Metro Denver housing is too high and tired of the traffic. In a few years I'll be moving to the western Colorado. Housing prices is a main concern. Some of the areas I'm looking at are Cortez, Delta, Naturita, Montose, Grand Junction or other? Recommendations needed and why.

Are you wanting to live in the towns or on property outside of town? If you're looking at property my three main concerns would be water first and foremost, utilities, and access by road year-round. If the place doesn't have water it isn't worth the paper the deed is on IMO.

How rural can you live with? Grand Junction is not "big city" but it's the biggest town on this side of the state. Housing prices here are usually surprisingly high here. So those other towns listed will all be cheaper to live than GJT. But they are smaller, more rural, and more remote. That can be good or bad, depending on yours and/or your family's perspective.

We settled here in GJT 20 years ago. It's been a terrific place to raise a family. All the towns listed have great access to public land.

Best of luck.

I'd go NW. Craig, Meeker, Rangely......

Town or within 15 minutes of a town.

Montrose is one of the better combination of housing prices, weather and recreation/scenery.

Naturita/Nucla is a serious step that may be more a commitment to rural living than you'd like.

I like and live in Delta, but do a lot in Montrose. I think for my wife and I, Montrose would be a little better, but is more expensive. Also like being halfway between Montrose and Grand Junction and near Paonia and Cedaredge. Delta isn't a bad combination, but I think Montrose is better.

One thing that drives me crazy about many of these towns is that they have grown over the years but made no improvements to accommodate the traffic. Almost all of the ski towns are like that. Durango, Canon, Montrose, also have periods where traffic just becomes ridiculous for such small towns.

My preference is Gunnison, but it is colder than many of the places you mentioned. Id rather endure the cold in winter than the heat in summer found in many of the other western CO towns. My wife would strongly disagree.

I understand what you are saying about Naturita/Nucla area. It's small and shopping is a long of a drive. Plus side- it has the lowest housing prices between Rangley and Cortez.

I would pick Montrose from that list. My wife probably would prefer Ouray, but she would settle for Montrose. It is close enough to a lot of cool stuff. We both like Gunnison as well, for the same reasons.

sigh.........

Watch out for the Hippies in Paonia.

Just moved from Lakewood to Minturn, outside of Vail, would prefer something a bit more rural but coming from Denver, we're in heaven. No traffic to speak of and most people, even here near Vail, are pretty much fed up with the current administration and more conservative than I thought. Hopefully next year we'll move down valley near Eagle which is a great town, you might look there.