Grand Junction : Colorado

Grand Junction, Colorado comes up near the top of many people's "best places to retire". For one thing, this fast-growing town perched on the border with Utah has a relatively low cost of living. It is also a college town (Mesa State College has over 4,000 students on campus here). Natural beauty and recreation is abundant with the Rocky Mountains and the Colorado National Monument (see picture above). The town is the unofficial capital of the Western Slope. Although the city population was about 60,000 in 2012, there are over 126,000 in the metro area. Many people are very enthusiastic about the quality of lifestye here.

People who have retired to Grand Junction cite the nice downtown, abundant local fruit and wineries, and many outstanding recreational activities within a short drive. The climate is dry and sunny. Jobs are said to be plentiful here, a plus for anyone considering working in retirement. Nearby Fruita is another popular retirement town.

There are at least 5 golf course communities here, including Redlands Mesa (see link to Active Communities at right). Because the area is growing so fast there are many choices for places to live.
Real estate prices in Grand Junction, although increasing, are much more reasonable than in Boulder.  According to Zillow.com, the median sale price of a home was $198,400 in late 2016.

Colorado National Monument ; 8 wineries ; stunning desert-mountain scenery and recreation; many golf courses; locally grown fruit; many available jobs; fast growing with new housing and communities; dry and sunny climate. To get a good insight into what it is like to live in Grand Junction (GJ), read the "My take on Grand Junction" post at City-Data.com

Remote; Grand Junction is well over 200 miles to either Salt Lake City or Denver; it can be windy; town could be growing too quickly. 

Mountain lovers. Outdoors people. Wine and agriculture buffs. The average age is 37, a few years younger than the statewide average.

Located at altitude of 4600' with towering mountains above. Grand Junction is at the  junction of the Colorado and Gunnison Rivers in west-central Colorado, near the border of Utah. The climate is dry, sunny, occasionally windswept. Canyons and mesas abound. The average July high temp is 92. The average January high is 37 and the low is 16. The wettest month is March (1").

There are a growing number of cultural activities, many of them connected to Mesa State. According to one reviewer, Il Bistro Italiano is the best restaurant in town.  Residents tend to criticize the quality and variety of GJ restaurants.  There is a downtown theater.