Greeley Colorado Relocation Guide
Greeley, Colorado
The City of Greeley, Colorado is located in Northeast Colorado, about 60 miles north of Denver. Traditionally,
Greeley has been an agricultural capital, known for its agricultural land and factories. Recently, however,
WalletHub released a study that ranked Greeley as the number one fastest growing city in America for job
growth and the overall economy.
Greeley finds itself in Weld County and makes up a college town. Located in Greeley are both the University of
Northern Colorado and Aims Community College. The focus of the colleges and of much of the town's economy
is on agriculture and food processing.
Activities
Greeley is the biggest town in Weld County and for most of Northern Colorado, for that matter. Given its
proximity to the outdoors and the agricultural landscape of Greeley, Colorado, there are a lot of activities for its
residents to enjoy. Here are some of the top activities in Greeley, including museums, parks, hiking trails, and
more.
Pawnee National Grasslands
Pawnee National Grasslands is a huge expanse of government-owned grasslands that make for great exploring.
You can navigate the beautiful grasslands by car, hike through it, make it a mountain biking trip, or travel
around by horseback. The Pawnee National Grasslands are beautiful and make an excellent place for hiking,
having a family picnic, or a romantic date night.
There is a campground located at Pawnee National Grassland, which is a great getaway. At only 25 miles
northeast of Greeley, Pawnee National Grasslands is a huge, open landscape, contained within a 30-by-60 mile
area. This place makes an excellent day trip, or a great weekend to camp.
AgriCULTURE Fest and Feast
Greeley has a long history of agriculture. Even today, agriculture makes up the majority of the job market and
economy in the county. The Greeley residents are very proud of their Western agriculture heritage and love to
celebrate it!
The AgriCULTURE Fest and Feast is put on every year as a celebration of Weld County’s rich agricultural and
artistic heritage and history. People come from all over Northern Colorado for this event which consists of a
market type affair, with local vendors and silent auctions taking place throughout the town. At the end of the
day, attendees are able to sit down and enjoy a delicious and decadent meal prepared by local chefs, using locally
sourced foods. There are also local craft beers and other spirits to enjoy before, during and after dinner.
Greeley Stampede
The Greeley Stampede is another celebration of the area’s rich agricultural history and Western Heritage. Every
year, a Greeley located nonprofit called The Greeley Stampede puts on a series of events to celebrate this
heritage. The biggest event is the Greeley Stampede, which is one of Colorado’s premier western summer
celebrations, taking place over 10 days. This festival is held at the Island Grove Regional Park, right before the
4th of July every year. It features a concert series, a rodeo series, American bullfighting event, a Demolition
Derby, a large carnival, food, vendors and plenty of activities for children and the whole family.
Centennial Village Museum
The Centennial Village Museum is an 8-acre living history experience featuring over 35 architecturally unique
structures. This live museum offers an interactive experience of the history and heritage of Greeley. Here, you
can experience the daily lives and challenges of the people who first settled Northeastern Colorado. Here, you
can see the real-working blacksmith forge and paint shop, where you will learn how the pioneers made rope and
cooked their food. This museum allows visitors to step back in time and learn about the early pioneer settling of
the western high plains.
Recreation
Though Greeley is a small city, there are plenty of fun recreational activities. Greeley is full of delicious and
locally owned restaurants, businesses that assist in enjoying the outdoors, areas to be active and much more.
Below are just a few of the fun recreational activities you can enjoy in Greeley.
Discovery Bay Outdoor Waterpark
The Discovery Bay Outdoor Waterpark is located in east Greeley. It offers fun for the whole family, for people
of all ages! This is just one of the aquatics facilities located in Greeley. The Discovery Bay Waterpark is a themed
waterpark to make it feel like an archeological dig site. You won’t only have fun here, but you can learn more
about the history of Northern Colorado when dinosaurs roamed the area.
Other aquatic facilities in the city include a variety of indoor and outdoor pools, various splash parks and even a
few other waterparks! For a small city, Greeley sure does have a lot to offer it water-loving residents.
Greeley Ice Haus
The Greeley Ice Haus is a great resource for recreational activity for Greeley residents. It offers public ice
skating, family ice skating and lessons for all age groups and levels. The facility offers both youth and adult
hockey leagues, where residents can enjoy some friendly competition. It is also a popular location for birthday
parties and room rentals for private events. Broomball, a Colorado classic, is also offered at the Ice Haus. The
facility offers many fun events where people often go to socialize and enjoy some ice sports.
Sports for the Whole Family
Outside of the high school sports leagues, Greeley offers its residents with both adults, youth, and elder leagues
for countless sports including basketball, soccer, hockey, and way more. Greeley advocates for its residents to
enjoy activities that promote physical health. There is plenty to keep you busy through these leagues and
Greeley’s various recreational gym facilities.
Geography
Greeley has an elevation of 4,658 feet above sea level, only a few hundred feet below the elevation of Denver, the
Mile High City. Greeley is located in the Northeastern region of Colorado. Greeley does not have much water
located within its 30 mile area, except for the South Platte River and the Cache la Poudre River both running
through it.
Greeley’s geography is consistent with that associated with the High Plains of northern Colorado. Unlike many
areas of western Colorado, Greeley is fairly flat.
TRANSPORTATION
Greeley has an excellent public transportation system, allowing residents to hop around the city without a car of
their own. Greeley has a bus system that will take you pretty much anywhere you want to go. The bus system is
fairly accommodating in order to make it as easy as possible for residents to get around the city, and even get to
other cities like Fort Collins.
The standard bus in Greeley has 7 different routes. The standard rate for the bus is only $1.50 for one way trips.
An annual pass costs $240. The bus service offers senior discounts and riders 18 and under ride for free.
The Poudre Express is the commuter bus line in Greeley. This bus service connects Greeley, Windsor and Fort
Collins. It operates Monday through Friday, completing four runs in the morning, and three in the
afternoon/evening. This commuter line is equipped with free Wi-Fi and is very accommodating for its riders.
The Paratransit Service is offered to service disabled residents. It operates from Monday through Friday, from
6:00am to 7:00pm, and Saturday from 7:00am to 5:00pm. To qualify for the Paratransit, you must fill out an
application and fall under the qualifications of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
AMENITIES
Greeley has a lot to offer its residents and visitors. It has plenty of restaurants and coffee shops to offer, as well
as plenty of markets. Finding groceries in Greeley is no challenge as the area offers various grocery options.
There are various different shopping options in Greeley. Featuring both a significant number of locally owned,
smaller shops, and a traditional shopping mall full of international retailers.
Greeley offers numerous health service options. Not only does it include a distinguished hospital, but also
various specialized services such as dental and orthodontic offices, eye doctors, and specialized children clinics.
AVERAGE HOME SALES
Greeley is not necessarily a cheap city to live in, but it is affordable. The medium home cost in Greeley is
$294,700, compared to the national average of $231,200, and the Coloradan average of $384,000. The average
mortgage amount in Greeley is around $450, with the median rent residing around $371. Buying a property in
Greeley is more affordable than many other locations in Colorado.
COST OF LIVING
Greeley, Colorado landed itself in the Top 10 Affordable Places to Live in 2016, a ranking done by livability.com.
Oftentimes the cost of living is analyzed on a scale. On this scale, featured on bestplaces.net, 100 on the scale is
the national average. Overall, Greeley rates as 105.9, so a bit more expensive than other places in the US.
Compared to other locations in Colorado, however, Greeley is less expensive. Colorado’s overall rate is 121.1,
higher than Greeley’s.
The cost of utilities, transportation, groceries and healthcare are all lower than both the national average and the
Coloradan average, making Greeley one of the most cost efficient locations to live in Colorado. Compared to the
urban locations surrounding Greeley, such as Windsor and Fort Collins, Greeley is much less expensive.
WEATHER
Greeley experiences a semi-arid climate. High temperatures in the summer usually fall around 90-95 degrees
with the low temperatures in the winter landing around 16-27 degrees, in the coldest months.
Most of Colorado has an extremely dry climate and Greeley is no exception. Because of the city’s proximity to
the Rocky Mountains and location of a lower elevation, the city experiences fewer thunderstorms and
precipitation than the Western landscapes. That being said, however, the areas adjacent to the city experience
hailstorms. These areas are mostly comprised of farmland and can experience between 7 and 9 hail days per
year, sometimes resulting in significant damage to structures and vehicles.
SHOPPING
Greeley offers its residents and visitors a good variety of places to shop that can provide everyone with a place
to find exactly what they are looking for. They showcase a wide range of well-known, national retailers and
numerous small town shops, locally owned and locally run.
Downtown Greeley is where you will find the locally owned and operated shops. You can enjoy an afternoon of
shopping while enjoying the unique atmosphere of the historic buildings, cobblestone roads and outdoor
beauty. Here, there is shopping for everyone! No matter what you are looking for, you should be able to find it
in the downtown shops.
Centerplace is a new development in Greeley that is meant to support the growing population. Here, you have
access to national retailers and bigger stores than you may find downtown. At Centerplace, you can find a
Target, Kohls, a Ross Dress for Less, and a Safeway.
Greeley also has a traditional shopping mall, where you can find many well-known stores. The mall retailers
offer what you would expect from a mall. Clothes, accessories, shoes, and even auto care. It offers over 70 stores
for shoppers to choose from. It even has a multiplex cinema that offers various movie theaters to show new
releases.
Schools
Though Greeley is not a big city, it is home to some great education opportunities. Greeley has a good variety of
public, charter and private schools, in addition to two colleges located in the city.
Public Schools: Greeley’s public school system serves more than 21,000 students in Greeley and Evans. Greeley
is located in Weld County School district 6, which includes 25 district-operated schools, six charter schools and
even one fully online school. This school district is the 13th largest in Colorado.
Elevating the public school experience, students at the Greeley public high schools have the great opportunity to
take courses through Aims Community College and the University of Northern Colorado. The local option of
attending college while still in high school is a great opportunity that many students choose to partake in. Each
high school also has Advanced Placement classes and some offer the International Baccalaureate Program.
Private Schools: In addition to the public school options in Greeley, there are various private schools that city
residents can attend. There are more than 10 private schools in Greeley, ranging in specialization and grade
range. Many of these schools are Jesuit, offering a specific experience for its students. There are both all girl and
all boy schools, as well as co-ed. There is a Montessori School as well, which offers students smaller class sizes
for more direct learning. Dayspring, a private Christian pre-k-12th grade school, is one of the largest private
schools in Greeley and offers many sports and extra curricular activities as well.
No matter what need your child has, there are plenty of options all the way from preschool through post high
school. Having two colleges in town is another benefit that many of these schools utilize in their teaching.