10 Things to Know When Moving from Chicago to Denver
So you’re thinking about moving from Chicago to Denver? Congrats! I made the move myself a short 4 years ago & it was hands down the best decision I’ve made as a young adult. Making a big change in your life can feel pretty overwhelming, especially if like me you lived your whole life in the Chicagoland area. Although not an exhaustive list, here are 10 things to know before moving to Denver:
1. Denver is substantially smaller than Chicago
Groundbreaking, right? I know it seems like such an obvious statement to make, but I really didn’t understand the difference until I moved here. Chicago is a thriving metropolis which you can spend your entire life in & still have unexplored parts of the city. Denver, despite fast becoming a major city, still feels like a large town when you’re coming from a place like Chicago. Just raw stats alone, Chicago has 2m+ residents to Denver’s nearly 700,000. Denver has a much more residential feel to it & it doesn’t have the same well-defined neighborhood ecosystems I loved in Chicago. For example, the difference between Wicker Park & Lincoln Park.
2. Denver has incredible weather
Quite possibly the biggest reason I hear people wanting to move from Chicago is the weather. Those brutal winters where even a 25 foot walk to your car is enough outside time for your day. Denver on the other hand has surprisingly pleasant winters. Even in the coldest months, it’s not unusual to have 50 degrees & sun. Moreover, Denver loves to boast about having 300 days of sun a year. I am not 100% positive it’s 300 on the dot, but I can attest to the reality that Denver is a sunshine city.
3. Cost of living is not much better
One of the main reasons I wanted to move to Denver from Chicago (aside from the mountain life) was I thought I would save money on living expenses, whoops! Unfortunately & fortunately, Denver is becoming a major city in the US, without the key infrastructure to support its rapidly growing population. This has resulted in a bit of a housing shortage, which has dramatically increased rents. The average rent in Denver is now up to $2,100. The average cost to own real estate has also risen quite a bit as well. However, overall Denver still has a favorable cost of living (entertainment, groceries, etc.) compared to Chicago.
4. Mountains are a big part of the culture here
Chicago is a world-class city. Anything you can think of Chicago has the best of it. Museums, art, restaurants, bars, are all 5-star. It’s not that Denver lacks these things, we have some incredible city culture & are fast expanding this aspect of the Denver life. It’s just a major element of living in Denver & Colorado generally is the mountains play a massive role in people’s lives. It is not uncommon for people to go to bed early on the weekends so they can wake up early & hit the slopes before the I-70 traffic (see below) gets out of hand. It is also not uncommon for people to talk about “14ers” they’ve climbed, the condition of the snow, or some other outdoor-focused conversation. Even if you’re not an avid outdoors person you don’t need to worry, people are super friendly here & you’ll learn to embrace it!
5. Denver is insanely dog friendly
If you don’t have a dog before you move here don’t worry you’ll have 1 or 2 before the end of your first year (unless of course, you’re not a dog person). Denver is an incredibly dog-friendly city. Not only are there countless off-leash dog parks (which are very well maintained), but there are also myriad bars & restaurants where your fur babies are welcomed. Not to mention access to some great hiking spots, which are made infinitely better when you have your companions with you!
Places to Bring Your Dog:
- Improper City
- Cherry Creek State Park
- Ratio Beerworks
- Uno Mas Taqueria
- Fire on the Mountain
- Barnum Dog Park
6. Having a car is essential
This is pretty straightforward. Denver does not have a huge public transportation network like Chicago does & if you want to do anything mountain related you will definitely need a car or bum rides. Just make sure to keep up with maintenance because mountain driving can take a toll on your vehicle.
7. Denver is a brewery hub, on the way to becoming a restaurant hub
There’s a reason Denver is sometimes called the Napa Valley of beer & it’s because it is home to the second most microbreweries next to Portland. Denver is a craft beer lovers paradise. Although the restaurant scene is not yet as robust as Chicagos, Denver holds its own & is quickly becoming home to some fantastic eateries too!
Places to Drink:
- Ratio Beerworks (again)
- Finn’s Manor
- Epic Brewing
- Denver Beer Co.
- Bruz Brews
- Grateful Gnome
- Novel Strand
Places to Eat:
8. People are really friendly here
One thing I thought a lot about before moving to Denver was whether people were friendly here or not. I can report after 4 years of living here people are some of the most friendly I have encountered. My theory on this subject is the number of transplants streaming into the city. They are experiencing the same changes in life as you & just by virtue of making big changes are more likely to be open to the experience. It is not uncommon at all for people to strike up a conversation randomly that can easily lead to a ski trip. In fact, Denver is so friendly I actually have to tone back my desire to talk to random people when I am back visiting Chicago.
9. Denver is becoming a business hub
I can’t say whether Denver will ever reach the status of the business hub that Chicago has had since its founding, but we are certainly closing some ground!
Major Industries in Denver:
- Tech — the tech startup scene in Denver is thriving with hundreds of newly founded companies choosing Denver for home base. Moreover, very notable companies like SalesForce & Sumo Logic have opened massive offices here.
- Agriculture — Colorado’s agri-industry brings in over $5 billion in revenue per year with major organizations like Leprino Foods & Nutrien leading the charge
- Aerospace — Sometimes referred to as “Aerospace Alley” Denver is home to some major players in the defense & aerospace industry. For example, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, & Boeing.
- Marijuana — Being the first state in the country to legalize recreational marijuana, cannabis has become a titan of an industry in Denver & Colorado.
10. I-70 Traffic is No Joke
This seems like a weird inclusion on this list, but it is an important thing to understand about living in Denver & traveling in Colorado. Because of the Rocky Mountains, there are only a few roads to get in & out of the city. I-70 is the major vein running through Colorado & as such, it can become absolutely abominable when traffic is bad. I have had days where weather will come in & what should have been an hour & 30-minute trip turns into an 8-hour crawl along I-70. It is not always avoidable & is a real part of living in Colorado.
I hope you gleaned useful info about moving to Denver from this list despite it not being a full re-canting of all this city & state have to offer. One last piece of genuine advice here is to try not to overthink your move too much. You’ll never know exactly how you’ll like living somewhere until you give it a shot & you can analyze the pros/cons of a city for eternity & still never have a full grasp. If you feel like you’re ready to move just dive in!
