Aurora Apartments and Rentals

With more land area and about half the population of nearby Denver, Aurora has reasonable reasons to dream big. This is still a suburban-style city, however, with few tall buildings and only a small central business district. While that means that the city will likely live in Denver's shadow for the foreseeable future, an Aurora apartment still makes a good bet for those seeking a cozy Colorado home.

Back in 1907, the four-square-mile town of Fletcher changed its name to Aurora and began to blossom. Its expansion was so substantial that this Denver suburb now competes with its better-known neighbor. Some in Aurora scheme to get more recognition for their city, but that still seems far off. Denver may not be bigger in size or dramatically more populous, but it's got the colorful history Aurora lacks.

What Aurora does have, however, is over 400 ethnic restaurants, thousands of acres of parks, and dozens of distinct neighborhoods. Original Aurora marks the site where historical Fletcher stood. It now serves as the city's downtown. Lowry Campus was once an air force base. Other colorfully named neighborhoods include Fox Hill, Heather Ridge, Saddle Rock, and Tallgrass.

Buckley Air Force Base, home of the 460th Space Wing and 140th Wing of the Colorado Air National Guard, holds the title as Aurora's largest employer. The next three biggest are all part of the health care industry: Anschutz Medical Campus, the University of Colorado Hospital, and Children's Hospital. Raytheon, ADT Security Services, and Staples also offer work within Aurora city limits.

Prospective students will find a handful of post-secondary schools in Aurora, from Regis University to Columbia College-Aurora to the Community College of Aurora. A number of for-profit schools operate in the city as well.

Your expenses in Aurora will stay even with the national average, more or less. Rents are fairly reasonable, with a middle-of-the-road one-bedroom apartment renting for about $800 a month. The vacancy rate is five percent. That means 1 out of every 20 rental properties will be available at any given time.

Aurora is city that appreciates its parkland. There are seven public golf courses to choose between, plus a handful of private clubs. The Morrison Nature Center, crossed with trails, preserves precious wildlife habitat. The Jewell Wetland and a pair of reservoirs also give residents plenty of opportunity to take the air.

For less outdoorsy entertainment, the Aurora History Museum presents exhibits on local topics and the Aurora Symphony Orchestra puts on a full season of concerts. You can also catch a show at the Aurora Fox Arts Center.

If you're looking for a special event to add to your Aurora calendar, the Banks in Harmony Summer Concerts series offers free outdoor music shows. Acts play everything from big band to blues to rock 'n' roll. Aurora's Fourth of July Spectacular features the largest display of fireworks in the metro area, plus a blast of live music. You can also check out the family-style fun at KidSpree @ YumFest or see how far you can send a pumpkin flying at the Punkin Chunkin Colorado competition.

To get started seeking your Aurora apartment, look through the listings here on Rent.com®. We'll do all we can to help you get settled soon.