{"id":530,"date":"2026-10-29T19:44:34","date_gmt":"2026-10-29T19:44:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawlandexpeditions.com\/?p=530"},"modified":"2026-10-29T19:44:36","modified_gmt":"2026-10-29T19:44:36","slug":"10-reasons-to-live-in-colorado","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawlandexpeditions.com\/?p=530","title":{"rendered":"10 Reasons to Live in Colorado\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Many people choose to live in Colorado, and everyone has their own reasons for choosing the Centennial State. Some may move here to partake in the legal drugs available, while others are mountain lovers and hit the slopes or trails most weekends. While living in Colorado has downsides, it also offers incredible reasons to live here in this Rocky Mountain state.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before I give you a few of my favorite reasons to live in Colorado, here\u2019s my list of reasons Not To Live In Colorado. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are 10 reasons to live in Colorado:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. The Great Outdoors (Beauty and Awe)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Outdoor enthusiasts love Colorado because the great outdoors are spectacular in this western state! The Southern Rocky Mountains run through the middle of the state, and much of it is mountainous, with jaw-dropping views. Colorado offers a long list of outdoor activities, including some of the most popular: skiing, hiking, camping, and fishing. The air is clean, and much of the state is peaceful for those who appreciate outdoor beauty. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of VIA\u2019s character strengths is Appreciation of Beauty & Excellence.<\/a> According to the VIA Institute on Character, Appreciation of Beauty & Excellence falls under the transcendence subcategory. VIA suggests that transcendence \u201cdescribes strengths that help you connect to the larger universe and provide meaning\u201d (VIA, 2026). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Colorado\u2019s outdoors are so incredible they can feel transcendent. They help me appreciate the earth and the land that I walk on. I\u2019m reminded of how small I am in the universe, but also how connected the world can be. Colorado\u2019s trees, hills, mountains, animals, sky, and stars can make you feel grateful. While you may feel small beneath such huge mountains and tall trees, you can also feel important and feel a sense of duty to protect the earth and humanity.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The United States has many gorgeous areas and states, but in my opinion, only a few rival Colorado. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Mental Health <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Breathing fresh air, hiking on gorgeous trails, and being surrounded by mountains, evergreens, and aspens is great for our mental health. Being outside and in nature is a well-known antidote to depression and anxiety<\/a>. Natural outdoor environments reduce stress, boost mood, and improve cognitive function (Pearson & Craig, 2014). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just getting outside can boost mood and improve mental health, and it doesn\u2019t have to be in Colorado, but if you are, it is a pretty nice place to be. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Physical Health <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We all know the benefits of moving our bodies and being physically healthy. Hiking and all the outdoor activities available in Colorado let us do just that: move our bodies and stay healthy.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Colorado is one of the fittest and least obese states. Colorado ranks 12th in healthiest states according to americashealthrankings.org<\/a> and isn\u2019t ranked higher due to its liberal views on drug use. Colorado does have a higher-than-average rate of teenage drug use and higher-than-average alcohol use<\/a>. Just good information to know. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you enjoy the outdoors, get outside often, and conservatively use drugs or alcohol, you\u2019re likely to stay at least moderately healthy. Of course, anyone can be healthy and fit in any state, or unhealthy and unfit in any state; my point is that Colorado has a great foundation for outdoorsy types who want to be and stay healthy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

My view on staying active and healthy is to make it easy. Make what you want to accomplish easier and what you don\u2019t harder. The easier it is to get outside to walk or hike, the more likely you are to do it. I\u2019m sure we could have a long, philosophical discussion about why people in certain states are more or less fit and healthy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not just about access to awesome hiking trails and outdoor adventures, though that definitely helps. Physical health is a personal choice, and small decisions can add up to big changes, for better or worse. The choice is yours. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Clean Fresh Air<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I don\u2019t think this point gets enough attention. Large cities often have huge, visible clouds of emissions, which is unsettling. Go to Miami, Houston, Los Angeles, Detroit, or Chicago, and you’ll often see poor air quality hovering above the city in dark clouds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s an interesting article about the states with the worst air quality<\/a>. The top three states listed are California, Pennsylvania, and Texas. Denver isn\u2019t very clean, but the mountain towns mostly have clean air. Based on the statistics, Colorado isn\u2019t as fresh and clean as I originally believed before I did a little research for this post. Colorado ranks about mid-range for air quality. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some rankings put it in the healthier top half of states, while others rank it just below average. CoPIRG Foundation, part of the Public Interest Network, noted that Denver, Colorado Springs, and Fort Collins were all among the 20 most polluted cities<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These three large Colorado cities have poor air quality, but outside of them, especially in the mountains, the air is clean and fresh. So, I suppose this point could be a positive or negative. As bad as Colorado’s three major cities are, the clean-air areas are likely top-tier because of the abundance of trees.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Jobs<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s a lot of talk about a lack of jobs and how AI has taken and will take all the jobs. I’m writing this post days after Microsoft emailed 60,000 employees about taking early retirement. AI has changed jobs; that\u2019s a fact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While AI has certainly changed many jobs, tons of people and businesses still need good employees. And let me tell you, in a state that has legal drug use and struggles with illegal drug use in many areas, you\u2019ll find and keep a job if you show up not high every day. While I\u2019m mostly talking about lower-income jobs, the same applies to higher-paying jobs, too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anecdotal evidence isn\u2019t the most convincing, but from what I’ve been told and what I’ve experienced, many people live in Colorado or move here for the fun adventures they can have every day. They moved here to play, not work. Not all, but many people here put work second. Nothing\u2019s wrong with that. I\u2019ve put adventures first many times in my life, and I wouldn\u2019t be the person I am today without those experiences. So I\u2019m not knocking that way of life. I\u2019m saying that for those who want to work, there\u2019s work in Colorado. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to thehonestlocal.com<\/a>, Colorado\u2019s economy is booming and is currently the 2nd best economy in the states. The Honest Local also noted in the same post that Colorado has the best job market<\/a> in 2026, and I\u2019m not surprised given what I mentioned above. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Winter Sports & Adventures<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Should this be #1? Living near Breckenridge, winter sports are the area’s main draw. Yes, there are numerous ultra-running and mountain biking events, plus summer festivals and concerts throughout the state, but winter sports are a huge part of Colorado’s appeal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few winter sport\/adventure options:<\/p>\n\n\n\n