Littleton, Colorado

Nearly 90 percent white, Littleton is hardly a diverse community with nearly 10 percent of its population listed as Hispanic. Mostly married people with children, Littleton has scattered apartment buildings throughout.

The city is filled with chain restaurants and bars, mostly on its main streets, Bowles, Belleview, Santa Fe Drive and Littleton Boulevard. Littleton's historic Main Street (pictured) is the home to several bars, restaurants, shops and the Main Street Events Center. Denver's downtown area and other entertainment venues are easily accessible via light rail or car from Littleton.

The average home price was $276,000, according to the latest U.S. Census figures. The median rental price is $837. About 62 percent of Littleton's properties are resident-owned.

The Regional Transportation District's southwest light rail serves Littleton with stops along Santa Fe Drive with a train commute of about 30 minutes. Several bus routes also serve the city's residents. East-west routes that are easily traveled include Littleton Boulevard, Belleview Avenue, Bowles, and County Line Road, the latter which stretches from I-25 to the west where it parallels with C-470, a major highway that loops around much of Denver, connecting with I-25 to the east and I-70 to the west. The most popular commute route downtown is along Santa Fe Drive and takes about 45 minutes.

With nearly 14 square miles of area, there are plenty of apartments available. Plan a day or two driving around or hire an apartment broker or rental service. Surfing the Web is another tool.

The big-box pet stores are plentiful. Step outside the big-box stores and give local shops and veterinarians your business.

There are a plethora of recreational activities a short drive, walk or bike away. From the huge Chatfield Reservoir to Marston and McLellan Reservoirs, there are plenty of fun opportunities for boaters, water skiers and water-sports enthusiasts. Golfers won't want for a place to swing their clubs, with several public (Raccoon Creek, Centennial, Englewood, South Suburban, etc.) and private (Pinehurst, Columbine, Green Gables, Glenmoor and Cherry Creek Golf Club) courses in the area. Littleton is home to Hudson Gardens, the Town Hall Arts Center and the Main Street Players Theater Company.

The aforementioned Main Street district was formed in 1989 and has thrived with eateries with inventive names like The Fat Frog and The Gorilla Room. Main Street is home to Arapahoe Community College and the Town Hall Arts Center. The nearby Riverfront Center is an events facility that was transformed from an abandoned shopping mall.

Littleton is a sprawling city with plenty of grocery stores, banks, fitness centers and other businesses, especially the big-box retailers (Target, Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Best Buy, etc.).

The Littleton School District has 17 elementary, preschools and fine arts academies. It has three high schools (Arapahoe, Heritage and Littleton) and four middle schools. Jefferson County's school system also serves Littleton, with three high schools in the area - Dakota Ridge, Chatfield and Columbine. Columbine was the site of the worst high school shooting in U.S. history. Two students killed 12 fellow students and a teacher before killing themselves in 1999. Columbine High was inaccurately reported as in Littleton; it's actually in unincorporated Jefferson County, though some Littleton residents do attend the school.

Much of Littleton has been built up, so there is only the occasional new construction. You can find homes in the mid $200s to as much as $750,000.

Like much of the Front Range in Colorado, Littleton has more than 300 days a year of sunshine. Winter snows can be heavy but often the snow has melted off the streets in a day or two. Temperatures rarely get below 20 degrees in the winter months. Spring is the wettest season with temperatures in the summer rarely straying above 95. Fall is one of the most pleasant months, often with temperatures a comfortable 60 to 70 degrees.