Living in Rifle

I was recently offered a job in the town of Rifle and I'm debating on whether or not I should take it. I'm obviously not worried about the quality of climbing there but more if I could handle the day to day living out there. What's the scene like? Any input from people who have lived and worked there would be greatly appreciated. Cheers.

Being in the area is great once you get here you will never want to be anywhere els. But buying or renting a house in rifle is a huge mestake, New castle and Glenwood are great places to live I would not consider anything west of that. MSG me your email if you need any more info on the area or looking for a climbing partner.

Resurrecting this decades old thread.  My wife and I are living in Moab and considering a move to CO in the next while.. We drive on the weekends to climb in Rifle and love it.  I'm wondering if the town of Rifle has gotten any better, from a liberal/climber/family point of view?  I'm pretty aware that Rifle (most likely) is still the roughneck oil/gas town but wonder if that has subsided a bit in the last few years?  I think our ideal location would be in Glenwood but obviously that is much more spendy than Rifle.  Then there's New Castle but it seems so small.  I do hear there's a burgeoning climbing community starting there.

We enjoy living in Moab but it's not a great family sort of town if you're in the climbing community.  I'm also ready to get out of a red state and go someplace more progressive which ultimately brings up my reservation about living in Rifle.  I guess I'm hoping for some sort of update about living in Rifle and/or some positive feedback on New Castle.  I guess I should mention that I'm not too excited about living anywhere east of Glenwood Canyon to avoid the ski traffic, weather, etc.  Eagle looks great but also way spendy and farther from Rifle than I would like.

Thanks all.   

I've always liked New Castle, a charming little town. 

As to whether Rifle has gotten any more attractive in recent years, not noticeably. I personally would not consider living there. It seems to me like an epicenter that radiates unpleasantness in all directions.

Even the freeway exit at rifle is crappy. Look at battlement Mesa perhaps? Or be brave and be the change you want to see in rifle. The entire western slope has drifted left in recent years but it is still very conservative

"Home is where ya make it" 

Thanks all.  I guess I got what I was expecting.  I'll have to check out New Castle a bit more.  I'd like to buy a piece of land in the next year or so and build a house but I'm anxious to commit to another small town.  Guess them's the brakes if ya want to live close to Rifle.

You could always live in the Grand Valley (Palisade, Grand Junction, Fruita) and drive the 90 minutes to the climbing.