Living in Denver
A mile-high city at the base of the Front Range, Denver is the kind of place where fitness fanatics, street performs, beer connoisseurs, poets and pioneers can find their happy place.
Denver was founded as gold mining town in the early winter of 1858. The city soon swelled with adventurers and cattle drivers farming the high plains in the fertile Platte River Valley. By 1899, Denver became a major hub for livestock shows and auctions, and in 1906 the first National Western Stock Show was born.
Today, Denver is a cultural mecca of craft beer, ethnic eats, and artistic expression. The people who live here chose this location because of its mountains and its pioneering spirit, which is evident in the local art, food, music and way of life. Denver has a way of doing things in its own style, with its own resources, because it grew out of a culture where you had to survive with what you had. “Locally-sourced” was hip here hundreds of years before it was cool. And it still is.
landmarks
Landmarks in Denver include the Denver Art Museum, Red Rocks Amphitheater, Millennium Bridge, Mile High Stadium, newly revitalized Union Station, the Denver Mint, Forney Transportation Museum, Dinosaur Ridge, and the Colorado State Capitol.
activities
Mountains
For most Denver locals, a beautiful sunny day means a day best spent in the mountains. Whether you’re skiing, snowboarding, hiking, mountain biking, fishing or hunting, you have to get out in the great outdoors.
Parks
The parks in Denver are simply amazing. At Cherry Creek State Park, you can paddle, sail, or boat on the 880-acre reservoir. At the Elitch Gardens Theme Park, there are roller coasters, water rides and a ferris wheel. At Lakeside, there is an old-school wooden roller coaster and mini steam-engine train. Meanwhile, places like Wash Park, Cheeseman Park, and Hungarian Freedom Park provide plenty of places to skate, bike or stroll. And in the summer, locals head to La Raza Park (also known as Columbus Park) for musical gatherings and cultural events.
Music
The music scene in Denver has some of the best musicians you have never heard of. Whether you’re looking for country, bluegrass, jazz, blues, punk, or a true hip-hop experience, you’ll find it at one of Denver’s music enclaves. Even the street performers put on a mind blowing show with nothing more than a bucket and a couple of spoons. When the big-time bands come to town, though, there’s no better place to be than the Red Rocks Amphitheater - a stunning music venue created out of pure, natural, blood-red rock with incredible acoustics.
Art
Art in Denver is on another level, from the street murals to the art galleries to the infamous “Blucifer,” a 32-foot, 9,000-pound, anatomically-correct fiberglass stallion (that actually killed its creator).
Food
Denver dwellers love their food, and they love it at all hours of the day or night. From the Cafe Society brunch to the Star Kitchen dim sum to Tacos Jaliscos to a 3am expedition for Pho 96, there is no shortage of places to excite your taste buds.
Casa Bonita
Yes, Casa Bonita is a real place. In case you haven’t seen South Park’s spot-on representation, this multi-story Mexican-themed “restaurant” is a cross between Disneyland and Tijuana. And it’s where everyone has their birthday parties. With a 30-foot waterfall, cliff divers, fire jugglers, roving mariachis, pirate cave, magicians, puppet shows, margaritas and buckets of beer, it’s one of the most insane places to celebrate any occasion.
transportation
Like an major city, Denver has a variety of ways to get around town. The Rapid Transit Denver (RTD) bus and rail lines run throughout the city. There is a free 16th Street MallRide and MetroRide, as well as the free bike sharing program, B-Cycle. Add the various taxi-cabs, pedicabs, Uber and Lyft drivers and you will have no problem surviving the city center without a car.
However, anyone planning to live outside of the downtown area will need their own wheels. Neighborhoods on the outskirts of town are served by rail and bus lines, but there are fewer stops and it can be difficult to coordinate commuting from home to work and to the grocery store on public transportation alone.
sports
Before you hit up the local sports bars, you better know which team to root for. Denver is home to five professional teams: the Broncos (NFL), the Nuggets (NBA), the Colorado Rockies (MLB), the Colorado Avalanche (NHL) and the Colorado Rapids (MLS).
weather
While some may claim that Denver has 300 days of sunshine each year, it’s really more like 115 clear days, 130 partly cloudy days, and 120 cloudy days per year. But that’s still plenty of gorgeous weather. July is the warmest month, with an average temperature around 75 beautiful degrees. December is the coldest month, with daily temperatures around 30 degrees and lows dipping well below zero on the coldest nights of the year.
company headquarters
Several large corporations have their headquarters in Denver. Outdoor apparel companies include Smartwool, Core Power Yoga, Osprey Packs. Restaurants and food companies include Chipotle, Quiznos, and Smashburger. Travel related companies include Frontier Airlines, Exclusive Resorts, and Inspirato. Finance related companies include JD Edwards and Janus Capital Corporation.
Rent Trends for Apartments in Denver
| Bedroom count | Denver | vs Last Month |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,450 |  up 1.75% |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,695 |  down 0.29% |
| 2 Bedroom | $2,295 | up 0.26% |
| 3 Bedroom | $2,800 | down 2.61% |
| 4 Bedroom | $3,200 | down 0.34% |
Neighborhoods in Denver
Downtown
Five Points
Art District on Santa Fe
Capitol Hill
Cherry Creek
East Colfax
Renting an Apartment in Denver
Rising Rents
If you’re on the lookout for cheap apartments in Denver, it’s possible, but it may be take a little work (that’s what we’re here for!). The cost of living in Denver is going up, and rental rates are rising. You can still find plenty of affordable one bedroom and two bedroom apartments here, but look out for rate increases over the coming years.
High Elevation
If you’ve never lived in a high-altitude city, be forewarned: you’re going to need plenty of chapstick and sunscreen. The dry air and strong UV rays will chap your lips and give you a sunburn in no time at all. Other aspects of high-altitude life include a lower oxygen level, dry air and maybe a little extra thirst. Just be aware of this when you’re running up the stairs or grabbing a few drinks, and you’ll be a-okay.Pets. With all the great parks around, it’s no surprise that Denver is a dog-lover's town. You’ll find plenty of pet friendly apartments and rental homes here, with relatively-low fees around $100 to $200.
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