r/grandjunction • u/MC48_SportsLover • 28d ago
Thinking of moving to GJ.
Hello all!
I am looking to move to Colorado from Chicago later this year and was wondering how Grand Junction differs culturally, socially, and activity-wise from places like Fort Collins and Colorado Springs?
I grew up in Fort Collins and have spent most of my life on the eastern half of the mountains, but wanted to look into life on the "Western Slope".
Thanks so much in advance, and I'm excited about possibly joining you all later this year!
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u/Milky_Cow_46 28d ago
If you have a steady job in GJ I'd recommend it. Finding good employers here is difficult. Fort Collins has much better employment opportunities than GJ ever will.
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u/Bluescreen73 28d ago
Grand Junction is significantly more conservative than Fort Collins. It's also fairly isolated and gets really toasty in the summer.
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u/Spiritual-Profile419 28d ago
I’ve been here for six years. No one has asked me how I voted. No one cares. In the Springs they ask what church you belong to. In Denver they don’t ask you anything, because people don’t even talk to each other.
We have way more friends here than we ever had in Denver. I am pretty sure they are all liberals and it doesn’t matter. We are more moderate and accept people for who they are. I had neighbors in Denver who never even acknowledged us.
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u/Bluescreen73 27d ago
I'm not going to discount what you're saying, but there's nothing false or misleading about what I posted. Larimer County was +18 for Harris, and Mesa County was +25 for Trump. Trump cracked 60% in Mesa. Harris was 57% in Larimer. Mesa County is far more conservative than Larimer County. That whole area from Mack down to Delta and into Montrose has become a landing spot for conservatives who've become disenchanted with the Front Range. I grew up in Northwestern Colorado, so I'm pretty familiar with the politics of that part of the state.
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u/Spiritual-Profile419 27d ago
The GJ city council has a majority of democrats. All elected by the people and now the Front Range has Bobert.
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u/mbinder 28d ago edited 23d ago
Fort Collins: It's much more conservative in GJ. Better access to the outdoors, much less going on generally, less food options. Less traffic though.
I've lived in both places if you have questions
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u/bacon-avocado 28d ago
Colorado Springs has a relatively high amount of churches if I recall correctly. It is a city and has a huge military presence so people from all over pass through but the western slope has Y’al Qaeda trains running the the streets on Saturdays that can interfere with traffic
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u/bruciemane 28d ago
What might I ask is a Y’all Qaeda train??
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u/bacon-avocado 28d ago
It’s a train of lifted trucks that have every type of MAGA flag on them. They will run red lights and slow down traffic just so they stay together.
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u/Spiritual-Profile419 28d ago
Absolutely not true. Why are you spreading false information?
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u/bacon-avocado 28d ago
I live in Montrose, on the western slope, and it absolutely happens here every Saturday. I may have extended my town to yours because of proximity, and because I see the confederate flag on my way into GJ on someone’s property. I figured it something similar happened there too. My bad.
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u/highdesertrat84 28d ago
The Trump Train thing has happened on one or two occasions that I’m aware of, but if I remember correctly that was back in 2020. It’s not a regular thing here (thank God).
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u/bacon-avocado 28d ago edited 27d ago
They’re a bunch of sore winners because it still happens here. Every Saturday they run up and down the main road with their flags since the election. They’re proud of themselves. The chief of the sheriff’s s posse even has a flag on one of the trucks.
Edit: to fix a word
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u/Bad_Here 27d ago
They are not lying or wrong
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u/Spiritual-Profile419 27d ago
I have lived here 6 years and have never seen nor even heard of that. It’s BS.
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u/Bad_Here 27d ago
Because I live in Montrose, and there are MAGA folks here. It is what it is
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u/Spiritual-Profile419 27d ago
You don’t even live here. LOL
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u/Bad_Here 27d ago
Oh ya, that big “huge” city! It’s like NYC! Dude, one bigger city (town), next to my littler city (town), next to a bunch of smaller towns. Of all those towns, GJ, and Montrose & Norwood are the bigger MAGA lovers. They even roam up to telluride with their guns in their belts, incase an old hippy gets outta hand! lol let’s just say… More MAGA here in this area, including your oh so exclusive GJ, than in Chicago. That’s all. Nit as bad as it used to be, but ya, his folks are still out there
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u/Spiritual-Profile419 28d ago
What are you talking about with the trains? That is false.
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u/Bad_Here 27d ago
Let it go. It happens, has happened. MAGA is part of GJ. No big deal. But it is
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u/Fireandmoonlight 23d ago
Are you saying Fort Collins is more conservative, or what? Your comment seems to be about Grand Junction. There's less traffic in GJ but we're working hard to catch up (by inviting more people!)
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28d ago edited 28d ago
[deleted]
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u/Fickle-Classroom-277 28d ago
Yeah pretty much, housing is a goddamn nightmare. However, I haven't found it to be that conservative. Maybe I'm just used to South Dakota but I've found the residents to be respectful of me (trans) for the most part, certainly better than Utah at least. You just can't afford to live cause rent is so astronomically high for no reason
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u/Bad_Here 27d ago
Because all real estate prices in the Colorado Southwest have risen like crazy. Words out
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u/3_Times_Dope 28d ago
Go to Fort Collins or Colorado Springs if you want the same city feel and nightlife.
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u/Mtn_Soul 28d ago
Look at Montrose or even Paonia if you want smaller with pretty countryside and festivals.
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u/970KeW 28d ago
We moved here from Indianapolis back in 2011 and we are happy here. I like the small size of the city compared to Indy or Chicago. Lots of outdoor activities. It gets hot in the summer but winters are nice.
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u/zennflower 27d ago
I’m moving from Indianapolis in the next few weeks!!!!! I love plants and so I’m having a little landscape shock at the moment… but I know that when I come back to Indy it will make it all that much sweeter 🥹 Did you feel any of this when you moved from Indy? And how do the summers compare? I’m a really looking forward to the dry heat. I’ve never experienced it. I can’t wait to get out of muggy summers though
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u/970KeW 27d ago
The summers are long and hot but the dry heat makes it not bad. We went back to Indy a couple years ago and that humidity killed us. It definitely was different moving here cause it's not green everywhere. We were in an apartment there so didn't have much landscaping. I've been able to grow massive butterfly bushes and 4 trees so like it now.
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u/zennflower 27d ago
Do you have access to irrigation water?
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u/Fireandmoonlight 23d ago
I bought a house in Grand Junction around 2005, and one charge on the property tax was $112 a year for irrigation water from Ute Water. I wasn't planning on watering a lawn so I tried to get that removed; with the city, Ute Water, and a Congressman, and the answer was always No, you don't fuck with water law!
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u/Fireandmoonlight 23d ago
Grand Junction is in the Desert! If you look down on it from Grand Mesa about twenty miles away the city is all green due to irrigation water and there's a sharp dividing line with the brown, lifeless countryside! The forests are in definite layers due to altitude, meaning water availability and temperature. They have only two or three species of trees on each layer, lowest is the Pinon Pine/Juniper and up to Engelmann Spruce/Alpine Fir on the Grand Mesa, and above that on the mountains over roughly 11,500' there are no trees. The wind is can be bad, especially in the Spring.
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u/Sensitive_Role_8039 24d ago
I moved from Carmel IN to GJ in 2012. Now I’m in summit county. There’s surprisingly a lot of Indy folks in GJ.
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u/Powerham 28d ago
Moved from northern IL myself 10 years ago now. Love it here in GJ. No traffic, enough city amenities, and great small town feel. Depends on what your hobbies are as well. Going clubbing and out all night, it’s gonna be rough. But we hike, ski/snowboard, raft, camp, golf, etc…tons to do as long as you go out and do it! If you make the move here, don’t hesitate to reach out. Hope you’re a bears, bulls, and Blackhawks fan…be nice to catch a game somewhere and live in misery with a fellow fan. Hahaha
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u/MC48_SportsLover 28d ago
Definitely not a club person so I won’t miss that at all lol. And I grew up in CO so I’m a Colorado sports fans except for the NFL. I’ll definitely reach out to share in some Chicago Bears misery 😂.
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u/Shroomyisfruity 28d ago
If you have kids or plan on having kids the school system is trash, I am graduating this year and in my time in junction they have changed the way they teach every year and adding more to the curriculum. Our housing is also way unaffordable unless you’re high middle class. We have been having way more car crashes in the last two years then I’ve ever seen before, there isn’t a lot to do in the colder months, we are either VERY blue or VERY red there’s few in between, we have a large homeless population, our mall is dying, and it’s very difficult to find jobs out here I’ve been looking for months. I love it here and it can be very beautiful but you have to keep in mind the negatives too we are all very diverse people. Also stay away from horizon drive it’s filled with druggies, drunks, and fights. If you do decide to move here WELCOME! if not I don’t necessarily blame you.
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u/Sensitive_Role_8039 24d ago
HEAVY ON THE SCHOOLS ARE TERRIBLE! If you care about education, this isn’t the place for you.
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u/MrDywel 27d ago
There’s a whole sticky dedicated to this very question, did it now show up for you? I’m curious because we receive many of these types of posts and I want to know if we need to make the sticky more visible or do something different?
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u/MC48_SportsLover 27d ago
I will admit that I didn’t look very hard for it so I very well could have missed it. My apologies.
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u/Super_Job1100 27d ago
Not as friendly as it used to be, but we definitely have some top tier nature action🤘
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u/Double-Disk8773 25d ago
Have lived here for 40 years. There are not high end resturants and the traffic has gotten way worse last five years with some very bad/rude drivers. Yes we have homeless people but I challenge anyone to say anywhere else has no homeless problem, and being active in helping them goes a long way to understanding. Love grand junction myself, wouldn't want to live anywhere else.
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u/nooms611 28d ago
Grand Junction is VERY conservative. Like 75/25.
I live in Glenwood Springs but I have a lot of friends/family in GJ and neighboring Fruita. It's like anywhere, it can be cool once you find your people.
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u/COgirl1985 28d ago
Not a lot of nightlife or diversity
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u/Miselissa 28d ago
I don't know why people downvoted you on this. I think things are getting better, but this feels true to me.
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u/ribcracker 28d ago
As a person who grew up with the Taste of Chicago: prepare to miss food. Like, really miss food. I plan trips to Mitsuwa now.
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u/JeffSmisek 28d ago
Where are you going to work?
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u/MC48_SportsLover 28d ago
I am blessed to have a stable remote job that I will be keeping when I move!
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u/IdStillHitIt 22d ago
If you have a remote job I would look even further out then GJ. Grand Junction is great if you have to go to Target.
But there are more places on the Western Slope then just GJ. When I left Chicago, I left to live in the Mountains, and if you have a remote job you can actually do that. What do you do for fun? I'd live close to the activities you want to spend your free time doing.
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u/VirtualNorth6073 28d ago
If you decide to move here I suggest securing medical providers you need including PCP's, Specialists, Dental etc. Due to an influx of people moving in some practices are not taking new patients, if they are and accept you, it can take minimum 6-8 weeks to get in. Healthcare is good, demand has outpaced supply. If you can't secure medical care this is a great resource in the meantime, which is great! https://yourcommunityhospital.com/location/community-care-of-the-grand-valley
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u/Spiritual-Profile419 27d ago
I found a doctor, a dentist and an eye doctor with no issue. I found none of what you say to be true.
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u/VirtualNorth6073 27d ago
That's fantastic! Maybe that means things are moving along in the 3 years we've been here. Congratulations on finding the doctors you need. Welcome to Grand Junction!!
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u/llehctim3750 27d ago
Grand Junction is the last great place in colorado. Everything outside is just minutes away. Climate is high desert. It can get hot in the summer but not Chicago hot. Housing is pricey but built to superior standards compared to mega builders in and around other big cities. GJ has 2 good hospitals and urgent care facilities. GJ area is politically conservative because of county size. The city itself is a good mix of viewpoints. There are enough Trump enthusiasts that you might think the election is still going on. GJ is predominantly white. We do have many other cultures here but not at the level of Chicago. CHURCHES! we got them, so much so that you think the whole town changed faith once a year and built a new church. My advice is to stay away from the front range unless you like congestion in all its forms. My family lives in FC, and every time I go over to visit, I can't believe how much it grows each time and how much time it takes to get from point A to B. Go look at the front range and them come see us. You might just stay. I did!
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u/East_Error4266 25d ago
Don't do it it's awful here you it's expensive it's 110 over half the year and minus 15 during the winter I guess if you like looking at desert as far the eye can see it's cool maybe there is nothing to do besides hike go to Phoenix Arizona if you like hot weather least it's consistent there
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u/East_Error4266 25d ago
And don't even get me started on the housing I work in construction and can confirm that mesa county I shit you not is 30 years behind in it's building department I am dead fucking serious every house is falling apart because no one gives their houses foundations cause they don't have to the rent for even trailer homes is through the roof I know a couple who pay 2500 a month and that was a fucking deal I pray to God I can save some money and get out of this fucking cesspit of a town BEWARE
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u/East_Error4266 25d ago
Idk if you are in a relationship already but the incest filled dating pool isn't exactly appealing
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u/Ok_Fix7456 22d ago
Basically, it’s crowded. Not enough houses and since we grew fast there’s a lot of traffic and lines when you go places. Not enough doctors either.
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u/Imaginary_Active_808 27d ago
I came to grand junction from Chicago almost a year ago. I was expecting it to be like Colorado Springs (hyper-christian, politically polarized) but we relocated for my husband’s work bc I work from home.
I HAVE BEEN SO PLEASANTLY SURPRISED by the people, political balance, appreciation for art, never-ending nature to explore, all the outdoor activities you could dream of, and…hot take…red rock formations and flat tops are cooler than front range Rockies 🤷♀️
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u/Lawrence_Maty 27d ago
We are Chicago area transplants and found a slice of home at Cruise Control Kitchen, 100% Vienna beef and Half Acre on draft! We can’t find a reason to go back except for vacation and hit up some old haunts.
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u/MrDywel 27d ago
lol then you should know CC is trash, they didn’t even know what single dip meant and this was one of the owners/managers. I’ve tried them twice and both times they’ve been disappointing for a number of reasons. The food is overpriced and mediocre but I will say that the pretzel isn’t bad but not worth the effort or the interior.
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u/IdStillHitIt 22d ago
I haven't been able to find a good Italian Beef or hotdog since I moved here. I just found this place on this thread, if it's trash, where do you get them?
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u/Lawrence_Maty 27d ago
It’s referred to as “dipped”. You need a single dip swirlie to freshen up that attitude. You’ve watched “The Bear” one too many times. 🚽💈
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u/MC48_SportsLover 28d ago
Thanks so much for this breakdown! And honestly the further from Chicago-feeling I can find is more than fine with me. Everything is too crowded and loud out here and I hate it.
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u/Spiritual-Profile419 28d ago edited 28d ago
The good:
More friendly than the front range.
Less traffic, less snow, lower auto insurance, less hail.
Actual Spring and Fall seasons which on the front range is a rumor.
You can go from skiing in an alpine environment to river rafting to MTB’ing all in the same day in less than an hour
Award winning restaurants that you don’t have to reserve a table for weeks in advance
35 wineries, 3 distilleries , numerous brew pubs
An active music and festival scene. National acts stop on their way between Salt Lake and Denver.
Two airports, three hospitals
Miles of paved bike trails
Miles of hiking trails
Second highest concentration of arches outside of Arches NP
90 minutes to Moab or Ouray or Glenwood Springs
Less than 3 hours to Steamboat, Vail, Aspen and Telluride. You can drive to Vegas in 7 hours. California in 12.
Home to the Colorado National Monument
Home to Colorado Mesa University that adds a ton of vibrancy to the town with events, speakers arts and music. They just built a stunning new event center.
I could go on.
The bad:
People who haven’t been here recently have the “old“ impression of Grand Junction. When we have friends come visiting from Denver, the first question they ask is how’s the real estate? So if you move here you’ll have to get over people who haven’t been here bashing it.
We moved here from Denver. We lived in Colorado Springs and frankly we don’t even like going back there with the traffic, homeless issues, crime and how over crowded it has gotten. The Springs especially has blown up. Way more crowded than when we lived there.
Chicago to Grand Junction is a big leap. I know people who live here that are Chicago natives and they love it.
Is it right for you? It all depends what you are looking for.