Quote:
Originally Posted by IWant2BeInSTL
while living in Boulder for a couple of years I got the impression that Longmont had become the more affordable alternative to Boulder. lots of Boulder <---> Longmont commuters. not sure if that's the case anymore.
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This is exactly right. It's a (slightly) more affordable place to live for those who work or go to school in Boulder. I lived in Longmont for about 5 years while going to CU. The highway to Boulder becomes a virtual parking lot each morning and evening rush-hour as around 30,000 people commute to and from Boulder, turning what is normally a 10-20 minute drive into a 30-60 min commute.
The only thing I'd add is that it isn't much of an "alternative" to Boulder so much as it is a very nice mid-sized American city with access to Boulder's job market. The vibe in Longmont is VERY different - it feels more like a nice town you might find in the midwest, but lacks Boulder's one-of-a-kind mix of access to hiking and youthful college-culture. This is the natural outgrowth of Boulder's strong job market and housing supply shortage - some people may choose Longmont for its more laid-back, conservative vibe, but for others it is a purely economic necessity.