Sterling (about 13k residents) is an affordable, friendly “Queen City of the Plains” with small‑college energy from Northeastern Junior College, a growing local dining/arts scene and quick access to wide open outdoor escapes like Pawnee National Grassland — very livable and interesting for multi‑week travel‑therapy stays.
For extra options within roughly an hour, Fort Morgan (≈48 miles) provides bigger shopping, dining and services, and nearby Yuma is a short drive for more prairie recreation and regional connections.