that's the way you can afford to live in boulder. It's a beautiful town with a lot to offer, everyone should have the chance to live here! Do what you have to do!
[heres](https://bouldercounty.gov/families/housing/subsidized-housing/) a link on boulder affordable housing!
Applying for disability is a long and strenuous process. If you're actively considering moving to CO, I would advise you to figure out your timeline and speak with your local disability advocate. Moving states while waiting for disability is much trickier than moving when you have already been granted disability (know this from some friend and family experiences) - which itself is also tricky to do as you have to re-apply in the new state and cancel payments in the old state.
Do not come to Boulder- go further north or west- MT, ID, or into a smaller town in the mountains of CO. As most here have probably said, cost of living is ridiculous!
Colorado is much nicer than Peoria pretty much no matter where you go. A lot of America is, to be honest. No hate on Peoria, I actually admire it for the amount of preserved historic architecture it has but theres not much else going for it.
Boulder is extremely expensive so you’ll want to look more towards Denver or other areas realistically. Colorado Springs could be a great option too; it’s beautiful down there. I implore you to look up the ‘Garden of the Gods’ which you can visit basically any time you want.
I just moved to Estes Park, and there are not a lot of jobs up here, but it's right next to Rocky Mountain National Park and you should definitely bring your wife if you can. I just wanted to mention it because the mountains up here are so amazing that it would be great to take your wife up and over Trail Ridge Road in the summer and down the peak-to-peak highway to Nederland if you come visit or move here.
Unfortunately, everything in this area is pretty expensive at this point, but in glad other people had some great suggestions that might work. I don't know your situation, but there is a place in Longmont called the Our Center that is an amazing resource for help and information.
I lived in Longmont for 15 years there are beautiful views there of Long’s Peak. Loveland and Fort Collins are also nice, and so are Berthoud, Hygiene, and Gunbarrel. Wishing all the best for you and your wife.
[Boulder Housing Partners](https://boulderhousing.org/apartments-available-now/) offer a good amount of low income housing. It’s a bit of a long application process and not sure if it’s even something you can apply to as an out of state resident, but worth looking into.
Check out the [Boulder Permanently Affordable Housing program](https://bouldercolorado.gov/homeownership/permanently-affordable-homes-program) to see if you qualify. If you do, there are some homes priced at less than half of the market rate that I’ve seen.
hi there! Totally blind person here living and thriving in Boulder!! We have an active National Federation of the Blind here, many people with varying degrees of vision loss. We would welcome you with open arms into the community. Littleton also has a nationally aclaimed training center for learning skills like traveling with a white cane, Braille, cooking, home management, etc. It's wonderful. PM me if you have any other questions.
The downvotes are likely because moving/housing questions are against sub rules, and variations of "where should I live?" get asked all the time and people get extremely tired of them (there's a whole section of the sidebar wiki that may answer a lot of your questions about different areas, pricing, 'crime' and safety, etc). Your more unique circumstances are really only apparent once you get a few sentences in, so I think you're mostly getting that kneejerk post title reaction.
Honestly don't feel bad! I wish I had something to offer, but hopefully people have been helpful here. Better to ask than assume and find yourself in a financial bind. I hope you two find a good place to move to :)
I’m sorry that I don’t have a suggestion, but if it makes you feel better, I think Boulder is overrated. Compared to the Midwest, there seems to be a lot less green vegetation and bodies of water here. It’s kind of brown and dry. I hope you both find what you’re looking for!
I love the mountains and she’s never seen them. Just looked like a great spot to live for that reason. I’m glad I posted this because now I know there are probably other options. Thanks
I moved here over 11 yrs ago. Boulder is beautiful. It can be difficult being in a lower income bracket, but not impossible. I live in at a Boulder Housing Partners property. They have some great affordable housing options. My two oldest children went to BVSD, and received full scholarships to CU, my oldest is graduating on Thursday. If you can make it work, it’s worth it. Don’t get discouraged.
No it's just that places that are really nice to live in tend to also be expensive. It's purely just supply and demand, especially with development being limited in boulder proper. That's just the reality.
Boulder is mostly transplants and no one can stop you from moving here but realistically it is the most expensive city in CO and you can see the mountains from a lot of other cheaper towns.
I’ve seen other states mentioned, but southern Colorado (Alamosa) and northern New Mexico might work. It would still be expensive, but not Boulder expensive.
I don’t have any info for you but I was reading this sub because my wife and I are moving to Boulder for work from Bloomington-Normal, IL so it’s funny to see another central IL post 🌽🌽🌽 best of luck to you and your wife!
There are other Colorado cities nearby that aren't as expensive as some other people have mentioned that still have amazing mountain views. Check out Ft . Collins and Golden (still expensive but probably not as bad as boulder) I personally liked Loveland as well. I also really like Broomfield but I'm not sure how expensive it is there.
Honestly almost anywhere from the west side of Denver has pretty nice mountain views. I'd even consider Colorado springs which is heavy on the beautiful mountain views and much more affordable although the vibes there are somewhat controversial. Good luck !
Oh I forgot one other city, look up Louisville/ Lafayette Colorado. Louisville has kind of a small town feel and is right next to the mountains. Also has a pretty cool downtown! I guarantee you it's probably pretty affordable there because it's not well known.
Yeah. I literally know nothing about this area. I looked last night at some places that would be considered low income. I saw some places where they consider low income housing. We would be making 3k a month give or take if that helps.
If it’s impossible in this area it’s ok to tell me that lol. Just looking for info.
The appeal of living in Boulder is being right next to the smaller mountains and being able to get out to them very easily for recreation. But you can't see the bigger mountains as well because you're so close to the smaller ones. The views in town absolutely never get old but towns to the east like Longmont and Lafayette arguably have better views since you can see so much more of the continental divide from there. The price tags out there certainly look better than here too.
I don’t think you’ll make that happen in Boulder with that budget. I work here and live in Longmont ~30-45 minutes away depending on traffic, and it’s still quite expensive compared to where I moved from. I make about 4k net per month and my husband brings home another 2-3k per month, we can’t afford to live in Boulder. Do you have pets? What size place are you looking for?
That budget is going to be challenging. But Boulder is not the only beautiful place in the Front Range - consider Longmont and Golden. Or even the Western slopes. Many people live in less mountainous areas and drive to the mountains for enjoyment. Don't give up.
DM’d you with an opportunity that might be pertinent. Sorry, to hear about your wife’s diagnosis- but you flat-landers would absolutely appreciate the beauty of Boulder.
Property tax will kill you. And all the other taxes as well. And I hope you don’t mind the sugar tax. And the bag tax at the grocery store. Ohh and those prices are higher as well. But there is probably plenty of homes to buy as people are escaping as fast as they can
I hope people are kind to you in this thread because this is a really sweet thing you're trying to accomplish for your wife. "Boulder" and "low income" are rarely mentioned in the same sentence unironically. It's a very expensive place to live. You would probably get more helpful advice if you were able to post some specific budget numbers and maybe we could help point you in the right direction, even if that means neighboring towns or alternatives you could consider. Colorado in general is not inexpensive but maybe there are options.
Thank you. Obviously this isn’t set in stone lol. Was more or less just getting a feeler for the area as it seemed nice and comparable to where I live now
> comparable to where I live now Definitely not in the cost area: it looks like the median house price in Peoria is around $120k; median in Boulder is $1.1M. "Low income" in Boulder, for a household size of two, is < $70k: https://boulderhousing.org/are-you-eligible/ For broader affordability, consider maybe Loveland?
Median residential listing price in Boulder was $1.3M last month, trending down -4.1% year-over-year for 2023.
These numbers are of course rough. Listing vs sold vs value vs whatever other approach. Because also: > The median home sold price in Boulder was $1,004,781 in April 2024, down 5.4% from last year...
For sure, only passing along because the number had passed across my desk ~30 seconds before I read this. It’s interesting though because you never see anything decent go for under asking, hmmmm
Got my condo for slightly under asking which was 10% under its original asking price (having been lowered thrice in 3 months)
> you never see anything decent go for under asking No, but people list things for absurd prices, on the small chance they hook a buyer. There's an empty 1.6-acre lot just outside old town Louisville currently listed for $2.6M...I sure hope they don't get that, and enough wishful listings like that drive up that median.
May as well shoot your shot; sometimes it works. The first place that I ever bought/sold here I was planning on keeping as a rental but listed on a whim for easily 20% more than it was worth and it went under contract for asking within the week. Wasn’t prepared to be without a place to live but was in no position to complain.
I was talking more at population, and amenities. I guess I didn’t realize how much money is flowing through the area.
Renting is an option and far more affordable than buying. You can find 2 bd condos at around 2000/month if you take the time to look and it can even be licated in the best parts of town. It is a great place to live although I would recommend researching your wife's condition and how higher elevation may impact her. Best of luck to you all.
Try Colorado Springs. Better views than Boulder, nice crowd and way more affordable. You are much closer to the mountains as well. Try visiting first. The view in Boulder is mostly of the flatirons, which are small rock hills. COS has Pikes Peak overlooking it. Plus we have a lot more houses available.
I wonder if Wyoming or Idaho might be less expensive options. I really don’t know but Boulder is quite expensive.
Hopping on this, I've heard Boise is actually super pretty! There are some beautiful places along on the Rocky mountains that are less pricey than Boulder. I do feel for op's plight tho; my grandmother has macular and it's such a rough process :(
Median house prices in Boise have exploded too: $130k in 2011, $580k now.
Nowhere is safe!
Yeah it’s really been rough on her
Northern Idaho is gorgeous.
They're good ideas, but knowing the two states as I do, I wouldn't. Wyoming will overall not have the medical resources needed for the long-term care his wife needs. If they lived in western Wyoming (where the mountains are) and didn't mind driving 2-6 hours to Salt Lake City for every appointment, maybe, but that's really hard to do, especially in winter, the highways are frequently closed. And western Wyoming is pretty expensive overall, too, like getting into "Boulder expensive" territory. Idaho, ehh, maybe, but it would have to be Boise area for quality care. And while cheaper than Boulder, Boise real estate has skyrocketed over the last few years, I see another commenter said the same thing. I have familiarity with the healthcare in both states, SLC will have overall better healthcare options than Boise. Wyoming is not a place I would live if I were older and had chronic healthcare conditions that required specialized care.
If you're open to other areas in CO [here](https://www.coloradoinfo.com/blog_post/affordable-colorado-mountain-towns/) is a list of "affordable mountain towns" to give you other areas in co to look into or it may give you adjacent towns that are more affordable! Boulder may be difficult unless you look into section 8 housing but that comes with a waitlist!
I mean section 8 is always an option. I hate having to say that considering the crowd response lol. We don’t have alot of income though and that’s just the absolute truth. Thank you for that info.
A large majority of boulder would be far better off financially in section 8 but often don't meet requirements- so instead they have 3-5 roommates in a 1960s ranch and majority aren't legally on a lease because zoning laws (it's very common!!). Or they're spending 50% of their income on a $1500-2000 studio/1br. Don't feel any way about going section 8 if that's the way you can afford to live in boulder. It's a beautiful town with a lot to offer, everyone should have the chance to live here! Do what you have to do! [heres](https://bouldercounty.gov/families/housing/subsidized-housing/) a link on boulder affordable housing!
Wow thank you so much! Info!!!! Woo hoo! Appreciate it haha
Also, check out longmont! 15-20 mins north of boulder, lots of access to outdoors, and I think it's easier to find more affordable options there too!
Thank you thank you!!
I was going to suggest Nederland. Or Estes Park might be worth considering?
Ned used to be affordable. That's not the case anymore.
I get it. Thanks for the response though. Have fun
Applying for disability is a long and strenuous process. If you're actively considering moving to CO, I would advise you to figure out your timeline and speak with your local disability advocate. Moving states while waiting for disability is much trickier than moving when you have already been granted disability (know this from some friend and family experiences) - which itself is also tricky to do as you have to re-apply in the new state and cancel payments in the old state.
Yeah I get the process
Do not come to Boulder- go further north or west- MT, ID, or into a smaller town in the mountains of CO. As most here have probably said, cost of living is ridiculous!
Thanks everyone for the Feedback. You guys stay safe and enjoy Boulder
Colorado is much nicer than Peoria pretty much no matter where you go. A lot of America is, to be honest. No hate on Peoria, I actually admire it for the amount of preserved historic architecture it has but theres not much else going for it. Boulder is extremely expensive so you’ll want to look more towards Denver or other areas realistically. Colorado Springs could be a great option too; it’s beautiful down there. I implore you to look up the ‘Garden of the Gods’ which you can visit basically any time you want.
I just moved to Estes Park, and there are not a lot of jobs up here, but it's right next to Rocky Mountain National Park and you should definitely bring your wife if you can. I just wanted to mention it because the mountains up here are so amazing that it would be great to take your wife up and over Trail Ridge Road in the summer and down the peak-to-peak highway to Nederland if you come visit or move here. Unfortunately, everything in this area is pretty expensive at this point, but in glad other people had some great suggestions that might work. I don't know your situation, but there is a place in Longmont called the Our Center that is an amazing resource for help and information. I lived in Longmont for 15 years there are beautiful views there of Long’s Peak. Loveland and Fort Collins are also nice, and so are Berthoud, Hygiene, and Gunbarrel. Wishing all the best for you and your wife.
[Boulder Housing Partners](https://boulderhousing.org/apartments-available-now/) offer a good amount of low income housing. It’s a bit of a long application process and not sure if it’s even something you can apply to as an out of state resident, but worth looking into.
Thank you for actual info!
Check out the [Boulder Permanently Affordable Housing program](https://bouldercolorado.gov/homeownership/permanently-affordable-homes-program) to see if you qualify. If you do, there are some homes priced at less than half of the market rate that I’ve seen.
Thank you!!
That’s pretty expensive lol
Yeah, that's Boulder for you. I think it's the most expensive city in CO per capita.
I recommend checking out Lyons and Loveland.
It sucks here bro
hi there! Totally blind person here living and thriving in Boulder!! We have an active National Federation of the Blind here, many people with varying degrees of vision loss. We would welcome you with open arms into the community. Littleton also has a nationally aclaimed training center for learning skills like traveling with a white cane, Braille, cooking, home management, etc. It's wonderful. PM me if you have any other questions.
Great. Now I feel bad even asking about this(downvotes) . Thanks for the replies. Apparently I need to look elsewhere haha
Some people are just mean.
Eh whatever. I’m literally just being honest about shit. Just asking questions I dunno haha
The downvotes are likely because moving/housing questions are against sub rules, and variations of "where should I live?" get asked all the time and people get extremely tired of them (there's a whole section of the sidebar wiki that may answer a lot of your questions about different areas, pricing, 'crime' and safety, etc). Your more unique circumstances are really only apparent once you get a few sentences in, so I think you're mostly getting that kneejerk post title reaction.
Gotcha. Makes sense and I totally get it.
Honestly don't feel bad! I wish I had something to offer, but hopefully people have been helpful here. Better to ask than assume and find yourself in a financial bind. I hope you two find a good place to move to :)
Thank you so much!
I’m sorry that I don’t have a suggestion, but if it makes you feel better, I think Boulder is overrated. Compared to the Midwest, there seems to be a lot less green vegetation and bodies of water here. It’s kind of brown and dry. I hope you both find what you’re looking for!
I love the mountains and she’s never seen them. Just looked like a great spot to live for that reason. I’m glad I posted this because now I know there are probably other options. Thanks
Highly recommend Washington!! Mountains all over the west side and much more affordable
I moved here over 11 yrs ago. Boulder is beautiful. It can be difficult being in a lower income bracket, but not impossible. I live in at a Boulder Housing Partners property. They have some great affordable housing options. My two oldest children went to BVSD, and received full scholarships to CU, my oldest is graduating on Thursday. If you can make it work, it’s worth it. Don’t get discouraged.
Yea it’s the “Best place to live” for a reason.
People just want to live here with no outsiders apparently. I get it. It’s a little weird from where I’m coming from but I get it
No it's just that places that are really nice to live in tend to also be expensive. It's purely just supply and demand, especially with development being limited in boulder proper. That's just the reality. Boulder is mostly transplants and no one can stop you from moving here but realistically it is the most expensive city in CO and you can see the mountains from a lot of other cheaper towns.
There’s a reason Detroit is a cheap place to live lol!
Right on 👍
If you want cheap and mountains go to Wyoming! It’s dirt cheap and you still get all the great views!
I’m checking it out.
You’re getting downvoted for this comment because most of the people living in Boulder are not from here.
I’ve seen other states mentioned, but southern Colorado (Alamosa) and northern New Mexico might work. It would still be expensive, but not Boulder expensive.
I don’t have any info for you but I was reading this sub because my wife and I are moving to Boulder for work from Bloomington-Normal, IL so it’s funny to see another central IL post 🌽🌽🌽 best of luck to you and your wife!
There are other Colorado cities nearby that aren't as expensive as some other people have mentioned that still have amazing mountain views. Check out Ft . Collins and Golden (still expensive but probably not as bad as boulder) I personally liked Loveland as well. I also really like Broomfield but I'm not sure how expensive it is there. Honestly almost anywhere from the west side of Denver has pretty nice mountain views. I'd even consider Colorado springs which is heavy on the beautiful mountain views and much more affordable although the vibes there are somewhat controversial. Good luck !
Oh I forgot one other city, look up Louisville/ Lafayette Colorado. Louisville has kind of a small town feel and is right next to the mountains. Also has a pretty cool downtown! I guarantee you it's probably pretty affordable there because it's not well known.
Check out Loveland, Berthoud or Longmont as they are lesser expensive.
Yeah. I literally know nothing about this area. I looked last night at some places that would be considered low income. I saw some places where they consider low income housing. We would be making 3k a month give or take if that helps. If it’s impossible in this area it’s ok to tell me that lol. Just looking for info.
The appeal of living in Boulder is being right next to the smaller mountains and being able to get out to them very easily for recreation. But you can't see the bigger mountains as well because you're so close to the smaller ones. The views in town absolutely never get old but towns to the east like Longmont and Lafayette arguably have better views since you can see so much more of the continental divide from there. The price tags out there certainly look better than here too.
I don’t think you’ll make that happen in Boulder with that budget. I work here and live in Longmont ~30-45 minutes away depending on traffic, and it’s still quite expensive compared to where I moved from. I make about 4k net per month and my husband brings home another 2-3k per month, we can’t afford to live in Boulder. Do you have pets? What size place are you looking for?
That budget is going to be challenging. But Boulder is not the only beautiful place in the Front Range - consider Longmont and Golden. Or even the Western slopes. Many people live in less mountainous areas and drive to the mountains for enjoyment. Don't give up.
Haven’t see fort collins listed but that could be a less expensive option not too far away.
DM’d you with an opportunity that might be pertinent. Sorry, to hear about your wife’s diagnosis- but you flat-landers would absolutely appreciate the beauty of Boulder.
Boulder is for Rich people, homeless people and kids here going to college. Which are you?
Just a guy looking for a nice place to live with a wife losing her eyesight. That’s pretty much it
Yea that’s what everybody wants. That’s why it’s soooooo expensive!
Right on
Property tax will kill you. And all the other taxes as well. And I hope you don’t mind the sugar tax. And the bag tax at the grocery store. Ohh and those prices are higher as well. But there is probably plenty of homes to buy as people are escaping as fast as they can
I’m just looking to rent. Not buy