Berthoud, Loveland share desire for growth

Like sisters, Loveland and Berthoud share plenty in common: same county, same school district and economies that are linked by history and proximity.

But the two — like siblings — are also very different.

For one thing, their population sizes — 54,862 for Loveland and 5,057 for Berthoud, according to 2002 state estimates — set them apart.

Small-town Berthoud retains an agricultural influence nearly erased from Loveland. And Berthoud’s location links it to the Boulder County economies of Longmont and Boulder, which has been reflected in Berthoud real estate prices. Loveland, on the other hand, more closely resembles nearby Fort Collins.

Loveland…