Breckenridge : Colorado

The charming and historic town of Breckenridge, Colorado, sits 9,300 feet above sea level in a U-shaped valley on the western slope of the Continental Divide. The small town has a population of 4,749 residents (2014 census), but that number swells to 39,000 during the busy ski season with visitors and the many second home owners. Breckenridge Ski Resort is one of the most visited ski resorts in the western hemisphere, but the town with its natural year-round beauty, also attracts outdoor enthusiasts during the summer months for its wildflowers, hiking, fly-fishing, mountain biking and white water rafting on nearby Lake Dillion. Locals are known to say “ I came for the winters but stayed for the summers”.

Breckenridge was founded during the Gold Rush to serve miners working on gold deposits along the Blue River. The gold mines around Breckenridge are long gone, although some are open as tourist attractions. Today, the small town boasts over 200 shops, many restaurants, and historic sites. Breckenridge has also been designated as a Gold level Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists. "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" was filmed here, as was "Dumb and Dumber". Photo of A view of Breckenridge (bottom) and Copper Mountain (top) Taken from the ISS on October 24, 2008, courtesy of Wikipedia and NASA (public domain).

Breckenridge offers more than 2,500 condominiums which are used by many as second homes and rental units. Depending on location and ski in/ski out resort condos, prices vary from the high $100's for a studio, to over $1million for a three bedroom. Trulia reports the average list price for a single family home is over $1million.  

Breckenridge offers natural beauty and many outdoor recreational opportunities including hiking, biking and golf. There are community gardens, an Open Space and Trails program, several parks, and an ice arena. 

High cost of living; very cold winter temperatures with a lot of snow; the nearest large city (Denver) is about 80 miles away.

Retirees who want a small town with a lot of outdoor activity and recreation would enjoy living here.  The town hosts many events and has a nordic center, a library, an arts district and theatre productions. The downtown is walkable, has free bus service, and is bicycle friendly.

Tourism drives the economy along with retail and recreation.

January daytime average is about 28 degrees, and nights are very cold with an average of 15 degrees; July's average is 55 degrees. Breckenridge gets about 300 inches of snow annually, but it also averages 300 days of sunshine.

Breckenridge is a historic town, and its Main Street features buildings with clapboards and log exteriors. The 200 shops and many restaurants add to the vibrant atmosphere of vacationers, skiers, and visitors. The town holds events throughout the year including ski races and festivities, and the International Snow Sculpture Championship, with sculptors from around the world coming to compete.  During the summer, many art fairs are held along with concerts by the National Repertory Orchestra and the Breckenridge Music Institute.