I think there are more brand new SUV's per capita in Boulder than anywhere else I have been. Last May I recall explaining to one of the elite athletes who was in the United States for her first visit that Boulder is not typical of our country. During her visit her she had a race in Peoria IL and she was amazed at the difference. The cost of living is way up there. There is a big premium placed on status and possessions.
Housing is very expensive and there are a lot of very big houses built on some very small lots.
The big ones go UP from there. Many of the restaurants are 4 and 5 star and the wine lists go into the stratosphere. Yet Boulderites also put a huge premium on the environment and they possess a setting tailor made for outdoor activity. The concept of open space, which is owned and maintained by the county, is paramount to the infrastructure of Boulder. Within a few blocks of almost all housing there is a maze of interwoven trails and bicycle paths, which will quickly lead you away from the urban sprawl to the fields, and the serene backdrop of snow covered mountains.