I'm writing a fanfic where I need a city or town in the Denver area where the local terrain is hilly or mountainous. It would also help if the city or town were somewhat affluent or considered "a nice neighborhood".

Would Centennial fit this description? If not, could you suggest another town?

If you want mountainous and affluent near Denver, the first thing that comes to mind is Aspen or Vail. Depending on the time of year/weather, they're about an hour's drive away. Centennial is nice, but it's not the first thing that comes to mind if you want "hilly".

I don't live there, mind you. I've only visited so maybe my memory is skewed.

Looking at the map, Colorado Springs is about the same distance and you've got Pikes Peak and Cheyanne Mountain (NORAD, AKA Stargate Command) nearby.

If you're not in a huge hurry, I'll ask my cousin who lives in Arvada. It's a Denver suburb but I don't remember it as being very hilly--it's on the plain just in front of the mountains. (It's been too long since I've been out there.)

You can always take a look at the area through Google Maps (use the Street View to see what it looks like).

Google Maps - Denver area

malu

Friends of mine say the Western suburbs are quite hilly and the Highlands in the North, too.

This from a Denver real estate site: Western Suburbs: Evergreen, Morrison and Conifer are located in the nearby foothills and also share Jefferson County schools. These are Denver’s picturesque ‘mountain-like’ communities. They have gorgeous views and sometimes limited access to rural communities up dirt and gravel roads. But, there is upscale suburban living here too including a few gated communities, golf courses and planned communities.

Here is the website quoted.

Here is another site describing Denver Neighborhoods

Amy

OMG, Evergreen is GORGEOUS. It's exactly what you're thinking of when a mountainous, gorgeous Colorado town comes to mind. We have some extended family there and every time we go visit, I drool a little ... until I remember how my husband gets nose bleeds at high altitudes, and we flee back to Seattle.

I like that area because it's not too bad of a drive to the more urbanized areas of Jefferson County, such as Lakewood, Arvada or Westminster, or even into Denver, but it's also up in the mountains far enough to not be urban (as in, yow, the terrain can be a bear, especially if it's icy). So yes, it is very hilly. LOTS of money and lots of class.

And they have the best hot chocolate ever at the skating rink in town. Just saying.