[shostack]

What are the best areas to live in these days if you want a smallish downtown in walking distance and a decent commute to the most job options?

I hear Boulder home prices rival the Bay (while pay does not), but not sure about the surrounding areas.

[rpedela]

Boulder city home prices are ridiculous however the surrounding area (Louisville, Broomfield, etc) is more reasonable especially when compared to the Bay Area. However home prices along US-36 (main corridor between Boulder and Denver) are starting to increase rapidly.

In my experience, software engineering pay is plenty if you factor in the cheaper cost of living compared to Bay Area.