After 17 years of living in a condo in Steamboat Springs, local elementary school teacher Aurora Sidell sold and moved into a three bed, three bath home on five acres in Craig. The longtime employee of the Steamboat Springs School District didn’t leave her job, but she outgrew her space.
Commute Over Confinement
“I have two horses and paying for board was almost like a second mortgage,” she said. “I could never have afforded what I have now in Steamboat, so I took the commute over confinement.” Sidell is one of five district employees who recently moved 40 miles east to Craig. “I come to Steamboat to work, ski and see friends, but I have an incredible amount of open space to explore off my doorstep.”
Coal Mine to Close
The average home value in Craig is just over $250K and values rose 18% in the past year. Currently, the largest employer in the area is the Craig Power Station and coal mine with 115 employees, but it is set to close within the next 10 years.
Locals hope tourism will be the ticket for longevity to the area’s economy. Sidell believes Craig will grow as a commuter town for those working in Steamboat Springs.
Craig Offers Plenty of Space
Set halfway between Denver and Salt Lake City, Craig is a rural landscape famed for its hunting. Moffat County spans millions of acres of public land. Tens of thousands of hunters roll into town filling hotels and eateries every year. “If you look around, good things are happening for the community here,” Sidell says speaking about local initiatives including plans to develop a series of mountain bike trails. “Craig is a natural migration for those of us who want space, and people here have a connection with the land.”
Western History
Craig was settled in the 1870s by ranchers. The Museum of Northwest Colorado, on the outskirts of town, houses the Cowboy and Gunfighting Museum where a personal collection of 1,000 artifacts lures visitors every year. Beyond agriculture, Moffat County offers employment opportunities in construction, retail, hospitality, education, government, and healthcare.
Great Education and New Hospital
The area boasts a Colorado Northwest Community College campus, which currently serves around 250 students in subjects including early childhood education and mechanics plus associate degrees in cosmetology or nursing. The Memorial Hospital in Craig opened a new facility in 2019, reducing the need to travel for a host of treatments.
“I think we are at a tipping point,” says Sidell, who continues to teach at the Sleeping Giant School in west Steamboat. “I know many people feel Steamboat is getting crowded but if you are happy to make the drive, you get the best of both worlds.”