I just wanted to ask if anyone was local was all

Try Gunnison. Small college town, county seat.

Crested Butte is right up the road, though, which is a pretty amazing place to spend time. Cold, cold, cold, cold, cold, though.

Can't afford school. She and I will need to find work immediately once we move

But in recent years wildfires and flash floods have diminished my consideration to live there. Absolutely beautiful though, but you better like elk and not be an idiot tourist who thinks they should approach them (a big herd lives nearby and traverses downtown Estes all the time. They are basically protected, but said tourists who get too close may well regret it)

It is NOT inexpensive AT ALL--None of the mountain towns are, thus most of the workers (at the ski resorts in particular, but Estes is a tourist haven too) have to live and commute from distant communities.

8200 ft. Altitude
Lovely arts town
They've been there for years and haven't considered leaving

My fiance is an artist. She wants to start a studio and wants me to help with it.

we had a riddle that would likely apply to Estes Park. how do you leave Steamboat with a small fortune? Arrive with a large fortune. Actually would likely apply to most resort towns in Colorado. Very expensive to live here.

Can't guarantee that Lexi will reply, but she's a lifelong artist who settled in Estes Park to be near her Air Force son in Colorado Springs. It's a perfect place for her art, too.

Seems to be a few comments here about cost of living in OTHER destination places, which will not help you at all. Call a local Realtor based in Estes Park to get useable, accurate info.

Wikipedia is pretty good for income and demographics data, too. Just look up the town.

She is looking into it heavily because she has family living in Estes Park. Reason why she is super invested in Colorado atm. I'm perfectly happy where she wants to go. So I assume she is researching more into housing or apartments right now.

And laser focus on real info.
Best wishes to you.
I've moved quite a bit all over the country.
Always exciting to go to new places.

I'm 32, we are getting married in two days. I'm ready to settle and have my family. She had a daughter and thats more than enough for me. I don't need to have a kid with her.

The sincerest of good wishes

Yes it was beautiful and YMMV in Estes Park...

Living in a tourist town just outside a major National Park in a rural area, your housing costs will be astronomical if housing is available at all. This is a result of much of the long-term rental inventory being converted to short-term vacation rentals.

The health care choices are slim to none. What is available is generally awful.

Given the demographics with most year round residents a retired population, they make sure the schools get next to nothing for funding.

Unless you are a professional who can work remotely from home, most jobs are low paying service industry/retail gigs.

In the event you do decide to move there, PLEASE use a local Realtor to find even rental property. They know the lay of the land when it comes to local services, schools etc.

I spent the last two weeks of September in Scottsdale/Sedona area. The drive from Scottsdale to Sedona was great. Rt. 89, IIRC. Spent time in Wickenburg, Prescott, Jerome. Absolutely beautiful. Ms. Dude and I loved it and we plan on returning.