Are Colorado Residents Really Unfriendly? Exploring the Myth and Reality

Moving to a New Place With High Hopes

When I first moved to Colorado from Tennessee, I was excited by the beautiful scenery and outdoor activities the state has to offer. Coming from a small town in East Tennessee known for its southern hospitality, I expected people in Colorado to be just as friendly. However, my first impression was that Coloradans seemed more self-centered compared to folks back home. People here just cared about themselves and their own activities, not striking up casual conversations with strangers.

Surface Level Friendliness Hides Deeper Indifference

Over time, I realized the friendliness shown by many Colorado residents was just superficial. They would talk to you with a smile, but conversations rarely went deeper. If you’re not part of their existing social circles, they don’t put in real effort to include outsiders. Some people here seemed outright indifferent to newcomers, as if outsiders like myself didn’t exist at all. Coming from a tight-knit rural community, this passive and cliquey behavior was quite a culture shock.

Comparing Colorado Natives to Transplants

Interestingly, the few Coloradans who weren’t openly cold were people from rural parts of the state similar to where I’m from. These true Colorado natives understood small town values of being welcoming to outsiders. In contrast, many transplants from large cities like California seemed the rudest and most entitled. They look down on others who aren’t part of their social scene in Denver or Boulder. So it’s not really the native Coloradans but transplants changing the culture here.

Unwelcoming Attitudes Hurt Local Economy and Communities

Colorado prides itself on being a growing, diverse state. But the unwillingness of many residents to integrate outsiders is concerning long-term. When newcomers feel unwelcome and find it hard to build social networks, they are less likely to put down roots and participate fully in local communities. This hurts economic and cultural vitality over time. Areas with little population growth often stagnate while welcoming cities thrive through diversity and inclusion of outsiders.

Natural Beauty Outweighs Superficial People

While the surface-level people have been disappointing, I’ve come to appreciate Colorado for its unparalleled natural beauty rather than social opportunities. With so much to explore outdoors through hiking, skiing and more, it’s easy to spend more time in nature than forced interactions. The natural landscape is why I chose to stay, rather than return to Tennessee where people were friendlier but there was less scenic allure.

Finding Comfort Through Like-Minded Outsiders

Fortunately, by getting involved in activity groups focused on my hobbies, I found a supportive community of fellow transplants in similar situations. Many outsiders bond over the shared experiences of struggling to penetrate local cliques. We look out for each other instead of being competitive like the clicks of natives and transplants. This network of fellow newcomers has become my surrogate family in Colorado, offsetting the unwelcoming attitudes of some locals.