Then and Now in South Western Colorado

In the South Western Colorado City of Cortez there is a rich history indeed. Durango has about 14,000 people, Cortez 8,000 and Pagosa Springs 1600. Services represent 31% Retail 18% (not including hotel and restaurants). In retail car sales and automotive are huge 22.8%, Food 16%, Builder Materials 16.8%, General Retail 12.8%.

 Also money from manufactured products of smaller manufacturers. Government payments to employees and projects in the parks. The most circlerable money comes from comes from local construction of homes and upgrades.

Looking for “Traditional West” type living. The McPhee reservoir has some very large nice homes with land and boating available. La Plate County consisting of Durango, Ute Indian Reservation and Bayfield have all had growth both from population increases from new borns and move ins. Biggest is Durango, which is quickly becoming a Park City Utah, Jackson Hole Wyoming, Whitefish Montana, type of an area. 1.2% annual growth. Also of interest is the problem with fire after droughts and thunder and lightening storms. There were 22,000 lightening fires in the western states in 2001 alone, many in the four corners and Colorado Plains and Mountain areas
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Water issues are not a problem in the Cortez area but are in Pagosa and Durango. The reservoirs near Cortez have very high up the food chain water rights, but willfully participate in voluntary restrictions resulting in an immediate reduction of 20%. Farmington, NM is mission critical and surely Santa Fe, Las Vegas, Gallup all worried. If you will remember the water issues and fires last few years and the issues with the rivers of Colorado, Arizona and NM you will recall the seriousness
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Durango is a bit unfriendly to tourists, which is interesting.
Delores is 50% services and Durango has a problem keeping quality people to help to help the wealthy homeowners with handy man services and tradesman work. Inflows of Delores are similar to the region and 27% retail. In San Juan County they use an interesting term “amenity migration” Where residents buy second homes to enjoy the real rural type of life with nearby shopping and anything they would want. It is a good place to live, great place to visit and excellent place to run a business indeed.

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