Thanks - good to know and I think you’re right- even if I can get a job as a counselor, I won’t be making enough money to live in Boulder, so that’s out. Will check into those other towns.
In general, its less expensive in the small towns and gets expensive in the cities.
The ski resort towns are for trendy yuppies. If you have disposable cash you can live there.
Keep in mind any place in the mountains is going to be a two hour commute to Colorado Springs and a four hour commute to Denver. But on the other hand, the mountain roads pass through some of the most scenic sights you will ever see.
If for no other reason than to not feed the insanity that is liberal Boulder politics with your tax dollars, I would recommend you not live there. But their policies have made it impossible to live there. Cost of living is outrageous.
It is so funny, the road that connects Longmont to Boulder - The Diagonal - is one of the most painful commutes in the morning going into Boulder, and in the afternoons coming into Longmont. People have to live outside of Boulder.