Durango Real Old-School - 10/23/2020

I grew up in Durango, fifth generation. Of course it is beautiful and my roots are there. Too many people have moved there though. I still love the landscape, and my family’s there. But I got sick of all the transplants with their fake bravado—Texans and Californians who think their mountain men—lots of posers in Durango.

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The best place I'll ever live - 6/29/2020

Absolutely wonderful place to live. The amount of scenery and natural beauty within 5 hours in all directions (literally all of them) is unbeatable. So close to everything in AZ, UT, NM, and of course CO, it's literally endless. The best hike in Colorado and possibly the county (Ice/Island Lake) in July, the stunning golden aspens in September, Zion and Bryce and Arches in October, Big Bend in November, skiing and snowshoeing in December.. the million dollar highway every month of the year is always incredible, and even when the weather is bad here all it takes is a drive south to Arizona. Hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, spirited driving, backpacking, whatever you like to do outside, this is heaven for it. If it makes sense for you to move here jobs-wise (e.g. if you work from home), do it, you won't regret it. We'll treasure our year here forever, if we don't end up moving back.

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It's not a nice place to live - 3/28/2020

Been in or near durango for 20 years and am stuck here. Can't earn enough to live on, no decent jobs, ridiculously expensive housing, relatively unfriendly, snobbish residents who care about nobody but themselves. Over the years I've seen thousands of people come and go- many leave after their first winter here when they discover that they're expected to show up for work on time when there's been a foot or two of snow overnight. The ones who stay keep to themselves and their little circles. It's very difficult to make meaningful friendships, to find a meaningful job or have a reasonable place to live that doesn't involve driving over 50 miles a day. Stay where you are - you'll be happier in the long run.

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Great Place to Live - 4/6/2017

I am approaching retirement and have been looking at several locations in the Western US and reading the reviews for various towns. After reading about other towns, I decided to check out the review of Durango - where I lived from 2007-2009. I am surprised to see the fairly negative reviews here, mostly based on the lack of high paying jobs and the lack of shopping. The job market aside, Durango is an idyllic town with an excellent sense of community, great weather, abundant outdoor activities and a fantastic selection of restaurants for a small town. Housing is fairly pricey though and shopping is limited, if that is important to you (if it is, you shouldn't be looking at Durango or any other remote, small town). Besides the fairly high property prices, the biggest drawback for me is that the golf is pretty average, at best.

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It's about lifestyle - 3/14/2016

I chanced upon this site and the reviews by disgruntled people when I was doing research this morning on another matter. I was shocked by the "reviews"--people saying "don't go there!"--mostly, because they were shocked by the housing costs. Why would anyone move to a new location without first checking housing costs? Some were upset by the lack of shopping "I couldn't find anything decent." That's a matter of preference, isn't it? It's absolutely true that shopping in a small, isolated, rural, mountain town is going to be different from shopping in a city. Here, you'll find plenty of outdoor lifestyle shops, but only one high fashion store, a collection of "art as clothing" stores on Main street, and a few well-known shops like Penney's, Christopher Banks, and TJ Max. Groceries are about the same as elsewhere, at least by my comparisons when I travel. I eat organic foods and can't imagine living anywhere else because I have three health food stores with excellent produce within walking distance. Yes, I live in town. No, I'm not rich. It's true that housing costs more than some other places; housing is one of those supply and demand situations. More people want to live here than the number of places offered for sale. This is a family town with churches, activities and clubs and opportunities to volunteer. There are several gyms with classes, including the Durango Recreation Center. If that woman felt closed out, I have to wonder what she was expecting. Meeting people and making friends take effort. You have to actuality leave your house and join a group. Before you make a decision whether or not to visit, and certainly if you're planning to relocate, do your own research. Don't depend on gossip to make your decisions. At the very least, "google the town." Use city web sites and city-data dot com for factual information.

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Healthy, outdoor-oriented family town - 2/1/2014

Great place to raise a family. I moved here 38 years ago from Austin, TX. When I graduated I was offered jobs in two big cities in other states or this little town. I knew what I was getting into (low salary, high cost of living) and chose Durango, because I like the outdoors, the slow pace of life (relative to a city), the lack of materialism (re' someone's comment, "no good shopping"), the total disregard for conspicuous consumption and fleeting fashion (although there is an excellent retail store on Main Street that I shopped once the first year I arrived.) As for crime--our newspaper has a "Blotter" column and I walk home from town after dark when I see a movie column--I'd sure like to know the research-based source for Clint's opinion that there's a high crime rate here. Seriously?

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Great place to visit but not live! - 11/7/2013

I have lived in Durango for 6 years. I moved here with great expectations but unfortunately my time here is done! Durango is one of the most beautiful places in the country, however the quality of life here is very hard. It is very expensive and very cliquish. A bag of groceries here is over $50 dollars and it is impossible to save money living here. Shopping is horrible and you have to drive great distances if you want to buy something descent at a reasonable price. I have several degrees and consider myself very qualified but never got a job; You have to know someone it order to work. The people here are very friendly but thats about all it has to offer. Everyone keeps to themselves unless you are in their clique which consists mainly cyclists. If you don't cycle here then you pretty much an outcast; Its pretty annoying actually. Durango is a little utopian world where people don't know what is going on except cycling, backcountry skiing/snowboarding/and smoking marijuana. If you are single I would highly disregard this place unless you want to find a peter pan that lives paycheck to paycheck. They work 3 jobs to spend on a $10,000 on a bike, have 4 roommates, no savings, or insurance. If you are a professional and single then this place isn't for you!

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The honeymoon is Over! - 3/15/2013

I moved to Durango because of a new job my husband was offered. I was full of dreams, hopes and wishes. Everyone seemed so friendly in this small tourist town. The mountains are beautiful. The housing is not affordable, so we ended up having to live in Bayfield, which is a town of 1,000 and 16 miles away. After two years, this is what I can tell you. This is a place of California housing prices and Mississippi wages. The business owners will tell you, with a smug laugh, that this is a "$10/hour town". If you come to Durango with plenty of money, and don't need to find a job, and can Afford to Play all of the recreational activities and afford the nice restaurants, you will love it here. If you need to find a job, as I did, this is not the place to move to. While the people are conditioned to be friendly to everyone so as not to insult the tourists, they are cliquish and not open to actually being friends with newcomers. They hire people they know, and people who are from here. If you're from out of town, it really doesn't matter how qualified you are, they won't hire you. It took me over a year to get my first job, which I was way over-qualified for, and underpaid to do. I am now on my third job within the last year. The employers here are mostly small businesses and they run them like there are no rules or laws that they have to follow. Anything goes, and does. Bullying at the workplace, especially among women, is the favorite pastime here. If you get hired and are from out of town, they will happily torment you until you leave. Be advised that no matter how much you earned at your last job, you will earn 50% less, and with no benefits. Most people here are working two to three jobs just to make it. You will have pretty mountains to look at while you're struggling to put food in your mouth. You won't be able to afford to ski, or do anything fun here, but if having the mountains to look at is enough for you, then by all means, move here. There is no shopping here to speak of other than the shops for tourists. Farmington, which has 40,000 people, is a 90 minute drive. And, there's not much there, either. It's 4 hours to Albuquerque to actually have a selection. This is a claustrophobic little place. The medical care here is pathetic. When people have something serious, they drive either to Albuquerque or Denver. We fell for the sales pitch when we came here and are now repenting in leisure. Come to visit, but don't think you can make it moving here unless you're already fully funded for the rest of your life. The honeymoon is over!

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don't move to durango!!!!!!! - 4/2/2012

i can not emphasize it enough....DO NOT MOVE TO DURANGO!!!! it is full of elitist people and poor struggling people, both take advantage and price gouge you in any way they can!! housing is way too expensive!! want to rent a trailer for $1500/mo...then durango is the place for you!! groceries are way too expensive. want to have 3 roommates to survive....then durango is the place for you!! clothing, shoes, everything is way over priced! want to have 3 jobs to make ends meet...then durango is the place for you!! and beware of mechanics....they will really take advantage of you. everyone here is just trying to survive, but they want YOUR MONEY to do it!! in conclusion....durango sux!!

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Senior Health care - 8/22/2010

There is a medical crisis for seniors because doctors, clinics, hospital etc do not accept Medicare (at least 2 yrs ago). So you may have to think twice if you're a senior.

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A tough place to earn a living - 4/5/2010

Durango is a great placen to live and recreate, but wages are low, cost of living is high and the economy is almost entirely service, as in restaurants, and tourism. It is a college town which makes competition for entry level jobs steep. It tends towards a boom or bust economy with the booms coming when people from elsewhere feel wealthy enough to purchase a second home and the busts anytime the national economy goes sour.

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Enveloped in the Mountains - 10/15/2009

Spectacular views. Entrepreneurial friendly. Family oriented with parks, sidewalks, history.

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reply to Brad - 2/27/2009

Brad, I hope the people of Durango aren't as close-minded as you are. Really, calling Clint an idiot because you don't like his comments? I'm thinking of relocating to Durango, been there many, many times and know it well...my only reservation is that there are too many young people and not enough 40 somethings to connect with. Your comment, Brad, indicates to me that you're one of the young ones. A bit immature. Clint's list is true on most counts, if people are going to live here shouldn't they be aware of the rapid growth, in case they were hoping something different? Your comments about People magazine's ratings are meaningless, unless you live your life according to polls; a fit person will be fit wherever they go.

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Not what it used to be - 7/27/2008

I was born and raised in Durango. I loved it and still do. However, there is no possible way to ever move back due to the lack of well paying jobs. I estimate you must make 150k+ to support a family of 4. The only industry is tourism (hotels, restaurants, and little shops) You can also make a good living as doctor or nurse, a lawyer, or a real estate agent. The problem with Durango and really the rest of Colorado is that many former Californians have moved in and jacked up the housing market. They brought their California attitudes with them. People definitely aren't as friendly as they used to be and drug use is a big problem.Traffic is a lot heavier and once public lands are now private or are being closed off by environmentalist-Nazis and special interest groups. What I miss most about Durango is how much there was to do in all seasons. 25 minutes to Purg, 2.5 hours to Lake Powell and Moab, trails right out of town, hiking, camping, fishing, hunting is great. The nightlife is ok in my book. Summer is busy with tourists, winter is a little slower but the college kids keep the town alive.

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Durango - Pros/Cons - 4/7/2008

Pros: 1. Good mountain views and recreation opportunities 2. Excellent school system Cons: 1. High crime rate 2. Extremely high cost of living 3. Unaffordable place to live 4. Rapid growth 5. Huge drug problem

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Doesn't sound like a place I'd like to visit - 1/17/2008

After reading the reviews on Durango I think I will change my vacation plans. I was planning a visit this winter, but think I will opt for Michigan instead. Durango doesn't sound like a place I'd like to visit.

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Durango is an amazing place to live! - 8/25/2007

My husband and I are city slickers from Miami and Atlanta. We moved to Durango because of how amazing this place is. Bar none, this is the most wonderful place we have ever lived! We find that people are super friendly, open-minded to meet a stranger and just plain happy to live here. This is an incredible place to have small children because there is so much to do and almost everything seems to be walking distance or a 5 to 10 minutes ride away when you live in town. The only drawback is that it seems incredibly difficult to make "good" money here. My husband is an engineer and I am an intern architect. The salaries really don't match up with the cost of living and the prices most houses are selling for. I have not seen one house below $318,000.00 (and that one being not even two bedrooms). That might not seem like a problem to most people, but who wants to work four jobs making a total of 90k a year to actually pay for the cheapest 2-bedroom house you can find when you have three kids? This place is amazing when it comes to quality of living; however realistically, the income is challenging. My advice is come here already with a great employment opportunity making more than 80k a year. There are great professional jobs (and plenty other simpler jobs not requiring a college degree) but I see many of them offering around 40k a year. Durango is amazing and many people move here because they see "paying for their quality of life" as already being taken out of their salary. That is how amazing it is!

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Durango - 8/13/2007

Durango is also a nice place for a retiree.

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Durango - 8/13/2007

Durango pros/ cons 1. very pretty town 2. very nice people 3. low crime rate Cons 1. Very expensive 2. awful job market 3. very limited cultural scene

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Great for an active lifestyle - 7/2/2007

There is so much to do in Durango. Whether it's hiking, skiing, or biking in the mountians or kayacking, fishing or tubing in the River, it always seems like there is something to do all year round. There are some great hiking trails just on the edge of town and the city is basically surrounded by undeveloped land. The majority of the population is mid-20's because it is a college town. However, that's where it's downfall is. Outside of being in school, there are not that many jobs outside of the resturant, recreation or landscaping industry. At least not enough jobs to cover the high cost of living. It's a great place to go if you have money, or an even better place to visit.

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