I'm looking for some local input regarding good Mustachian places to live near Boulder, CO. I currently work in south Boulder and plan to stay at this job for a while. I currently rent an apartment in Boulder, but after computing the numbers, if I can start paying down a house it will help me be FIRE in the future. I'd like to continue living in Boulder so I can stay car-free, but the house prices are extremely high in Boulder. I don't need fancy or big, but still I am doubting whether the significant difference in prices 10 miles out make up for the commuting cost. At minimum I want yard enough for a garden & grill, and 2 bed/2 bath 1200 sqft.
My current goal is to reduce my working time to 50% ASAP rather than wait 10 years to be fully FIRE. So the following numbers are how many years of full-time work before I can go part-time, based on house price.
House Price / Years FT Work
$250k / 3 years
$300k / 4.5 years
$350k / 6 years
$400k / 7.5 years
If I move farther out I am looking at the following additional expenses:
-Commuting expenses (time & money)
-Car purchase
But as far as I can calculate, 1.5 years of part-time work > the expenses of living farther. On the other hand, I don't really want to live in the suburbs, so eventually when I'm FIRE I'd like to be in the city anyway.
What's been your experience, Boulder Mustachians? I know MMM recommends Longmont but I've heard that commute is terrible in the morning, and I'd prefer Louisville/Lafayette if I had to live outside. Will the benefits of living in Boulder outweigh the costs of the house?
Thanks!