A growing market and a rural atmosphere in Dacono
Among the farmlands of Weld County, Dacono is a rural, north Denver suburb with a growing housing market and easy access to city amenities. Less than 3 miles from Interstate 25, Dacono sits just south of Frederick and Firestone, home to recreation areas, public schools and suburban amenities. “Dacono, Frederick and Firestone are referred to as the Tri-Cities,” says Emily Wolfe, a local Realtor with Porchlight Real Estate Group. “Each town has its own community, but they are so close together that the amenities and businesses are accessible from whichever town you live in. It’s a rapidly growing area, and homebuyers are drawn to the rural feel and easy access to Denver and Boulder.”
New developments meet century-old architecture
On the north side of town, homes date back to the mid-to-late 1900s, while most of the area's homes were built after 2000. The town’s population has more than doubled over the past 20 years, and new developments have been keeping up with demand. Near the town’s center, bungalows, split-levels and ranch-style homes line the streets, while newer subdivisions feature modern traditional and craftsman-style architecture. “Home prices here are attractive, and tend to be lower than Firestone and Frederick, on average,” Wolfe says. Manufactured homes and fixer-uppers range from $120,000 to $390,000, while move-in-ready single-family homes can go for $400,000 to $990,000. Two to three-bedroom townhomes range from $350,000 to $360,000.
Concurrent enrollment at Frederick High and the University of Colorado
The Dacono area is served by Thunder Valley K-8, which earns a C-plus overall grade from Niche, offering a selection of summer programs. Project Launch is a free program for elementary students to garner reading and math skills in a summer-camp environment. The B-minus-rated Frederick High School partners with the University of Colorado at Denver for its CU Succeed program, where students can earn college credit through courses like music theory, digital photography and intro to fiction.
Local eateries, from sweets to Mexican fare
There are a handful of eateries on Seventh Street and Carbondale Drive, including Amazin Glaze Donuts and El Taco Loco II, which serves Mexican cuisine. Jerry D’s offers pub fare, from bacon steak burgers to fish and chips. The eatery also has regular live music in its outdoor beer garden. There are also a few fast-food chains in town, including Ziggi’s Coffee and Wing Shack. For last minute essentials, shoppers can swing by the local Family Dollar or Esh's Discount Groceries, while Safeway is around 3 miles north in Firestone. “They also just added a huge new King Soopers to the area,” Wolfe says.
Outdoor recreation in the Tri-City area
The 6-acre Clem Dufour Park is home to picnic tables, a baseball diamond, basketball courts, a playground and a splash pad. Across the street, the Dacono BMX course hosts local competitions from March through October. David H. Osborne Park has a playground and open field space. A short dive north, Centennial Park has walking paths, athletic fields and an amphitheater.
An annual air balloon festival and live music
Every June, Centennial Park hosts the three-day Frederick in Flight hot air balloon festival, where locals gather to watch dozens of colorful hot air balloons launch at sunrise. The Dacono Music and Spirits Festival is a free event complete with a full schedule of live music, food vendors, spirits tastings and a beer garden.
Easy access to Interstate 25
Interstate 25 lies 3 miles west of Dacono and leads around 28 miles south to downtown Denver and roughly 42 miles north to Fort Collins.
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Written By
Jillian Pillow
