Historically and in its base form, Greeley is largely an agricultural center—livestock, meat-packing, and sugar beets and related processing activities remain extensive today. Local feedlots can bring strong agricultural “fragrances,” largely imperceptible to long-time residents. More recently the area has become the eastern flank of a large high tech and light manufacturing belt centered in nearby Windsor and anchored by Fort Collins and Loveland to the west. The University of Northern Colorado adds a light college-town accent bringing some 13,000 students,
The area is close enough to the Rocky Mountains to benefit from its recreational opportunities. Many residents commute to the more commercialized Fort Collins or Loveland to the west, resulting in average commute times of almost 24 minutes. Greeley is also a straight shot south of 45 miles to the new Denver International Airport located northeast of that city, making it a good location for frequent business travelers looking for more of a small town lifestyle. Denver itself is close enough to share many of its amenities.
Because incomes are relatively high compared to cost of living, the cost profile is favorable for Colorado and even compared to the Fort Collins area west. On the whole, Greeley is slower paced and some may not find enough to do, but there’s a lot nearby.
The town is located among rolling grassland plains in a shallow valley at the confluence of the Cache La Poudre and South Platte rivers. Locals call the area the “Kansas part of Colorado,” accurately depicting both landscape and climate, which is continental. Warm, dry spring and summer days are punctuated by occasional heavy thunderstorms. Winters are variable with alternating cold spells and mild periods. Wind chill can make winter weather more severe. First freeze is end of September, last is mid-May.