A neighborly atmosphere and small-town charm in Yuma
Yuma is a rural community with historic architecture and a charming downtown that dates back to the late 1800s, between the wide open spaces of Colorado’s northeastern plains. The town’s roots lie in agriculture, which remains its largest industry today, with corn, wheat and cattle farms throughout Yuma County. “Yuma has a quiet, small-town atmosphere,” says Robin Renzelman, a local Realtor with RLR Property & Management LLC. “People know their neighbors. It’s the kind of town where everyone knows one another. And while you’re far from any major cities, that’s a big draw for some people. Locals like the peace and quiet.”
Local businesses on Main Street
Brick storefronts line Main Street, including clothing boutiques, a florist and a photography studio. The Yuma Theatre shows new blockbusters and classic flicks, with showings on Mondays for just $1. Farm House Market serves seasonal coffees, breakfast burritos and baked goods from cookies to cinnamon rolls. Tumbleweed Taps has pub fare from fish and chips to steak sandwiches with Tuesday pizza nights. Mexsu specializes in a unique menu with both authentic Mexican fare and signature sushi rolls that can be enjoyed alongside a hand-crafted cocktail. Shop-All is the local grocery store, with the nearest major supermarket around 60 miles west in Fort Morgan.
A diverse housing scene in the Colorado plains
Century-old bungalows sit next to 1970s split levels, brick ranch-style homes and Victorian revivals on quarter and half-acre lots. Fenced-in back yards are shaded by mature trees, and most homes have back-of-house parking. Sidewalks connect the community’s residential pockets, and most houses are within a mile of downtown. Homes in Yuma tend to cost significantly less than the Colorado median, with prices ranging from $150,000 to $315,000.
The CAP Index Crime Score in Yuma is 2 out of 10, which is lower compared to the national average of 4.
Annual events and park spaces in Yuma
There are a handful of public parks and green spaces throughout town, including City Park, which has facilities for tennis, basketball and sand volleyball, along with a skate park, a playground and 2 acres of open field space. The Indian Hills Golf Club is home to a well-maintained, nine-hole course and open to the public. “Surrounding Yuma, you have flat land with few trees, but you still have nice pockets where you can walk and fish in town,” Renzelman says. Lake Yuma, known locally as “The Duck Pond,” has picnic tables and a half-mile tree-shaded walking path. The green space surrounding the lake plays host to yearly events like Lights on the Lake, a holiday lights show held each December. The Yuma County Fair has been held in the community since 1915, each April, with rodeos, live music and livestock shows.
Career based learning and agriculture courses
Most students attend Morris Elementary School and Yuma Middle School, which both earn B-minus grades from Niche. The B-rated Yuma High School offers a variety of agriculture-based courses, including animal production, agricultural mechanics and foundations of agri-business. High schoolers also have an array of career and technical education courses to consider, from principles of accounting and finance to fashion design and merchandising.
Nearby, the Yuma Public Library hosts a monthly book club and provides a summer reading program for kids.
Day trips to surrounding North Colorado communities
United States Route 34 runs through Yuma and spans roughly 62 miles west to Fort Morgan and around 37 miles east to the Nebraska border. “For a lot of shopping and dining, locals will take a day trip to Greeley or Denver, which are both around 2 hours away,” Renzelman says. The Colorado Plains Regional Airport is used for charter flights, while the nearest major airport is Denver International Airport, located around 140 miles west.
Written By
Jillian Pillow
