Reviews & Comments
Fruita, CO
IMO -
4/2/2014I moved my Family to Fruit in January of 2013---It has been a very good community to live. It is a pedestrian friendly community and we feel very safe. Only one local grocery store (City Market), a Walgreens, a few national brand fast food establishments and a couple of restaurants.
Grand Junction is only 5-8 miles to the east, with a decent business base (very accessible from Fruita).
There is a small hospital next to a very nice community center. The community center has indoor and outdoor swimming pools, basketball courts, indoor track, weights. The membership fee is affordable. It also has a branch of the Mesa County Library located in the building.
The people here have been very friendly and accepting to us as outsiders. IMO---They are more conservative then the people on the Front Range (Denver). The schools are okay, but nothing to brag about---IMO.
Fruita sits at the entrance of the Colorado Monument. The historical downtown is a hub for the 'Mountain Biking' tourists and the city hosts several festivals (4)throughout the summer months in this downtown area. I really enjoy them. If you are into outdoor activities, there is a lot to do here. If you are more into the cultural arts and enjoy the city life still, I cannot imagine someone being happy here long term.
The climate is nice---IMO---A couple of weeks of cold in the winter, but over all mild winters. You can expect the summers to yield many days into the 100s but it is a dry heat.
Idaho Falls, ID
Almost There??? -
1/9/2012Obviously 'Quality of Life' is subjective. Idaho Falls is very close to being a premier place to live. The business base is very well rounded with many national chains and if you pay close attention you will see that there are also many successful small business that are locally owned. The biggest factor that holds Idaho Falls back is the lack of a major institution of higher education (although there is a technical college---Eastern Idaho Technical College-EITC). Many of the young people must leave the area to enroll into a university and many do not return, which loss plagues the area. The crime rate is low and Idaho Falls has a pretty good hospital. Cost of living is low, but wages are also relatively low. There is no real public transportation (typical sprawl city), but then again the population base currently will not support public transportation. The climate is okay with the exception of the seemingly perpetual wind which can make any mild weather seem harsh(the Fall is absolutely beautiful...Best season of the year). If you like rural outdoor activities, Idaho Falls is a gateway to a lot of fun. If you are more interested in urban cultural activities...well we are still working on it. There is a love/hate relationship with the area Mormon religion. I think Idaho Falls is around 58% Mormon and many will argue that the the Mormons control everything. Although I do not think this is the case in reality, the perception cannot be denied and it does cause much disdain with people not practicing the Mormon religion. The best way I can describe Idaho Falls, "A diamond in the rough".