I'd agree that suburban Denver isn't perfect; but you said that living here is "desperate" and that's ridiculous. Maybe it doesn't fit into what you'd consider a great place to live-maybe you aren't into outdoor activities, maybe you like denser cities where you can walk, etc. However, your personal preferences don't apply to everybody. 

Furthermore, I get the feeling that when you say travel, you mean other first world countries because no one would visit a third world country, where a lot of people live in poverty, and call Denver's suburbs "desperate."