Black Hawk, CO

Perched in a steep canyon about 45 minutes west of Denver, Black Hawk has a full-time population of barely one hundred residents. Founded as a bustling mining camp during the 1859 gold rush, the town eventually transformed into Colorado's premier casino destination. Today, the narrow valley floor is filled with large resort hotels, restored 19th-century brick buildings, and visitors heading up from the Front Range.

ATTRBl888 / CC BY-SA 3.0

Because commercial gaming takes up most of the downtown core, newcomers moving to the area generally look for homes in the quiet, wooded hills of surrounding Gilpin County. Living here puts hiking, skiing, and open mountain scenery right in your backyard, while local resorts provide a steady source of jobs and dining. Golden and the rest of the Denver metro area sit less than an hour away, making it easy to run major errands while enjoying a peaceful mountain setting.