About Denver, CO

Denver is known as the "Mile High City" because it is literally located about a mile above sea level along the Rocky Mountain Front Range. The elevation means thinner air, making it a little more difficult to catch your breath when hiking and playing sports, but you don't really notice it otherwise. Another thing to be aware of in Denver is the air pollution. Denver ranks in the top 10 cities in the U.S. with the worse air pollution.

But Denver also ranks as one of the most desired cities to move to, and is one of the fastest growing cities in America for a number of reasons.

First and foremost, it's hard to beat the scenery in and around Denver. The Rocky Mountains offer an awe-inspiring view from the city and being located near the mountains means there's tons of outdoor stuff to do. In addition to the almost limitless options for hiking and biking, going whitewater rafting on the Colorado River is also very popular.

But whatever you do outdoors, keep an eye on the weather because it can change quickly. You can have snow one day and a 70 degree sunny day the next. Temperatures can drop 40 degrees in a single day due to the elevation and mountain weather.

The sun also feels stronger in Denver due to the elevation. Wearing sunscreen is a little more important here than other cities. But it also makes the winter days feel warmer as well. And Denver does get a lot of sunshine. There's almost 300 days of sunshine every year. It can get hot, but the humidity isn't bad. Although the dry air makes it easier to get dehydrated so be sure to keep that in mind if you plan to be outside. Denver gets more than 50 inches of snow every year, but a lot of it comes all at once in big storms and doesn't stick around long because of the strong sunlight.

Speaking of snow, Denver offers some of the best ski resorts in the country. Located in the mountains where the snow is more constant, a few of the most popular resorts are Vail, Aspen, and Telluride.

In town, Denver boasts an admirable downtown area. There's 3 sports stadiums within a mile of each other. There's also a plethora of museums and art galleries as well as a huge performance arts center. Red Rocks Amphitheatre, located just outside of town, is literally built into the side of a huge red rock and is one of the most magnificent venues in the world. It boasts shows just about every night of the week during the summer and offers beautiful views of the Denver skyline during sunset.

There's tons of diverse food options in the city including Mexican, Vietnamese, and Ethiopian food. If ethnic food really isn't your thing, there's a lot of good steakhouses as well.

In addition to food, Denver also has a huge selection of microbreweries. Only Portland, Oregon has more microbreweries in the U.S. than Denver. Because of this, the Denver area has come to be known as the Napa Valley of beer.

And if you want to take the partying to another level, Denver is also pretty relaxed when it comes to marijuana. Colorado was the first state to legalize recreational marijuana.

But for more family-friendly activities, there's an amusement park, aquarium, and lots of city parks like Washington Park, City Park and Confluence Park.

The cost of living isn't bad, but given the fast population growth it is getting more and more expensive to live in Denver. Currently Denver ranks about average in relation to other large cities around the country, but this could change soon with the rapid population growth. The state income tax is also about average at 4.63%. Sales taxes are a little on the high end but property taxes are low.

You can experience different vibes and identities from one neighborhood to the next in Denver. Cap Hill is diverse and energetic. Uptown is younger and features more nightlife. Country Club is more upscale.