Vibe in GJ:
- I'd say it's similar to Montrose, but not as touristy. It's a bigger town for sure.
- mostly conservative folks
- many out-doorsy people - hunting, mountain biking, hiking, skiing, fishing, camping, ATVing, TONS of open space to explore
- generally blue-collar folks, oil and gas, construction, etc.
- some homeless and bums down on the S side of town, but not overwhelming
- wineries and peach farms are big in the area
- good microbreweries around
Personally, I like it. Not terribly expensive to live. Flat tops are nearby, so you can go from 95 degrees in GJ to 60 degrees and 10,000' altitude in less than an hour. About 5-8 degrees warmer than Denver most of the year. Can get to 100 a few times in the summer.
Now... specifically, CMU.... my daughter wanted to go there, but they didn't offer the engineering discipline she wanted. She and my son have friends that go to CMU and everyone really likes it. Pretty campus, nice buildings, nice facilities.
We've had high school tennis tournaments there and everyone considers that their favorite tournament.
Let me know if you have other questions. I'm not an expert but go through there often. Restaurant recommendations, etc.