199 Comments so far

1. g on May 31, 2005 12:48 pm

   I’m moving to MT in exactly 4 weeks from today. I’m pretty excited about it. I’m getting out of the military and moving to Missoula because my fiancee is from MT and she wanted to move to a bigger town.

   I’ve visited MT twice, and I loved it both times. I think I’m going to have a blast, especially in the summer. Now if only I can find a good job!

2. Wulfgar on June 1, 2005 1:24 pm

   Dianeh, it would help a great deal if you clarified what kind of work you are seeking employment in. Some parts of the state are better than others for particular kinds of work.

3. Dianeh on June 1, 2005 4:01 pm

   Wulfgar, I’m not exactly sure what kind of work I want but my basic experience is in data entry and office clerical type of work. I’d like to find work in a small office if I have to go with office work. I am also looking into niche marketing online as well as ebook writing.
   Thanks for your comments Wulfgar. Do you know what areas of the state are good for clerical work?
   Diane

4. David on June 1, 2005 4:17 pm

   Diane: any specific kind of clerical work — for instance, do you have experience in medical office, or legal office, etc? And tell us — what are the most important features of the the place you want to live (other than a job!): near water, forest, skiing, lots of clubs (or few!), nearby college, etc. Talk to us — the more you tell, the better we can answer!

5. Dianeh on June 1, 2005 5:04 pm

   Ok, David, here goes. By the way thanks for the questions, helps me to think about what I want and what I can tell you all.
   I don’t have medical or legal office experience but would be open to getting some if the opportunity presents itself. Most recently I worked in a big rebuilt warehouse building on the night shift (3pm-11:30pm) with 100’s of other workers doing data entry for a contractor for the Dept. of Homeland Security. Yep, INS. I wasn’t a government employee but I did the processing of VISA paperwork, replacement “green card” applications, and undeliverable mail sent back to the INS. I hated it, by the way. Made me mad that we were letting all kinds of people in the country and many companies paid them to come here when we have lots of people who need work. Also learned a lot about how the INS (DHS) worked, unfortunately. Lots of money wasted and underhandedness but that’s neither here nor there. I was even surprised to learn that there were a lot of non-US citizens working there. Made me awful wary of the government as well as what’s happening to this country.
   I was good at my job but got tired of the attitude and constant stress that was there. Everyone was always highly aware that one could be fired at any moment for anything (especially if you got on the bad side of someone who was buddies with the management people). Lots of office politics and a lot of people working there who didn’t pull their own weight as far as work goes. Night shift didn’t agree with me so I’m looking for daytime work and would like M-F work with weekends off. One reason I liked Montana was it seems like not a lot of immigrants are ending up there and people there don’t seem to bend over backwards to be “politically correct” or to put up with a lot of things that other states do. Also the attitude and politeness were a good draw for me too.
   Ok, so off of that tangent…lol.
   I am looking for a place that’s got areas nearby for doing outdoor activities like hiking in the woods/mountains, horseback riding, camping, and cross-country skiing. I’d like to live out in the country on some acreage but that might have to wait until I can get some money put aside. I’ve been looking near Billings area because that seems to be a good starting point but I’m open to exploring other places as well. I’m not into cities so if I could find a decent job,(meaning one where I can pay my bills and rent, etc..), in a smaller town I’d be happier. I plan on trying my hand at ebook writing in the near future if I can come up with a new computer (had to relinquish my old (and I do mean OLD) computer to my former roommate – I also didn’t have room for it in the UHaul trailer). I am interested in history reenactor groups or mountainman gatherings (I think that’s what they are called) (where people dress like in the 1800’s or so and get together to have fun doing crafts, games, exhibitions of old skills, etc..). I’m divorced and a woman so finding a place where there are others willing to lend a hand once in a while would be nice (especially if they are single/divorced men in my age range…;-)) Oops, let that slip out…lol. I’m not into the bar scene as such but don’t mind going to a local hangout to chew the fat, so to speak.
   Ok, so that’s all I can think of to tell for now. If anyone has any questions or comments I welcome them. Thanks for the input and the nice welcome.

6. Dianeh on June 1, 2005 5:08 pm

   Oh, forgot to put in the comments before that I’m planning a trip to Montana to look around and I’m leaving this Friday. I don’t have an itinerary set but plan on going around Livingston and Billings area. Any suggestions for places to stay or where to go to see what the area’s like or information about local’s hangouts in and around that area would be appreciated.

7. MisplacedMTGirl on June 1, 2005 6:11 pm

   I lived in Bozeman and I must say I’ve traveled a lot around the U.S. and Europe. It’s my favorite city anywhere. I had moved away and made a beeline back as soon as I could.

   It’s near many things, has some great restaurants and it’s a big enough city to have everything that you need but everyone still has that small town hospitality. http://www.bozemanchronicle.com might give you an idea on jobs or rentals.

8. David on June 1, 2005 10:01 pm

   Diane, although I’ve only lived here for nearly three years, I think that Billings might be a bit too “remote” — despite being larger than the other towns in Montana, it’s also the most distant…as MisplacedMTGirl noted, Bozeman is a decent sized community, and it’s much closer to everything else (except Billings!)…closer to Butte, the mountains, Missoula, Helena, etc. It’s also a college town, like Missoula, but from what I understand, Bozeman is a bit less “granola-ey.”

9. Dianeh on June 1, 2005 10:57 pm

   Thanks for the link, MisplacedMTGirl. I’ll check it out.
   David, what do you mean by Billings being “remote”? Do you mean that it’s not close to other cities or that it’s not close to things to do?
   Any ideas what the prices are in Bozeman?
   I must admit I’m at a loss for how to go about all of this. I want to move soon but don’t know if I have all my ducks in a row so to speak. I don’t have a lot of money so am doing all this on a shoe string budget.
   I’d also like to get some opinions. What would you do first if you were considering a move to Montana from Arizona? Would you take a trip there and look for a job first or would you try to find a place to live first and then go for a job? Would you research it a lot online? Where would you get information to make some decisions?
   I’m probably overthinking this buy my parents have me spooked about just up and going. I know, I’m a big girl and can make my own decisions but this is a big move and I’m unsure of how to approach this.
   Any ideas?

10. David on June 1, 2005 11:30 pm

    Take a look at the map, Diane — Billings is kind of off by itself towards the center/right side of the state — if you stay a bit closer to the mountains (Bozeman, Butte, Billings, Missoula), you have more options and locations to choose from. My two cents — nothing against Billings!

11. Pandora on June 2, 2005 5:57 am

    I live near Billings and I think I understand what you mean by being remote. If you are looking for more trendy nightspots maybe Bozeman or Missoula would be a better place. One lament I have is that Billings does not get the same musical acts as Bozeman does. But Billings has mountain beauty as well…we aren’t THAT far away from hiking, camping, and whatnot. There are plenty of things to do here. And it is far cheaper to live in Billings than Bozeman. I think the job situation would be better solved by looking in Billings rather than Bozeman (with the college to contend with) or Missoula. Sorry but I just had to defend Eastern Montana! We are far more than just that side of Montana without the mountains. :-)

12. tom on June 2, 2005 2:55 pm

    Try Butte !

13. Jen on June 3, 2005 9:43 am

    If you are looking for a beautiful place in Montana, look no further than Flathead Valley. I live in Kalispell and around the county there is rolling farmland and beautiful mountains that surround this valley. To the north we have Big Mountain Ski Resort and to Glacier National Park, and to the south we have Flathead Lake (the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi). Kalispell is a growing town and we have new stores coming in almost every year, a new high school is being built. Yet it still maintains a small-town feel to it. It’s so beautiful and we’re obviously the best part of the state.

    http://www.kalispell.com

    PS – Missoula is full of college students. Recently there have been several false rape reports and it’s too crowded. Bleh. There’s nothing special about Missoula at all.

14. Jen on June 3, 2005 9:45 am

    About the price range – imagine renting in Bozeman or Billings even Missoula. If you’re looking for apartment you can find a REALLY nice place for $550.00 a month, it’s brand new. If you’re looking for a cheaper price, then buy a house. However we do have very nice rental places here, you can even rent a house. So don’t say, it’s out of your price range, just investigate. Look around for different realities here in the valley on the internet. It’s not that expensive here.

15. Nate on June 3, 2005 2:10 pm

    Think about Helena. Housing is fairly reasonable, and the majority of state government agencies are located here. With a clerical background, you shouldn’t have a difficult time getting on with on of them. The state doesn’t care, they even hired me. It’s not the most exciting place in the world, but it is beautiful and centrally located.

16. MisplacedMTGirl on June 3, 2005 8:04 pm

    My apartment in Bozeman was 600 a month .. now they are 625. This was a 2 bedroom, 1 bath apartment and included all of my utilities except for phone and cable. http://www.greentree-apartments.com Should you go that route I’d try to make sure you request not to have a building with a lot of students.. it can get loud at times. Rent overall in Bozeman is ok .. but then again I’m originally from CA so everything seems cheap to me!

    Rent IS cheaper in Billings and as it’s larger you may have more job opportunities. Whoever above me said Bozeman isn’t as granola-y as Missoula .. that’s a correct description. If you’d like a little cheaper rent .. or if you looked at buying .. it is cheaper in Belgrade. That is 8 miles out of Bozeman and about a 5 minute drive on the interstate.

    Another think you might want to look at is http://www.rentbozeman.com There usually isn’t ALOT on it but it may give you a little idea. Good luck!

17. dianeh on June 6, 2005 3:47 pm

    Hey there. Thanks for all the good responses. Who knew my foray into the blog world would start out successful…lol.
    I am right now at the job service office in Livingston so can’t stay on long. I did look at Butte but it seems like it is trying to be a mini-Las Vegas with all the casinos and such. I didn’t get a very good impression of it. I have also been through Bozeman and even on a Sunday night the traffic was terrible. I have been told by many locals that Bozeman is very expensive to live and most around here have two jobs just to live. I’m not sure I can handle two jobs at all.
    How do I go about finding these great buys in places to live and is there anyone on here who might be willing to give me more specifics on areas?
    I haven’t checked Helena or Great Falls but have been told that if I don’t like the traffic in Bozeman then I’m not going to like it in either Billings, Helena, or Great Falls.
    Also I have a 5lb Chihuahua (dog) and am going to need a place to live that accepts pets and that I can afford on one job so any suggestions?
    I do appreciate all the comments, keep em coming. I’m open to anything right now and I’m going to be able to check in for a few days here.
    Thanks.

18. dianeh on June 10, 2005 11:59 am

    Gee, what happened? Was is something I said or what? All of a sudden this thread became strangely silent.
    Sorry if I offended anyone.
    It’s been nice looking around Montana. Seems like the countryside is beautiful and the people are nice everywhere I’ve been. Unfortunately the jobs don’t pay well and even though the cost of living is low most people have told me they work two or more jobs to stay afloat here.
    Does anyone know anything about the area around Big Sky, MT?

19. MisplacedMTGirl on June 11, 2005 1:51 am

    HI! Sorry I can’t speak for anyone else but I WASNT offended .. just haven’t hopped on for a few days! Bozeman can be expensive .. and the locals complained of traffic when I was there to. What can I say? I was from Cali .. I live 15 miles from work and it’s an hour to and from each day .. to me Bozeman “traffic” was a cake walk. But I can totally understand how someone who isn’t used to horrific traffic would not like Bozeman traffic.

    As far as expenses there go .. again, I am from Cali. I paid 1295 for a 2 bedroom apartment so 600 was WONDERFUL to me lol.

    Big Sky is more posh and more expensive than Bozeman and there are less jobs, convienences around there in my opinion. I also found it to be if not equal to Bozeman a little more expensive. Bill Gates has a home there .. that should tell you something lol

    Your right .. a good many of the jobs in MT pay low. Unfortunatley even as prices grow in places like Bozeman etc the rates of pay haven’t really risen much. That’s why when I came this time I came with a nice little savings so I could work one job and cover the difference each month with my savings. Sad to have to do but to live in Montana was worth it to me.

    Billings has slightly better paying jobs from what I remember but I always thought it was an eyesore.

    If you have any other questions my email is MeetMeNMontana@aol.com. Feel free to email me anytime.

20. dianeh on June 11, 2005 5:38 pm

    Thanks for the reply, MisplacedMTGirl. I’m glad I didn’t offend.
    I can understand how you can say the prices were good relative to California. I would think 600 was wonderful too if coming from a place where 1200 was the norm. Seems to me the rent everywhere is getting steep not just in Montana. I was thinking about living in Prescott, AZ which is supposed to be in “high country” there but not near as pretty or nice as Montana but found that the rents there were not in line with the pay rate either. They wanted an average of 600/month on rents and jobs paid about $7/hour. Seems like maybe that is the trend everywhere, not just in Montana.
    Does anyone know about starting a business in Montana? Might be worth looking into.
    By the way, I’ve been visiting a friend in Roundup which is North of Billings. Pretty area but basically no jobs. I did go through Billings but was not impressed at all. Seemed like just another sprawled out urban jungle to me. I guess I’m more of a country woods lover myself.
    I may try checking back in Livingston even though the wind is bad at least the rent is less than Bozeman and it’s only 23 miles if I have to go to Bozeman for work. My thinking is that I just need to get up here and get some local connections and then maybe I’ll be able to find out about other better deals on rent or jobs. Seems like an insider has it better than an outsider does, so to speak.

21. David on June 11, 2005 10:20 pm

    The official “Starting A Business” site from the Montana Secretary of State website might have some good info.

22. MisplacedMTGirl on June 12, 2005 1:53 am

    Well I wish you luck. It can be hard to find a job here anywhere. I’m in hotel management and I ended up working at Walmart last time because it paid better! Can’t say that in many places lol

    I hope you find the perfect spot for you. It’s really a matter of preference. Some people LOVE Billings, I LOVE Bozeman .. I’m sure you’ll find your niche and the city you can’t imagine not living in :0)

23. Tracy on June 16, 2005 6:52 pm

    That’s so weird. I also live in Arizona and am planning a move to Montana in the not so distant future. It must be something about this place that us Zoni’s dislike. Anyway, I personally find it so difficult to find out any information about places to live online so seeing your blog is helping me out just as it’s helping you because although I am 100% sure I want to live in Montana, the big question of where in Montana would fit me (and my budget) is difficult. Looking forward to more answers from people though. It’s interesting. I also like the outdoors and the smaller-town lifestyle, and coincidentally I also own several chihuahuas, must be an Arizona thing…

24. dianeh on June 17, 2005 10:07 am

    Hi Tracy, that sure is strange having so much in common. You sure you’re not my twin…lol.
    I don’t know about Chihuahuas and Arizona, I got mine in Texas about 7 years ago. She is lonely though and I would like to get her a playmate later on.
    My recent trip was rather productive and I learned a lot about Montana, especially where I couldn’t live. Unfortunately a lot of places don’t want to pay enough for a person to live on and many people I talked to in Bozeman, Butte, Livingston, and Missoula told me they had two jobs just to make ends meet. I’ve never worked two jobs in my life and I’m not sure I want to start now but I may have to do something to supplement my income. Been thinking about online business ideas.
    For me it really helped to take a trip up there and see things first hand. It’s hard to just listen to what people tell you and not see for yourself if you like it. I got a lot of good information on here but as with everything people have different tastes and ideas so information from other sources only gets you so far.
    It seems as if a lot of Montana is not interested in the internet. There is internet access but a lot of people, especially ones my age (38) seem to be more into doing things rather than sitting at a computer talking about them although that’s a good thing is does make it difficult for those of us who are trying to get information.
    I am still set on living in Montana for sure. After doing a week and a half of checking around. My truck now has more miles on it and my wallet is way lighter…lol. I’ve pretty much narrowed my search down to Helena. Even though Bozeman and Deer Lodge caught my heart neither place seemed to be as within my budget and job needs as Helena did. Now I may get there and decide different but at least it’s a place to start out. Also Helena had more of a small town feel than Bozeman (often referred to by locals as Bozangeles). It did help that while I was driving through two deer stopped traffic in downtown Helena. Yep, I said deer in downtown Helena. They were crossing the street (although not in the crosswalk..lol) to get to one of many parks in the area. It didn’t seem like anyone thought that was out of the ordinary and when I asked a police officer I saw about it she just said they do that all the time.
    Helena is in a valley surrounded by mountains. It is not as tourist oriented as Bozeman, Butte, and Livingston plus there are state jobs there that would include benefits, which is something lacking a lot in other area. I also liked that there are forest and ski areas within a short drive of Helena.
    When I talked to people there I was told that they don’t get as harsh a winter there because the weather has to get over the mountains to reach them so the mountains basically shield them to some extent. I’m sure Helena has it’s drawbacks as any area would but for the most part I think that may be a good place to start for me. It may be a case of flying by the seat of my pants for a while but at least I’d be in a place I like.
    By the way, if you like horses be prepared to drool over Montana. I saw more horses than people in most places.
    Talk about my kind of heaven…lol.
    Tracy, if you want to exchange emails I’m up for that. Where in Arizona are you? I’m living near Wickenburg for now. Maybe we can put our heads together and brainstorm about Montana. Also I picked up a lot of brochures and information from all the areas I visited.
    I mostly stayed along I90 from Missoula to Billings but also went to Lewistown, Roundup, and Helena. I can share my impressions of the areas but keep in mind these are only my observations so others may have different opinions.

25. MisplacedMTGirl on June 20, 2005 10:52 pm

    Diane~ Glad that you’ve narrowed it down to a spot! My best friend lived in Helena when I lived in MT the first time. Seemed to be pretty cheap I think she was paying about 375 a month for a 2 bedroom apartment. Granted this was 4 years ago but still…
    I always got lost in Helena lol It reminds me of where I lived in Cali. My best friend Tracy LOVED it though but when she married she relocated to White Sulpher Springs. Talk about a one horse town with no jobs…
    I’d say from the few times I’ve been to Helena they have more jobs. It’s a larger city and there always seemed to be a lot more businesses there which of course may give you some more opportunities.
    I hope your really happy there and I wish you the best of luck! Even if it comes to the point where you decide Helena isn’t for you at least you are IN state and could take months and months exploring around, interviewing in other cities and not have to move as far. Good luck!

26. Tracy on June 21, 2005 3:29 pm

    That’s awesome information. And I agree with MisplacedMTGirl, at least if you decide to move out of Helena you’ll at least be close enough to look at other places either on weekends or whatever, you won’t have to do the long drive just to get to Montana. I do believe that you have to visit a place to really get the feel of it before making a committment because you’re right, everyone has different tastes and you can’t take someone’s word for it that you will like the same places they do. I guess you almost have to be born in your ideal city or you may never find it. As for me, I like the small town way of life more then I like this city junk, but then again, it’s really hard to find a small town when you don’t know where to look. For example, like I said, I want to move to Montana, but alot of things you can find online are about the cities and I don’t want to live in a big city, been there, done that. But you can hardly find any information about trying to move to a small town. That’s my dilemma, so I am just trying to continue working, save up some more money and just go, no matter where it takes me. What can I say? I like the thrill of not knowing. Sort of… If you want to email me I’m at Whsper2ascream@yahoo.com. Oh and by the way, I’m right in the heart of Phoenix, and I hate it to no end. Haha.

27. Kristen on June 22, 2005 2:34 pm

    Hey All,

    I’m here to add on to the moving to Montana posts. I will be moving to Missoula in a month and a half to attend graduate school. I absoluteIy love Missoula, but feel a little out of the loop looking for an apartment because I’m living in Maryland right now and it’s hard to get a feel of a place through ads or websites.

    I was wondering if anyone knows of any good apartment complexes close to the U. I am specifically looking at Alpha Arms apartments, but I’m not sure how good they are. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

28. Carol on June 23, 2005 4:13 pm

    Hi,

    Just found this site and had to throw in my two cents. I have been living in Montana…Choteua, of all places, for just about 4yrs. now. I decided to leave Wyoming after my youngest graduated highschool and all I did was put up maps of Idaho, Washington, Montana and Colorado…stood back and threw darts. Best 3 outta 5 hit Montana…best 2 outta 3 hit around the Glacier Park area. I spent one long weekend up in Colombia Falls and came back to Wyoming with a job and an apartment lined up. Gave my two weeks notice and I was gone! I have to say that I definitely did NOT have tons of money, actually left Wy. with just $700 and a promise of work. Was the best move I ever made!
    I moved down to Choteau, a beauty of a little outta the way town along the Rocky Mt. front, and have been happy here ever since. I’m not saying that all the big *cities* in Montana aren’t great…but I’m just one for living in a smaller town, less people. I’m also a firm believer in that there is always work for those who are willing…especially here in Montana. Plus the bonus of living in a small town is that rent/buying is unbelievably low. I’m looking at buying a small 1 bedroom house for under $30,000….it’s even in livable condition! Just a little investment. We’re bound to be discovered sooner or later.

    I just opened a business 8 months ago, and I think Montana makes it difficult to start a business with all their fees, inspecitons, tax burdens and paperwork (compared to Wyoming, at least) but so far…so good.

    I guess my best advice to ANYONE wanting to move here….do your homework, KNOW the difference between what you need and what you want in your life. Remeber too, failure isn’t falling down…it’s not getting up.
    Good luck to all!

29. dianeh on June 23, 2005 7:15 pm

    Tracy, Yeah I hear ya about living in downtown Phoenix – yikes, that is such a monster town.
    Kristen, sorry but didn’t go as far up as Missoula on my trip as I ran out of time and money. Seems like most places are good in most cities or towns in Montana. When I asked the ladies at the welcome center in Helena about bad areas of town they just looked at me like I was speaking a foreign language and said they didn’t know of any. I think that’s why I liked that area so much. Have you tried contacting the college and asking about housing. Often times the college will have people “in the know” about local housing and if there have been problems with places. Might be worth a try.
    Carol, that’s great. I never thought about throwing darts to find a place but it seems that sometimes it works. Just hope the area isn’t discovered any time soon or it will be overrun and become out of this world expensive like Bozeman is getting unfortunately. I would have liked to had a job and place lined up in a small town but things didn’t work out on the last trip. I would like to live outside of Helena in a smaller town so am looking into that right now. The only problem with small towns is that both jobs and places to live are scarce. What kind of business did you open up? I was told it was best to bring your work with you to Montana but unfortunately I don’t have my own business.
    Thanks for all the good info.

30. willie on June 24, 2005 4:29 am

    I am considering moving to Montana, as I am within 2 years or less of retireing, at 55. I am divorced, and paying through the nose forever, and I just have to find a place that is cheaper than Washington State, Puget Sound area. I am a sort of semi rugged country boy, I don’t kill anything I don’t intend to eat (except mosquitoes and mice), but actually buy my food at a grocery store.
    I’m not too fond of large crowds, and bar scenes, but have known to be more than a wallflower sometimes. I also want an area that is less crowded on the highway that i can get my cruiser motorcycle wound up for at least more than 5 minutes and not stopping on the “freeway” because of so much traffic. I may not have to seek employment, having a small VA disability pension and another $1.5K from the retirement (ex gets half or it would be $3K), so a job is not the issue right away or at all, depending on the cost of living and lifestyle I want. I could sometimes do some sideline mechanical repairs as I have been a mechanic for 35 years and I can weld.
    I own a 15 year old 30 foot motorhome, car and motorcycle, and tools, and do not owe anyone anything, other than ex..
    Not sure if I’m going to be able to take the heat, as right now I sweat when it gets to 80 here, but I guess I could get used to it.cold doesn’t bother me as I do have a few “extra” pounds of insulation around the middle.
    Have a friend that moved around Cascade a couple years ago I’m going to spend some time there this summer on vacation. Have driven through Montana dozens of times, on my way to other places, so I have to get off the beaten path and view the local “wildlife”, I mean residents.
    I have always since I was a small child, wanted to build a small “A” frame cabin, and live in it. I have built this cabin thousands of times im my dreams, maybe it’s time to fulfill those dreams. Maybe eventually find someone to share the dreams with, but that isn’t a priority. The open road and open spaces, cleaner air, less stress, is.
    Willie

31. Doc Bailey on June 24, 2005 9:09 pm

    I am TOTALLY jealous of anyone moving to Montana…consider yourself lucky. To blog or not to blog…that is the question at this late hour. I fear it is more whining than anything. Imagine, if you will, a small, poorish child in fourth grade having to pick a state and present facts about said state to the class…I got Montana…capitol Helena….nicknames – Big Sky Country…The Treasure State…state bird…oh, you get the picture. My mother tells a story that after that assignment, my future was sealed…someway, somehow, I was going to make it there. Many years later, I did…and I have never been the same. Imagine, to my chagrin, the very thing that I believed would bring me back there, keeps me at bay….further and further it seems. My naivete, in retrospect, has been my greatest fault. After spending 8 years of my life at graduate schools (including MSU), achieving the doctorate, amassing 100K in student loans, I find that there is absolutely no way that I can return. Oh, sure….I suppose I could swing a hammer for $20 bucks an hour to build houses for the wealthy/elitists from Hollywood…but for cryin’ out loud, I am a scientist! haha…it gets better all the time. I am a low-man on a huge totem pole where I am now, and I am damn near making 50K per year. What would I start at in Montana? About 40K if I am lucky. OUCH! And how much would a little place (40 acres) and a house cost me in dear ol’ Montana? Anywhere from 300,000 to half-a-million….as hungry as I am, I can not eat the scenery. So, education pays, I guess….indoctrination doesn’t. I am leaving for vacation next week…Bozeman is always a good idea, I say….I will get drunk…I will have lots of outdoor sex with my wife, and I will do my part to decimate the trout population. I will also be ever sad to have to get back on that plane and thus it is, my dream that was Montana. Pay heed my dear spirits….if you go to Montana…don’t ever leave because it will break your heart.

32. SB on June 25, 2005 6:23 am

    Kristen, if you are still looking, give me a shout. I might have something for you.

    You can email me from my website.

33. Carol on June 25, 2005 12:28 pm

    Dianeh, Yeah, I’m hoping it won’t be discovered too quickly, but as beautiful as it is here…I’m afraid it won’t be more than 5-6yrs. and then we’ll be overrun. I’m shocked that since David Letterman moved in that there haven’t been more people flocking here. Especially since the prices are still so reasonable. But like I said, I watched the little town in Wyoming go thru it’s growing pains and now when I go back it’s hard to imagine what it once looked like. I hope that Choteau doesn’t go that route. As far as business goes.. I actually opened a wholesale gourmet coffee roasting business…along held dream finally coming forward. It is lots of work, and if this big contract I’m working on goes thru, I’ll be hiring help within the month! YIKES!
    Willie, once you get here, you won’t want to go back…and the cold isn’t so bad once you get used to it. The wind can get to ya sometimes, on this eastern slope, but it is amazingly beautiful and unlike the west side of the Rockies, we get TONS of sunshine during the winter. None of that grey, icky inversion stuff over here.

    Anyone coming thru Choteau is welcome to stop into my shop and say HI. Just ask for Cazbar, or “Coffee Carol” and everyone knows where to point! I’m always happy to meet new folks and share a cup of excellent coffee!

    Hey Doc…sorry you were never able to make it back….it is heart breaking to have to live anywhere but out west, if you ask me. Like I said though…alot of what holds folks back is the difference between what they *want* and what they truly *need* in their life. Seems to me, once you live out here, you find you really *need* awhole lot less but actually end up with awhole lot *more*. Funny how that works.

34. David on June 25, 2005 10:34 pm

    Hey Carol — I plan to visit Choteau sometime very soon — just a few miles up from Great Falls — and I am a HUGE coffee drinker, so I’ll be sure to stop by!

35. Carol on June 26, 2005 10:08 am

    Hey David,
    Great! I’ll look forward to meeting you and I’d even be happy to do a “roast” for you. Nothing like the smell of coffee roasting!

36. dianeh on June 27, 2005 8:17 am

    Doc, you broke my heart. I’m so sorry to hear you won’t be going back to Montana. I know what you mean about leaving Montana breaking your heart. You know though there is such a thing as doing freelance work and also online commuting in a lot of fields. For me, what good is it if I am making money if I don’t like where I’m at. I’d rather be poor in Montana than rich in any city. By the way, there are still places within drives to the big city that are more reasonable to live. I know people who live in Roundup, Mt and it’s within 50 miles drive of Billings. Its not as pretty as Bozeman but it’s within driving distance of there and it does have trees and hills with lots of wildlife. Still places there that are reasonable to buy. Might be something to consider. At least you get to visit on vacation, so that’s something.

    Carol, I can smell the coffee now. I’ll have to plan to make a trip up to Choteau when I get there. I do like the smell of coffee and a good mocha latte gets me every time. What can I say, coffee and chocolate are two of my weaknesses besides cowboys and horses of course…;-).

37. Sandra on July 2, 2005 9:41 am

    Carol,

    My husband and I (married over 20 years) are preparing to pull up stakes and seriously considering Montana. You make it sound so lovely (though granted, a lot of work) Please, tell me, how long before you had the guts to take off and start your own business. Do you think there’s any place there for two middle-aged people who haven’t done anything “different” for most of their adult lives, i.e., they’ve been stuck in the preverbial rut? We have no children, no major health problems and are only responsible for ourselves and would greatly love to take a step back, enjoy where we are living and get away from here./

38. bigskyblog.com » Blog Archive » Recap on July 3, 2005 5:32 pm

    [...] scal Fair before tomorrow night. Third, there are still comments being added to the “Moving To Montana” thread; if you’ve got something that may help, go ahead and add your comment. And fo [...]

39. Carol on July 4, 2005 6:55 am

    Sandra,
    I left one blog but not sure it is showing up in the right place.
    Email me at: cazbar54@yahoo.com and we can chat…I’ll send some photos
    and answer your questions as best I can. Montana is kinda like jello….
    there’s always room!

40. carol on July 4, 2005 8:43 am

    Sandra,
    There’s always room in Big Sky country for a few more folks! Guess it depends on where you want to move to, and what you want to do. Personally, I love Choteau and there are tons of opportunities here if you are willing to look hard at things and work harder.
    Are you looking to buy a business or retire or what? I would be happy to send you some pics of the area here and answer your questions in alittle more detail if you would want to drop me an email at: cazbar54@yahoo.com
    I figure it’s never too late to jump in and do something new! Took me about 6 months of being here before I opened my wholesale roasterier and the opportunity for my business is just about endless. I can’t believe how fortunate I’ve been.
    Happy 4th everyone! Be safe, have fun and enjoy our lovely country!!!

41. dianeh on July 11, 2005 9:09 am

    Hey, just me again with another question about moving to Montana. I know I’ve basically narrowed it down to an area or two but I’m at a loss as to how to move. Let me explain further. I’ve heard about people moving on a budget of $200 but haven’t a clue as to how they did it. It seems to me to be more expensive than that. Did they have possessions? How did they handle the cost of deposits and renting a place to live? What are your suggestions? I’ve got some things but do have a pickup truck and got by with renting a medium sized U-Haul trailer to move here so I’ve not got much. I do have a bed and a chair I’d sure like to keep though along with a few other things. How would I handle moving those things without having a place to put them first? Just thought I’d try to get some input and other ideas. If any of you has moved on a tight budget how about chiming in on this one.
    David, if you want to move this to another part just let me know where it’s going, please.

42. Kaycee on July 18, 2005 10:33 am

    Carol, and anybody else,
    I am from Bozeman. I live and work here as well and am in the process of looking to buy a home. I know a lot of people in Bozeman, including developers. I have an awesome place you should consider living in. IT is a new development, affordable, near entertainment and town, urban-type living, and so on. My fiance is also a banker at wells fargo, so if you need any advice about banking, business community, etc, let me know.

    I work at a marketing firm, and a few of my clients are developers. I am very involved in the business community too. If you guys have any questions, or want some referral sources or information, email me. Or give me yo ur email address and I will email you! I can also keep my eyes open for potential job openings. Use ma as a resource. :)

43. dianeh on August 11, 2005 7:33 am

    Look out Montana, here I come!!
    I’m leaving here tomorrow (Friday) and heading to the Helena area in hopes of striking “gold” (or at least a job and a place to live) lol. Don’t know what I’ll find but I’m going to step out on faith and make the move. So if any of you bloggers see a gold (Arizona taupe -that’s the Ford name for the color) F150 ext cab with Texas license plates give me a wave and a smile (and if you’re really wanting to welcome me give me directions…lol).
    I look forward to filling you all in on the adventure of moving to Montana.
    Thank you all for your input and I look forward to sharing that big Montana sky with y’all.
    Diane

44. ONEWAY on January 9, 2006 9:39 am

    Greetings from Montana!

    Is this “Blog” currently being views by its
    originator and others?

    Peace to all from BigSky Country!

    May GOD keep it and protect it and
    its inhabitants from the fx of babylon!

45. s. on January 17, 2006 12:59 pm

    Hi folks -

    I’m a newbie to this blogging business, too. And thinking about moving to MT. I’ve been up in the Flathead Valley area and loved it – though I’m not limiting myself to that area necessarily. I’ve lived in horrendously snowy places and cold, cold places. And very small towns. I’m gettin’ tired of moving. Seems I inherited itchy feet from my dad. Trying to find a place to stop and make home. One important realization about myself is that I can’t stand months of no sunshine. You can throw the elements at me, but no sunshine for weeks and weeks makes me batty. I’m currently living in Washington state. Love the mountains and all the beauty, but can’t stand the lack of sun/light for weeks at a time. Considering places just on the east side of the mountains here, as well. But I really love Montana. My family are farmers/ranchers, and work with horses and cattle and such. So Montana just seems more my speed.

    Anyway, any input on places that have a little winter sunshine, would be good to have a small acreage with a few horses, and close to town (within an hour or so). I’m hoping to be working a part-time job (I have tons of admin experience and such – currently working as a paralegal in IP; I have experience working in social work with kids). I’m also planning to be teaching a little guitar to kids part-time, too (I got a degree in music) – but that’ll take time to get going. Anyway – the long and short of it is, I am looking to get the h-e-double-toothpicks out of the city, and am looking for a place that won’t leave me in the dark….. Any/all input welcome and appreciated!

    Sherri

46. Barry on January 28, 2006 12:19 pm

    Hi, I am not a realtor, only a montana enthusiast,and also a sun worshipper. The southern part of the state is sunnier,and if you stay close to the beartooths, the scenery and recreation is absolutely perfect. Look into Carbon and Still water counties maybe that will be your style, as well as Laurel, Bridger, Belfry, or even Cody wyoming. You want to know more, check back or drop me an email at my web site http://www.montanaland4sale.com

47. Barry on January 28, 2006 12:21 pm

    Hi, I am not a realtor, only a montana enthusiast,and also a sun worshipper. The southern part of the state is sunnier,and if you stay close to the beartooths, the scenery and recreation is absolutely perfect. Look into Carbon and Stillwater counties maybe that will be your style, as well as Laurel, Bridger, Belfry, or even Cody wyoming. Columbus and PArk City are nice locations and seem affordable still.If you want to know more, check back or drop me an email at my web site http://www.montanaland4sale.com

48. brigit on January 30, 2006 5:11 pm

    dineah, did you make it? looks like the last time you wrote anything was in august….I am blogging also, because I am looking to returning home, and am looking for any insite on how to do it cheaply, I am going to Frenchtown…any ideas I will keep checking this blog.

49. Dianeh on February 2, 2006 12:08 pm

    Yes, Brigit, I did make it to Montana. I am living in Helena, MT right now. Seemed like a good place to start my Montana adventure. I didn’t like big cities so tsince Helena is still small yet big enough for some jobs I picked it. I would one day still rather live in an even smaller town but have to get my feet under me first. Definitely a change from Texas but since it’s been a mild winter it’s not bee as hard adapting as I’d thought it would be. Cheap isn’t really in the vocabularary for moving. Sorry to tell you that but reality is harsh sometimes. You can cut corners but you have to have some money to pay for moving costs like deposits and such. Dont know where Frenchtown is and don’t have my own computer just yet but I do know about this area a little so if you want info just ask.
    Diane

50. Joseph Collett on February 23, 2006 7:20 am

    I visited Bozeman, MT after I returned from Hurricane Katrina in New
    Orleans. It is probably the best bet when it comes to jobs and recreation. There are around 35,000 inhabitants (not including the college students). It has outstanding fishing, skiing lodges minutesfrom the town, hiking, camping, and other brawny/”grizzly adams” activities. When I return from Afghanistan in July ‘07 (I leave Mar. 1, 2006), I AM going to move there myself. If anyone on this blog wants a pen pal for 18 months that currently lives or is moving to Bozeman, MT in the near future, email me at joseph.collett@us.army.mil –Thanks

51. Mark on May 24, 2006 7:13 pm

    Come to Kalispell the fastest growing city in Kalispell and now with 2 high schools, Glacier and Flathead!

52. Jen on May 24, 2006 11:42 pm

    Glacier — the one that we can barely afford to even finish building. Thanks residents of Kalispell who realized how stupid they were for voting for it in the first place.

53. George on May 29, 2006 9:56 am

    Hi,

    My wife and I currently live in Houston, Texas, but have visited Montana twice (2001 & 2003) while vacationing in and around Yellowstone N.P. We immediately fell in love with the area and have been itching to relocate to Boseman, MT ever since.

    Recently, a job opportunity has presented itself that might make this possible. However, the offered salary of $31K/year is marginal and we wonder whether a couple can live on this in Bozeman or one of the other nearby towns or cities? We don’t mind living a more spartan lifestyle, but also don’t want to go bankrupt trying to realize our dream of living in the Mountains where we can more readily pursue our hiking and outdoor photography hobbies.

    We would love to get some feedback from local residents on local area cost-of-living and how much income it takes to live in your neck of the woods. I should mention that we would most likely rent an apartment for the first year or two, but we’d eventually like to build or buy a home in the area.

    -George

54. YDavis on June 22, 2006 5:37 am

    First-timer to this blog. Very interesting and full of info. My husband and I are currently living in Upstate New York. We are not big cities people, we love the countries. We have talked about moving to Montana. I am in my early thirties and hubby will be 40 in a few years. I am starting to gather info and do research on which part of Montana we should move to.
    I have heard that in Montana, anyone can apply for a state or county job, you don’t have to take any test. Is that true? Unlike in NY, you will have to take tests(for different positions) before you can even apply.
    I welcome any suggestions/input from all of you. Thanks!

55. Jen on June 22, 2006 4:28 pm

    Yep just apply for the job. For example my uncle is the fairground crew manager which is a county job position and he doesn’t have any special degrees. All he did was apply. For example, if you’re just working at a school (construction or whatever) then you’re also working for the state. It’s very easy. To work at the Welfare/Public Assistance office – you just need a diploma. Muy easy.

    Oh and upstate New York? Move to NW Montana. It’s gorgeous. And I’m going to suggest a town, Kalispell. Oh okay, I live there. But it’s not a small town nor is it big, it’s just miles away from Glacier National Park, you’re just miles away from Flathead Lake, or numerous of other lakes around here. Trees … mountains … booming economy.

56. YDavis on June 23, 2006 6:20 am

    Thanks for your input Jen. We are in the Capital Region(Albany)in upstate NY. We live in a small town called Grafton. The population is only about 5000(and it’s nice and quiet) but it’s only 20-30min away from the nearest Wal-mart, grocery stores….For work, it’s only 30min away.
    We are looking for a place kinda like that, small town but yet it’s only less than 30min or an hour away from the bigger town or cities for jobs or grocery shopping….
    Any ideas on sources for finding jobs in and around Kalispell? I am an accounting support staff, would be looking for clerical/administrative position and hubby is a landscaper(he owns his own business)and he has experience in driving truck and operating construction equipments.
    I LOVE the mountains, tho I have never been to Montana, I have a feeling that I will really love it there if we move out there.

57. Jen on June 23, 2006 4:18 pm

    There’s tons of small towns near Kalispell (even though Kalispell is like the biggest small town, lol) – Missoula which is the biggest city to our south is 1.5 hours away and you can get to Coeur d’Alene/Spokane in 4 hours. You can drive to Helena in 4 hours and if you really like seeing rolling hills go to Great Falls which is 4-5 hours away. The last 35 miles goes … ever so slowly. ;)

    Here are some job sites:

    Daily Inter Lake Classifieds (our local newspaper)
    Northwest Region Job Service Workforce Center

    Hope that helps. Construction is big here so your hubby will have no trouble at all finding work. The only thing is you might make more in New York than you do here but construction people make more money here especially if you have valuable experience. People are always hiring here.

58. Robina on July 24, 2006 7:21 am

    hey everybody!

    I just found this great blog while doing some Montana research. I am a 21 year old, liberally-minded, gal from Winchester, VA. I still live at home as my income is crap and I’ve yet to go to college. Anyways, I’m itching to move out of Virginia. My parents are beginning to think of retirement but they want to go to New Mexico. I visited some extended family out there a few years back and while I liked New Mexico, I didn’t like the super hot weather, lack of greenary (my aunt has a gravel front yard!! eek!) and I couldn’t go without a good snow in the winter. What I like about living in VA is the Shenandoah Valley and the beautiful mountains that surround us. The nightlife is pretty non-existant even though we’re considered a college town with a University right in the center. That’s okay though, I’m not a real social animal anyways. Winchester used to be considered the country but now it’s growing and becoming congested with city people from DC and the surrounding areas. I prefer small town life and scenary but I’d like to live somewhere that has great culture like Arts and Theartre. And I’d like to live somewhere close to a medium sized city so at least I have to option of visiting a larger area. I’ve been dreaming about the mountains of Montana for a few years now and would like to move there on my own. I’m thinking of Bozeman, Livingston, Helena, Billings, or the surrounding areas. Can anyone clue me into a good locale for a young, small town person like myself?

    Thanks for any replies! :-D

59. Robina on July 24, 2006 7:26 am

    oh yeah, and I work at Wal-Mart so if I am able to move I would try to transfer to a store in Montana. Can anyone tell me what Wal-mart pay is like in Montana. Right now, I’m right at $8/hr. Eek it’s pitiful! I’ll need a roommate (or 2! lol!).

60. Jen on July 24, 2006 8:03 pm

    I think it’s around 9 or a big higher. Depends what you do.

61. Jen on July 24, 2006 8:05 pm

    I think Missoula would better suit you any way.

62. Dianeh on July 25, 2006 7:49 am

    Robina, I don’t know about other areas of Montana but I live in Helena and I would recommend you save up some money before you move anywhere in Montana. It is expensive to live here and the pay is not great. I have a friend who just started at Walmart here and gets $8/hr. It is beautiful here but as a friend once told me, Montana is poverty with a view if you are trying to make a living here. If you go for Missoula and you like small towns you will be disappointed. I go to Missoula to go to the big city for shopping and am sure glad to come back to Helena. Although most towns and cities have their drawbacks it seems to me that the jobs are in the bigger cities like Great Falls, Billings, Missoula, and Bozeman (also known here as BozeLA because of it’s growing population of Californians). Helena is the capital city and although it is growing it is not as big as the other cities I mentioned. It is also known as the biggest small arts town in America but I’m not sure how they figure that. It is a good place if you like jazz, reggae, artsy people, and a small town atmosphere. If you are wanting to go to college, Carroll College is a very good school but probably more expensive than U of M in Missoula or Bozeman. As for rent, you will probably need a roommate or 2 here as well. Rent is high and one bedroom places around Helena are scarce. If you have a dog or cat it’s even harder to get a place and you’ll need to be prepared to pay a large deposit as well as first and last month’s rent ($500/month or more) unless you want to live in your car. Didn’t want to dampen your enthusiasm about moving here but also don’t want you not to be informed.
    On another note, you said your parents wanted to move to NM, have you looked into Taos? It has snow and is very into the arts, might be just as expensive as here but closer to your parents which is always a plus. I know I’ve had a really hard time meeting people here and since I’m divorced and on my own it gets lonely here if you don’t have family or friends here.
    Just my thoughts.

63. Jen on July 25, 2006 7:56 am

    But on the plus side, there are areas in the state that are growing and so is the minimum wage. The reason why Montanans aren’t paid the best is because of the fact that we don’t have that many people living here. The Flathead Valley is expanding as we speak and that means more jobs. There are jobs in every sector that pays good money. Plus FVCC, is an excellent place to get your college education. That’s in Libby and Kalispell. You can go to a technical school and get twice as good of money as you would go to a 4 yr school.

    Plus Kalispell is 2 hrs away from Missoula, and there are many students that are both registered in Kalispell at FVCC and University of Missoula. Don’t worry about it. It’s not that gloomy.

    You should always plan and save money for a move. You’d be stupid not too.

64. Robina on July 26, 2006 5:02 am

    Hello Diane and Jen!

    Thanks for the info. I will definitely be saving money before moving anywhere. I’ve already figured that I’ll probably have to wait a couple of years (maybe @ 25) to move simply because I live paycheck to paycheck and I’m lucky if I can put away $25 a month. Diane, thanks for recommending Taos. I have heard of the city but don’t know much about it. I will definitely start researching. Right now my parents seem to be focusing on Truth or Consequences, NM because it’s a small retirement community. Chances are if/when they move I’ll be going with them. I’m just not financially capable of leaving home unless I plan to live in my car or a cardboard box…lol…But they won’t be moving for a few years anyways as mom can’t retire just yet. And I really don’t want to be that far away from my family.

    Montana sounds a lot like Virginia. Cost of living is too high and keeps rising but the pay just stays at the same level. And if you want good money here you have to be a construction worker or a factory worker. I’ve tried factory work and hate it. I don’t know jack about construction. So I’m stuck with retail and office work. But I’ve found that office work is too boring and when it comes to retail, I’d rather stock shelves because customers are just too annoying to be around.

    Anyways, thanks again guys for the help!

65. Hank on July 29, 2006 7:16 am

    Retired and thinking of coming up north somewhere. Bozeman sounds great and I enjoy this discussion…until the comment on BozeLA and the migration of Californians into your town. Please tell me it ain’t so. And BTW, I am born and raised LA LA land plus a UCLA grad. Been away from there for 30 years thank heavens. So here it goes. If you want to keep your town from going to heck, keep the gates locked for the California dreamers. They will come in, with bundles of cash from the equity in their crappy stucko homes, stay only a couple of years cuz it dips below 60 in the spring, drive your home values to ridiculously high artificial prices, and then leave the good citizens of Bozeman holding the bag. Worse yet, one of them might worm their way onto a city council position and shove their west coast view of the world down your throats. Who knows, you might be having to recognize transgender day parades down your streets at summer festivities. Won’t that bring the tourists in??? BEWARE !!!

66. Robina on August 4, 2006 1:57 am

    I highly doubt “transgender day parades” would kill tourism to Montana. People still flock to visit places like LA and Miami besides the GBLT population. GBLT are everywhere; don’t be so naive as to think that they don’t live in Montana. Or that they don’t wish the people around them were a little more open in their minds and hearts to just get over it and realize that they are living, breathing people too with a right to be out and about in society. And it’s not just a western view point. Open-minded people are also everywhere and some of them just might be moving to Montana. BEWARE!!! (Not trying to be rude. Just sharing my POV.)

67. HARRY B. on August 14, 2006 7:55 am

    HEY. I JUST MOVED TO HELENA FROM BOISE ID. ITS NICE TO BE IN A SMALL TOWN AGAIN LIKE WHAT BOISE WAS 30YRS AGO. I FOLLOWED MY WIFE HERE WITH HER JOB, AND I DON’t know a sole. we bought a home with 20 aceres it was cheaper then buying a new house in a subdevision in the velley.I’m a blacksmith and a bladesmith and hope to spend more time perfecting my hobby here.I THINK MONTANA IS BEAUTYFUL AND YOU ONLY GET OUT WHAT YOU PUT IN.YOU WILL NEVER KNOW UNLESS YOU TAKE THAT FIRST STEP,RIGHT!!!.

68. muttley on October 31, 2006 9:43 am

    Hi
    Just discovered this blog – and I’m a newbie with blogging, so bear with me!
    My husband and I are also looking to move to Montana. From what I’m reading, the Bozeman or Kalispell areas might be best, but I’s like some feedback. My husband has 25 years experience in construction, so I assume he could find work, but would it be enough to live on? Is he better off slef employed, or working for a larger company? I’m an artist, so it may take a while to ‘grow’ my work potential. My only immediate hope would be tourism, since I paint western themes, or get gallery representation somewhere. Does this sound crazy? Is there any hope for this kind of art market with the tourism industry?

69. Buck on November 7, 2006 4:14 am

    I just knew the DimLib from Virginia would defend the perverts. We don’t need that kind of stuff parading down our streets. It’s sick.

    They chose that kind of lifestyle but we don’t want to be included in it.

70. Rebekah on November 14, 2006 10:23 pm

    great blog!

71. Oscar on November 18, 2006 10:24 pm

    If you are from California, please do not move to Montana.

    I have come home after living there for one year. The winters are horrible, and the people up there hate Californians.

72. Buck on November 24, 2006 4:34 pm

    With good reason Oscar. They want to screw up all of our wilderness and bring their perversions here. We don’t want it. Go to Washington, Oregon or Utah. They’ll like you there. They’re almost as weird as California lefties.

73. elaine k bond on November 27, 2006 6:11 pm

    Hey Buck!
    Hope you like the frenchies!(don’t believe in my name, my husband is english!)Some frenchies respect the people of America especialy the Montanan! Some american soldiers make free my father from a german concentration camp!Eternel gratitude!
    May we come then and share some kind of frienship?
    Elaine

74. Buck on December 2, 2006 11:37 am

    Elaine,

    I think you misunderstood me. I didn’t mean to say that I don’t want anyone to come here. It’s just the ones who would come and change this wonderful place into something else. We want our winter wonderland and not a pervert wonderland or some kind of socialist state.

    Something will be done about that bait and switch polititian we got recently. We voted him in as a R and he switched to D. That’s fraud against the American people. How can we trust him?

    Love the Frenchies! Come on!
    Buck

75. elaine k bond on December 2, 2006 1:10 pm

    Thanks a lot Buck, we went 2 weeks in June near Columbus to visit the land we bought via the web and feel homesick since…

76. Buck on December 2, 2006 2:10 pm

    Elaine,

    I like your art very much. Maybe I’ll send a photo of a couple of my paintings for you to critique. Would that be alright?

77. elaine k bond on December 2, 2006 2:45 pm

    Your a painter aswell? So great!!!Yeah!
    Can’t wait to see what you’re doing!!Please do, my e-mail is on the web site.

78. melanie on January 12, 2007 11:32 pm

    would love to get more info on Helena, will be moving to either Montana or Idaho in the next 12 months or less I hope.

79. Robina on January 19, 2007 2:05 am

    I’d rethink that law degree, Rebekah. How do you expect to defend your clients properly with such a biased view? Don’t want to be included? Don’t march in the parade. You can’t keep them from coming to your hometown because of the way they choose to live. We DimLibs will never let people like you take away our human right to live life how we see fit.

80. David on January 19, 2007 6:59 pm

    Uh, Robina – your comment should be directed at Hank, not Rebekah; Hank is the one talked about the parade(s).

81. Buck on January 19, 2007 11:32 pm

    Robina,

    There’s difference between being “open minded” and being a sick pervert. We don’t like that kind of thing here.

82. Buck on January 25, 2007 7:54 pm

    And we still have the freedom here to say out loud when something is not right. You know it’s not right or you wouldn’t be trying to justify it and get the public’s approval. Well you won’t get our approval ever so you don’t need your parades. Just clean out your closet or stay in there where you belong.

83. Tim on February 23, 2007 2:01 pm

    Well wouldn’t you know it. Fate has stepped in and I have acutally found a site that has people like me. Maybe I am not crazy after all.

    Here is my story. I visited Montana back in 1998 with my new wife (not a honeymoon) just a vacation. I arrived in Montana via the north entrance to Yellowstone – it was love at first site.

    I don’t mean to sound “warm and fuzzy” and it is certainly not something I can explain, but I found the land and the poeple just wonderful. Something happened and I looked at my wife and told her I was “home”. Of course you ladies can only imagine what she told me, but now 10 years later and 4 children – here I am halfway there.

    I work for a company (I am in the hotel business) that actually has properties in Montana. I have been in Mississippi for 1 year (having moved from Florida) – okay – maybe not halfway there, but I can still dream can’t I?

    I am coming Montana – I made a promise when my daughter was born that by the time she turned 11 or 12 years old I would have roots and a home in Montana. She is eight years old now.

    I make a good living – my wife (her choice) is a stay-at-home mother and I am in my early 40’s and very responsible and a very good manager with good P&L / Sales abilities – so if any of you bloggers know anybody or anyplace – feel free to share.

    My goal was Billings simply due to the job market – but we wanted to live in Laurel (just west of Billings). We looked at land in Yellowstone Valley Estates – to buy and sit on – but I am nervous about buying land there just yet –

    Looking back – I should have purchased 20 acres in Chief Joseph Estates for $19,800 (in 1998) ….I could kick myself now!!

    I have visited several times and the poor kids know where daddy is going on vacation every year, every chance we get.

    Montana is truly the “Best Last Place” and when I do get there, I will be one happy fellow.

84. Corey on May 6, 2007 1:48 pm

    Hi all! I am impressed with this blog- much friendlier and more helpful than others! We are planning on taking a trip to Montana at the end of the month. We currently live in Nebraska. I am a teacher and my boyfriend does masonry. We will be coming up through Yellowstone,
    I-90 to Missoula, north to Kalispell then back through Great Falls area and Billings. I have heard a lot about the weather east side of the mountains versus west side. It seems that the weather on the east side of the range is better overall. Is that true? We have been discussing Kalispell and Great Falls area. Any suggestions? I guess it really depends on where we can get a job. I would like to move to Montana this summer but will teach here 07-08 year=(
    (finances, lease) Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

85. Morgan on May 7, 2007 9:56 am

    Hi Cory
    The weather patterns may be slightly different, but not enough to have that be the determining factor as to where you finally decide on settling down. The wind blows constantly in Great Falls and Kalispell is more off of the beaten path. Great Falls is still fairly inexpensive but they do have the large airforce base there. Both places are beautiful and I’m sure that you would enjoy either place…my husband was born in raised in Great Falls so he’s a little biased. Anyway, to all looking to move here…good luck. We really are pretty nice people up here, just be yourselves and don’t try changing things and you will be met with open arms rather then resistance. Remember why you moved here in the first place!

86. Woody on May 15, 2007 9:04 pm

    Montana has something for everyone my the best way to find the place for you is to get out and see it fillup your gas tank and drive…..

87. Matt Cole on May 25, 2007 12:23 am

    hey all you out of state pukes you morons have know idea what you have done to this state
    mostly the western side of the state, when you come here on your little vacations and think you fall in love with it or whatever fantasy you have that you will move here and build your mcmansion or cookie cutter condo that fouls up the landscape and all of the sudden you think you are some great outdoorsmen or women or a butt-kickin cowboy, and then claim to be a great caretaker of the land. with the exception of the people of Wyoming and North and South Dakota all you fake people can take your sorry selves the heck out of my state, and to all you developers and real estate agents that are selling out every piece of Montana to the highest bidder you can go to heck.
    stay the heck out of Montana.

88. Courtney on May 25, 2007 1:47 am

    Don’t be shy Mr. Cole, tell us how you really feel!

89. Jim on June 26, 2007 8:16 pm

    Matt,

    Try some valium buddy.

90. Buck on July 16, 2007 6:47 am

    Matt,

    I think you could have gotten your point across without all of the foul language. I agree with your points though. Greedy developers will be the death of Montana and places like it.

91. Dianeh on July 17, 2007 11:18 am

    I agree with what Buck said.
    Greedy developers will be the death of Montana and places like it, unfortunately.
    I came here to live with people who have the same ideals and beliefs as I do, not to change it into someplace like I left. Not all of us who weren’t blessed to be born here are bad, greedy, rich, or wanting to change things so please don’t lump us all into one category nor punish those of us who don’t want to change Montana. I’ve run across a few people who resented my moving here but on a whole I’ve been embraced as a friend, although it has taken a while to make some friends.
    Last I heard Montana was still a part of the United States, which is a free country so I am glad I was able to move here. Perhaps one should consider that before passing judgment on others.
    Matt has a right to his opinion but I agree it could have been expressed with less swearing.
    I was going to post right after I read his rant but decided to wait to hear from others first as I didn’t want to get jumped on for being an “outsider”. Thanks to all who posted and gave me back my hope that there are still decent people in Montana who don’t hate people like me.

92. Buck on August 10, 2007 3:27 pm

    Why would we hate people like you? Do you have two heads or something? LOL You sound like a nice person?

    I don’t think it’s all “outsiders” people hate but the ones who move to MT and try to change things.

    I have to agree. Just take a look at the prettiest wilderness we have or the most majestic mountain. Do the developers care? No. They’ll sell advertizing space and have bill boards up the side of that mountain in a flash if the people would stand still for it.

    That’s why we have to get rid of that flippity floppity, left field senitor and that Dem governor before they allow the pervert parades, tax us to death and ruin what was one of the last havens for decent people who want to get away from all of that trash.

    I say draw the line here! This far and no farther!

    Oh! Oh! Got myself all riled up now. Ohhhh! Dis is da big one! (clutches heart) Elizabeth! Ahmmm comin’ up there ta join ya dahlin! Whoaaa…

93. Buck on August 10, 2007 3:32 pm

    Follow up: There should not be a question mark after nice person in the third sentance. Rather a period. ;)

94. Dianeh on August 11, 2007 9:35 pm

    No Buck don’t have two heads at least that was the last time I checked ;-)
    Watch that getting riled up, don’t want to lose ya now.
    I’d like to think I’m a nice person.
    You sound like someone who has a good grasp on reality and a nice person too.

    Daniel, what do you mean? This is a blog not exactly an article. What type of resources or information are you looking for?

95. David on August 13, 2007 5:47 pm

    Dianeh — don’t worry about “Daniel” — his comment was only spam, cleverly (ha!) disguised as a “real” comment.

96. Daniel on August 14, 2007 4:08 pm

    I couldn’t understand some parts of this article Moving To Montana, but I guess I just need to check some more resources regarding this, because it sounds interesting.

97. Buck on August 15, 2007 7:16 pm

    I can’t stand spammers. Bandwidth theves!

98. Local Montanan on August 30, 2007 9:20 pm

    Wow, these people like Dianeh and all you out-of-staters are in for a real treat when we start having “real” winters again. If that doesn’t drive you out of Montana, maybe your $5 per hour jobs will. Good points Matt Cole. Lets force them out one person at a time

99. Buck on September 1, 2007 12:34 pm

    To the editor. I sympathize with Matt Cole but would you please edit out the bad language?

    Thanks

100. David on September 1, 2007 1:13 pm

     Good idea, Buck — I changed a few words to make them a bit more family-friendly, which you can see in bold in his comments.

101. Buck on September 1, 2007 10:41 pm

     Thanks David. I believe in free speech but I don’t think the founding fathers meant freedom of vulgarity. I believe in responsibility in free speech.

102. Dianeh on September 5, 2007 4:39 pm

     Local Montanan, sorry to burst your bubble but I was born in Ohio (cold and snowy), raised in Wisconsin (even colder and snowy), and moved here because I missed the cold and snow. As far as a “real winter”, it may be a thing of the past if we are to believe the signs and warnings of global warming. Also, $5/hour jobs are not exclusively offered to people who weren’t born in Montana nor are all people from out of Montana used to earning the big bucks.
     Here’s a thought, why not try getting to know us “outsiders” before making a blanket judgment about all outsiders and wanting to “force them out out one person at a time”.

103. Buck on September 6, 2007 4:31 pm

     Diane,

     Good for you. Don’t believe all the global warming junk you hear from that inconvienient moron Al Gore. It’s all a big ploy for money and power. I can’t believe after every one of the points in his film were debunked with the actual facts, he still let it be played in theaters. How embarrassing! He is the world’s only living brain donor and I wonder if he’s ever had a consious moment in his whole life. What a maroon!

     Turn up your speakers and check out this file: An Inconvienient Al

     We’ll have real winters again and this half a degree warming phase will do nothing but good for the planet’s agriculture.

104. Buck on September 6, 2007 4:42 pm

     Remember, Soylent Green is PEOPLE!!! Eyaahahhha! Run away! Run away!

105. Dianeh on September 7, 2007 5:41 pm

     I hope we do start getting real winters Buck, I’ll take the environmental hoopla with a grain of salt and look forward to winter instead.

     I’d rather be cold, you can always put more clothes on but when you’re hot there is definitely a limit to the amount of clothing you can take off…lol.

106. Buck on September 7, 2007 9:49 pm

     I’d rather be cold, you can always put more clothes on but when you’re hot there is definitely a limit to the amount of clothing you can take off…lol.

     You are absotutely right Diane! I have always said that.

     What did you think of the mp3?

107. David on September 8, 2007 1:27 am

     Right on, Buck and Dianeh — that is one of the reasont that I love the cold and the snow, and hate the heat! Gets cold – just toss on sweater or long-sleeve shirt. Gets hot – best you can do is hope for a breeze.

108. Local Montanan on September 8, 2007 11:16 pm

     I have never done this blogging thing before, but it is quite entertaining hearing discussions from morons who believe in this “global warming” crap. Dianeh, I would not count on your “global warming” to save you from the cold winters. If you knew anything about the state of Montana, you would know we have cold, long winters with deep snow and many months of subzero temps. This state went many years in the late 80’s and early 90’s with long winters all across the state. Have you ever experienced -40F before, its coming back, so I wouldn’t put your snow coat away so soon. As far as being born in Ohio, I am sorry for you. What a horrible state to be born in. High crime, high population, high pollution, high home rates, etc., etc., etc.

109. Buck on September 9, 2007 2:56 pm

     Local Guy,

     Diane never said that she believed in Global Warming and never said that she didn’t like the cold and snow. In fact she said the exact opposite. Are you posting just to stir up trouble? Wassamattayoo?!?

     And where did you get your crazy facts about Ohio? It’s the Colliefornya people who are the trouble.

     Play nice with the other kids.

110. Local Montanan on September 10, 2007 7:30 pm

     Buck,

     I’m sorry to inform you but growth is growth, whether it comes from California, New Zealand, or even Ohio. I have no problem with people moving here to better their life and the state of Montana, but when you come here and expect a white picket fence, horses, and the same salary you made in that big city you just came from, that is where I have a problem. The other problem is you have a lot of the people, such as on this blog site, that say they want to just “get away from the hustle and bustle” but they have no plan once they get here.

     In conclusion, don’t just blame the Californians, blame everyone who wants to come here and either don’t have a plan wants they get here, or they have a pocket full of money and want to build their beautiful dream home on the side of a mountain while in the process, raising our property taxes and doing very little for the Montana economy.

111. Buck on September 10, 2007 9:47 pm

     I agree with that but that’s not what Diane is doing. I don’t see why you attacked her. We have to pick our fights with the problem people, not the friendlies. I’ll join you in the fight but I won’t attack just anyone.

112. Buck on September 11, 2007 11:20 am

     Unless they’re commie perverts that are taking over this country. They’re called “The Left”.

113. Dianeh on September 16, 2007 8:40 am

     Thank you Buck for your comments. Seems like you understand me pretty well and have a good grasp on reality.

     Local, I don’t know what your problem with Ohio is but you’re entitled to your own opinion.
     We all have to be born somewhere though. All places have drawbacks and problems including Montana. Dare I stir up the pot and mention the exclusionists who don’t want people from other states living here or the drunk driving rate or the meth? Naw, don’t think I will.

114. Jenny on September 16, 2007 9:09 am

     Nice FRIENDLY post there Dianeh. That should score you alot of points!

115. Local Montanan on September 16, 2007 6:53 pm

     I guess I am not too interested in scoring “alot of points,” I am just addressing a problem this state has with the increased growth. If it wasn’t for those stupid Hollywood movies back in the early 90’s (i.e. A River Runs Through It and Legends of the Fall) to name just a few, we wouldn’t have the many problems we have today. Like I mentioned, we are seeing to groups of people in our state today. The baby boomers who want to rot in their wheelchairs while looking at a beautiful view of the mountains and helping zilch with the economy, or the “mountainmen/woman” wannnabees who want to come out hear and get away from it all. How about more teachers, or engineers, or how about more ranchers and farmers which is what this state was founded on.

     Thats my opinion for you.

116. Buck on September 18, 2007 9:08 am

     Diane,

     What part of Texas are you from?

117. Dianeh on September 19, 2007 6:31 pm

     Buck, I lived in Terrell, TX near Dallas for a while. I never really considered myself as being from Texas so don’t regret leaving it.

     Didn’t know I was trying to score points Jenny. Just making a point that no place is perfect.

     I am glad I moved here and though some would disagree I consider myself a Montana resident.
     (Please no nasty posts about Montana residency or going back to where I came from).

118. Buck on September 19, 2007 10:45 pm

     How about that? We were neighbors. I lived in Plano for a few years. Played golf all over that area, sky diving in McKinney, things like that. Worked at ARCO Oil & Gas in Richardson just down the road. Uh Oh! Big Oil! Been to Terrell a few times.

119. Dianeh on September 30, 2007 11:36 am

     That’s interesting Buck, guess it’s a small world after all.

     As far as moving to Montana, despite the opposition I’ve encountered, it was a good move for me. I wish I’d have done it earlier but unfortunately I didn’t (hindsight is 20-20).

     For those planning a move here:

     I’d suggest visiting the state more than once to get the feel of it first. Look into different areas of the state to live in. Montana has such a wide variety of landscapes, types of people, and lifestyles. There are surprises around every corner and Montana is more than just mountains, although you can find mountain areas all over the state, not just in the western part. It is very hard to get an accurate image of an area just by looking at the Chamber of Commerce websites or brochures put out by local chamber of commerces, publications like “Montana Magazine”, or even checking out blogs/websites such as this one. Remember that often those sources of information are trying to attract tourists not portray the reality of life here. Statistics on income levels, population, and so forth are merely numbers and don’t portray an accurate picture of the state. Sometimes those numbers are based on surveys that were done years ago and a lot of people don’t fill those out.
     Be prepared for opposition to your moving here. As you have seen on this blog there is plenty of it.
     Ask questions of people in the area you are looking to live in. Do people in the area tend to like “outsiders” or are they hostile? How are living conditions? Take the time to hang out at the local bar or cafe if in a small town. Often times those are the best spots to check out the locals and find out local gossip or news. I’m not saying for you to try to butt in on conversations, just listen and watch. Also subscribe to or buy locally the area newspaper. This will show you what type of news, crime, or issues are affecting the area.
     Don’t come here if you want to change it or make it “better” by bringing with you the types of businesses and ideologies you have become used to where you live now. If you can’t stand living without Starbucks or Wal-Mart being right in the neighborhood don’t move to a small town that doesn’t have either. It may be that that will change but for now accept the place as it is.
     Visit here in all seasons if possible, especially in winter and summer. If you can’t stand the cold don’t even think of living here and the daily shifts in temperatures can be hard on a person. One day it can be 30’s the next in the 70’s (this is what it’s doing now, in the fall). It can start out in the 30’s then dip into the negative degrees sometimes on the same day. Cold rain is usual in spring as well as fall or even winter and sometimes even in the summer. It can get up into the 100 degree range in summer. Also the weather varies from region to region. Montana is a state of extremes both as far as weather as well as types of people.
     Ask yourself why you want to live here. If you want to “escape from it all” you are living in a dream world because there is no where you can do that. Yes, Montana is full of wide open spaces however those are mostly national forest service lands, public lands, national parks, indian reservations, or owned by developers who intend to put up subdivisions and spoil the landscape. There are changes taking place here that are changing Montana very rapidly and, in my opinion, not for the better. Unfortunately change is inevitable, even here in the big sky state. Yes, Montana is different from other states but it’s not like it is portrayed in movies or some books.
     If you fell in love with it on vacations here keep in mind that vacations are far different than actually living here permanently. You can’t just come here to live on vacation all the time. You have to work or come back to reality sometime you know. Keep in mind that if you do move here Montana will be changed because of your move here if only with the increase in population which has a trickle down effect on everything in Montana from the landscape to the wildlife and beyond. Even one person impacts the state (hard to believe but true).
     There are drawbacks as well as pluses to living here as with any place. Lack of money is widespread and jobs are not as plentiful as some other areas of the country however the open spaces and landscapes are beautiful. Unfortunately you can’t eat the landscape or just live in any open space you find these days.
     If you opposed to gambling, drinking, or hunting, I would definitely rethink a move here. Gambling is legal here (poker, keno, and lottery except on indian reservations where there are slot machines). Good restaurants are often associated with the casinos. There are more bars oftentimes than there are churches. Hunting season is big and in some places the town looks abandoned because the people are out hunting.
     Support of local businesses is what keeps the economy running so expect to pay maybe a little more for things instead of buying everything at warehouse stores or big discount stores. Help out the small businesses because they are what make Montana great.
     You will have to be willing to change if you want to live in the Montana that exists today. Keep Montana the place you came to love instead of changing it to be the place you left. Don’t move here for the scenery if you aren’t prepared to accept Montana for what it is. If you bring money with you try to fit in and not buy up unspoiled land so you can build your high dollar “dream home” thus raising taxes in the area so high that people who have lived here for generations lose their homes because they can’t pay their taxes. Remember everything we do affects where we decide to live, the economy included.
     Think before you move. You might even want to consider such states as Idaho, Utah, Colorado, Washington, or Oregon which have similar climates, lifestyles, and outdoor activity opportunities as Montana. Montana isn’t the only place that has mountains and unspoiled wilderness.

     If after a lot of soul searching, research, and visits here, you decide to make the move then welcome. If not, come and visit as often as you want and bring those tourist dollars, spend a lot then go home with great memories.

     Just my opinion and views.

120. Rachel on October 3, 2007 9:40 am

     My husband is wanting to move to Montana and I’m not so sure about it… I thought maybe someone on here might be able to help me decide. Right know we live in Lincoln, NE… we don’t really like to weather here because you have extreme summers and then extreme winters and not much that’s not one or the other. My husband is from AZ and loved the mountains and the weather. I personly don’t like a lot of snow and really cold weather… that’s why I haven’t decided. So what I was wondering is… is there a place in Montana that would fit for both of us??? Any help would be great. Thanks.

121. Local Montanan on October 3, 2007 7:28 pm

     Rachel, I think you should probably do a little more research on Montana before making a final decision with your husband. Wanting what you want here in Montana, is like me saying I want to move to Antarctica, but I really hate the snow. There is a saying here that if you like the weather, wait 20 minutes and it will change. There are some places in Montana that are milder than others during the winter months, but you will find no where in the state where it never gets below zero every single winter. Montana is just too far north to escape the cold winters.

122. David on October 4, 2007 11:26 am

     Have to agree — if you don’t like weather extremes, then you probably won’t like Montana — unless you are very adaptable! No matter where you live in Montana, the winters WILL be pretty brutal.

     If you like moderation in your weather, maybe you should consider the San Francisco area — not much variation in weather. Almost always beautiful weather — but expensive and (if it matters) extremely liberal.

123. Dianeh on October 5, 2007 3:11 pm

     Rachel, I agree with David and Local Montanan. Wondering why your husband would want to live in Montana. You might want to check out other states farther south of here. There are many other places that have mountains as well as a more moderate climate.

124. Rachel on October 8, 2007 7:52 am

     Thanks for everything that you all said. This is exactly what I was thinking. I’ve always wanted to move a little further south. My husband kind of caught me off gard with wanting to move to Montana. Thanks for the help.

125. Beloved Isis on November 30, 2007 10:45 am

     I am from Virginia, mountain region. My husband wants to one day move to Montana. Im a little scared since I grew up in Virginia and North Carolina HOWEVER I am willing to look into it. He owns his own masonry company here which means he would have to work for someone else in Montana until he built a name for himself and so on. Can anyone tell me an estimate on how much an experienced mason makes in Montana? I do not have a certain area in mind. Im kind of fumbling around in the dark here lol.

126. Karla on December 9, 2007 9:55 am

     I grew up in Kingman Arizona and I have now lived in Montana for two years. I hate it hear more then I can say. Montana is pretty but unless you like very cold long winters and lots of snow you will not be happy hear. The costs of living hear is higher then any place I have ever been and I have been all over the US. I am planning on moving to South Carolina as soon as possible. Moving to Montana was the worst mistake I have ever made. It just has not been a good experience for my family or me. But that’s just me others may be perfectly happy hear.

127. David on December 9, 2007 1:01 pm

     Wow – sorry to hear about your experience, Karla — I suppose that Montana isn’t for everyone. I hope that you and your family find happiness in South Carolina.

128. JASON DAVIS on January 13, 2008 8:52 pm

     HELLO MY NAME IS JASON IS THERE ANY BODY OUT THERE I CAC TALK TO ABOUT MOVING TO MONTANA

129. Pete on January 16, 2008 6:26 pm

     Welcome to Montana. I am a Bozeman resident and can answer many questions. If you are moving here and looking for contractors, designers, architects, and other small businesses in the area you can check out http://www.montanablackbook.com . Hope this helps!

130. honey on January 29, 2008 1:46 am

     Jason Davis – Where do you live now? When are you planning to move?

131. Betty Blakely on February 3, 2008 2:26 pm

     Do many people leave their house pets outside all year long in Bozeman?

132. Mark in Chicago on February 9, 2008 9:13 pm

     I am seriously considering moving to Montana. Either Butte, Kalispell, Livingston or Bozeman. I love the mountains. I was raised in Pittsburg but left when I was 18, over 30 years ago and have lived most of that time in Chicago. I want a simpler life, less hectic than the fast paced city. I am looking for a friendlier, simpler, slower life. I have been back to MT many times and will never be able to get it out of my system, but at the same time am a bit trepidatious about a move like this. I have over 30 years experience as a legal secretary in many different types of law. I know I won’t be earning the amount of money I earn now but I do need to make a “livable” salary. I would appreciate any comments or suggestions you might have. I would like to do this move th is spring or summer at the latest. Thank you for your input, it is much appreciated.

133. Comment on February 13, 2008 11:22 am

     Hey Mark in Chicago, I have a suggestion for you. When you arrive here, I would suggest not telling everyone you see “I want a simpler life, less hectic.” We hear that all the time and it gets pretty annoying. If you want to come here and help our economy, that is great, but you need to expect significant less salary, high costs of living, and cold cold winters. Yes, colder than Chicago. One more thing, the big city transplants typically come to Montana and within a year start complaining about their pay, cost of living, boring pace of life, etc. We don’t want to hear that you make three times less than you made back home and pay three times as much for mortgage or rent.

134. Moving To Montana: Healthcare Jobs | Big Sky Blog on June 17, 2008 6:36 am

     [...] else want to offer advice on the medical community in the other towns? ALSO: check out the other Moving To Montana threads (more, [...]

135. mike on January 1, 2009 3:35 pm

     real consideration if i have twenty thousand dollars to start living in montana do you think i could make it i plan to start off with a mobile home if i can

136. cheesehead on July 22, 2009 6:02 pm

     does anyone ever post here anymore?

137. NY Law on July 27, 2009 2:22 pm

     Would somebody suggest a location in Montana where I might fit in as a corporate lawyer from New York City looking to escape the ‘hustle and bustle’ of a busy corporate life? I realize that Montana is a rather politically conservative state and despite my liberal viewpoint, I think I can accept this aspect of the culture. What I am really after is the openness of the space, the skyscraper(less) views and the quietude. An ideal location would be proximately located to an airport. Any thoughts? Are certain areas in Montana more suitable for wireless Internet connectivity? Such logistical questions are perhaps best addressed by visiting.

     Many of my colleagues are now considering moving to states such as Montana, Idaho, Colorado, etc. for their unrivaled aesthetic beauty and idyllic scenery. Moreover, such states appear to be leaders in green initiatives and sustainability policies. I guess I’m really looking for a place to call my own “Walden.” Any thoughts or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

138. David in Great Falls on July 27, 2009 4:22 pm

     Best bet – given your liberal tendencies! – is probably Missoula, sometimes known as the “Berkeley of Montana!” :-) Plenty of WiFi, connectivity, etc, and TONS of gorgeous scenery and “away from it all” stuff.

     Next best: Bozeman. Trending more liberal, up-and-coming, etc.

139. cheesehead on October 7, 2009 8:30 pm

     I have visited montana a few times and and have seriously considered moving there. I was born and raised in wisconsin and enjoy all the winter sports, ( you can find me out ice fishing in below zero weather every winter ). I have been very dissapointed after reading the blogs on this site. I would never discourage someone from moving to my home state just because I felt like I didnt want to share it with others. I do love montana but I definately dont want to move somewhere where people will not welcome me and will always look at me as an outsider. I get more than enough unfriendly attitudes and crabby standoffish ppl here in Wis. I guess I will never realize my dream of moving to Montana but I guess I should not consider moving somewhere that I will never fit in.

140. Jess on November 2, 2009 12:50 pm

     Hello all…We are considering moving to montana we are a military family and my husband is injured from his service and may be medically retiring. We have lived all over the us so we’re outsiders everywhere we go I guess, those places are alaska,nc,tn,ky,oh,ga,ms,wa,va and many others. We have been to montana several times and we just loved it. I love the cold and I survived alaska for years so lol. We arent looking for the same thing others are looking for when moving to montana, we’re looking for a state that we love to put down roots and raise our 5 kids,little crime and a place that has a good community in a rural area. We dont make much money now so we arent looking for that either. We are looking for a smaller town with access to a city too so my husband can visit a VA etc. I’m part native american and will be looking to become affiliated with a tribe as well afterwards for my childrens benefit and mine but we wont live on a reservation. If anyone has any resources that you think would be beneficial I would really enjoy that. Thanks :-)

141. Bill & Kathy on December 6, 2009 1:42 pm

     Very enjoyable blog. Bill wants to move to Mt, we are ready to move from our home in El Dorado Hill, CA where we enjoy the location and weather, but fed up with taxes, political correctness, and miss the small town atmosphere attitude. We owned home improvement business for 25 yrs but thank goodness we started a – work from home business – which replaced our income and allows us to close our HI bus and move where ever there is an internet connection. I love fly fishing, outdoors, a cup of coffee and the local cafe. Kathy is worried about the weather – I say we can always head to Baja during the winter. Were looking at Hamilton – any thought for Kathy’s concern (Kathy is from Richland, Wa) and what do you think of Hamilton – PS anyone looking to work online? Thanks for the help Bill & Kathy

142. Bill & Kathy on December 7, 2009 2:56 am

     Living in El Dorado Hill, Ca and we are ready to get away for a political correctness, taxes and over population. Kathy and I have owned a Home Improvement company for 25 yrs, and thank goodness we started and online home business a few yrs ago. This yr we closed the HI Company and are ready to make a move to Hamilton, MT. Kathy grew up in the Tri Citys, WA, but is concern about the cold winters. I’m thing we could head south for the winter if we need a break since we can run our online business with an internet connection. What does any one have to say about Hamilton, and the winter. We love the outdoors and fly fishing, and a cup of coffee and local cafe. PS Any one interested in working online? Thanks wmmhardy@gmail.com

143. dianeh on December 8, 2009 6:04 pm

     Hi Bill and Kathy. I have only been to Hamilton a few times but it seems like a nice place. It is a small town but not a one horse town. If you are concerned about cold winters than you are right that you could head south for the winter, there are a lot of people who do that. It is cold here (Helena) now -8 degrees (yes that is negative 8 F). This year the weather has been a wild roller coaster of temperatures, cold snaps followed by warm weather. It was in the 50’s a week ago.
     Being able to run your business anywhere is definitely a plus. I’d say there is political correctness everywhere these days, taxes are inevitable, and over population depends on your perspective. For me more than a few hundred people can be considered over population…lol. It seems as if a lot of people see Montana as a place to escape but that isn’t always reality. Sure there are remote places and towns where small town life is still a staple but times are changing here too unfortunately.
     Have you visited Hamilton to see if you like it before you move there?
     Forgive me if I offend but to me it sounds like you are looking more for a place to vacation rather than a place to call home. Just my opinion.

144. Jamie on February 12, 2010 7:13 am

     Hi, we’re leaving to Montana in about 5 weeks. Maybe the Helena area.
     My son was born in bozeman about 10 years ago. And now finally 10 years of saving we are moving back..
     Just found this blog and wanted to say Hi

145. Bill & Kathy on February 14, 2010 12:52 am

     Dianeh – Happy Valentines Day – thanks for your feedback and insight. You so right about perspective. I just have these weak moments when I feel like things are closing in on us. The mora I grew up are changing. There were the glue which held our society together. Your right about wanting a place to vacation – I kept Hamilton weather on my iPhone this Winter and it can be harsh. Tomorrow is Valentines day, my birthday Kathy and i are heading to Gardnerville, NV to check it out. Wish our the best, Bill

146. dianeh on February 18, 2010 2:47 pm

     Hi Jamie, hope you get good weather for moving.

     Bill and Kathy, hope you had a great Valentine’s day and birthday. Hope you find your “right” place.

     Diane

147. kathy on February 26, 2010 7:16 am

     Don’t move to Montana… We don’t want you. We are happy with our overpriced rents you all have created by moving here and our $6 an hour jobs. We like our quite life and low poplulation. So all of you take your hairy ass and move to California or better yet stay where you are. Montana is not an escape for you folks to bring your trash to…….

148. Nichole on April 7, 2010 10:05 pm

     Hi, my small family would like to relocate to Montana, preferably Billings to be closer to other family members. The only problem is that I am having a difficult time finding positions in the Biology field in that area, making close to what I make now. I have my bachelor’s in biology but I really want to go back for my master’s, and surprisingly there is a huge lack of science courses in any masters programs in any of the billings colleges. At this point we are willing to move almoste anywhere throughout Montana. Because i have a young daughter I need to find a good daycare, preferably with healthy or whole foods (organic) menus. So I need a college with a good master’s program with natural resources or biology, a good daycare in close proximity to the college and not too high a cost of living. If anyone has any advice I am so open for it. Thanks….

     Nichole

149. dianeh on April 15, 2010 10:01 pm

     Nichole, I don’t know much about colleges, biology, or child care here. I can tell you most people who have moved here from other places have to take a cut in pay from what they are used to elsewhere. There are good colleges in Missoula (University of Montana), Bozeman (Montana State Universite), and Helena (Carroll College) that might have programs that would fit your needs. Again, jobs are scarce and cost of living high. Billings is the biggest city in Montana so if you can’t find what you want there it might not exist in Montana. Sorry.

150. Nichole on April 24, 2010 9:30 am

     Thank you dianeh for your response. I do believe you may be right. I have made a new advance in finding a program that works for me in billings, as well as being on a waiting list for a daycare. But I am still left with looking for a job. I will keep my effort up and accept if things do not change. If it is not in the cards for me, I am willing to accept that. But i am also not going to give up trying. I am distressed about taking a pay cut, and I thank you for pointing that out to me, I am starting to see that may be true.

     Nichole

151. Cady on May 13, 2010 8:13 pm

     Hello to everyone! It seems that alot of people want to move to Montana. Well I am a country girl living in the city and I am tired of it.I would like to find a small town somewhere in Montana to live.I grew up riding horses before I learned how to walk as a baby. I am not afraid of working and trust me I have faith that God is right beside me all the time. I recently had a really bad tradgedy and I need a good change in my life. If anyone can give me any information on a small town there in Montana and possible places to workand places to live (one or two bedrooms will work.It is going to be just me and my dog. Thanks and God Bless.

152. dianeh on May 14, 2010 9:43 pm

     Cady, sorry to hear about the tragedy. I don’t have much information for you. There are lots of small towns in Montana. It just depends on what kind of area you are looking for and what type of work you can do. If you plan to rent, I can tell you it is very hard in some places to find rental properties that accept pets. I think that is the same everywhere unfortunately.

153. Cady on May 29, 2010 4:12 pm

     Thanks Dianeh! I can do quite a few thing’s (work wise).I am thinking about taking a online course to get my Associates Degree in Medical Billing and Coding. I am a good cook, I’ve done Property Management (5yrs.)I hope to find some kind of work and a 2 bedroom house to rent. I like being out in the country. So if anyone has any idea’s on small town’s that I might can check out, is very appriciated. I want to start a new life in a nice quite little country town somewhwere either in Montana or Wyoming.
     Thanks and God Bless everyone.

154. Dave Williams on July 12, 2010 4:35 pm

     Wow. I’ve been blasting the Web trying to “get the local skinny” on MT and I should have just come here first! I’m recently retired with a moderate pension and have lived in AZ my entire life, so I’m more than ready to trade sagebrush for juniper (or spruce!). I’ve always hated folks that moved to AZ and tried to make it like where they used to live (Chicago? Cali??) and I’ve sworn to myself that I’m moving to MT and taking it all in lock-stock-and-barrel. While I;m not ultra-concerned with finding a job I;d like to find a small income to help. I guess I better get back to my “schooling” by reading the rest of these posts from everyone. Feel free to drop me line with tips or ideas.

155. dianeh on July 23, 2010 10:04 pm

     Dave, sounds like you have the right attitude. Depends on the area of Montana you are in if you have juniper, spruce, lodgepole pine, fir, or cottonwoods but I’m with you on the trading sagebrush for any of those. What kinds of tips or ideas are you looking for?

156. Dave Williams on July 28, 2010 12:57 am

     dianeh: I’m primarily looking for areas to avoid. While I realize college towns hold the best promise for service related jobs, I don’t want to live among college folks. Nothing against them but they have a different lifestyle than I’m looking for. I’m planning a recon trip to drive around the state for a week to check out places and find out where the drinking water sucks, traffic issues year-around, just the local knowledge that you don’t figure out until you’re confronted with it. I’ve often found the best info comes from talking to the local cops or deputies over a cup of coffee. I just want to fit in and not be a bother.

157. Tami on July 28, 2010 9:41 am

     Hello. My husband and I would like to relocate to a rural small farm somewhere in Montana in the next year. We would rather be in a very rural area and basically set up to live off the farm. We are both from farming backgrounds and are sick of the city life/rat race. We would need a water source and good farm land area but honestly would rather be as rural/remote as possible. If anyone has any ideas, please email me @ Mooneyed4Montana@gmail.com Thank you much

158. dianeh on July 28, 2010 10:42 pm

     Dave,
     Sounds like you have a good outlook on a move. I agree talking with the locals is the best way to learn about a place. I don’t know about the local cops but some places you will find will be more tolerant of out of state people than others. I can tell you the bigger cities like Helena, Great Falls, Missoula, Billings, Bozeman, Butte, and Kalispell all tend to have traffic problems (especially Helena lately)but there are small towns near those cities that might be worth your while to check out. The drinking water in Helena isn’t that good although I started drinking reverse osmosis filtered water and it’s a lot better. Missoula and Great Falls are even bigger than Helena and Billings is in a class by itself. Bozeman is a college town as is Missoula. You might want to plan more than a week if you don’t have a specific area in mind as this is a very big state. If you want more information let me know and I’ll try to share what I have learned about this great big beautiful state.

     Tami, there are lots of areas like that in Montana. You might want to look into the real estate market for a start on where the farmland is for sale and go from there in your search.

159. Nattalie on August 13, 2010 11:46 pm

     I’m planning to move to montana from texas. I was hoping to take my car but my mom killed my dreams by saying I need new tires(which I’m sure is true) and that my car needs some special motor for the cold weather. Is this true? What do I need really to prepare my car?

160. David in Great Falls on August 15, 2010 8:20 am

     Hi Nattalie — not a special motor, but a “heater block” that can be installed in most vehicles for about $100. That way you can plug your car in to an electrical source to prevent your engine block from freezing if the temps drop to, say, -20 or -30.

161. Thannie on August 17, 2010 2:27 pm

     I am looking forward to move the living heck out of Wisconsin. Do not get me wrong, but the state has all the beauty and attractions ( as you see on a postcard) The society, on the other hand, is far so much like old south where everything is just so racially segregated. I have been here in Milwaukee for over 20 years now and it is that time for me to boogie on out to Montana in the future. In 2006 and 2007, I were traveling through the entire state of Montana; I enjoyed every bit of it. Besides of the majestic view of its lush Badlands (the prairies) and the fabuous scenic Rockie Mountains, the people there in the state are far beyond open-minded, racially harmonized, family friendly and highly opened to me. I have never expected this kind of welcome ever in my life. It is like why should my family (parents) moved to Montana decades ago? I have had people invited me to churches, had me to join them for dinner to meet their families, job offers (since I had no place where to live as a visitor), gratifications and high respects from people of all different races. As for all you Montana lovers here in the blog… can you please show a brother like me how to make it out in Missoula? I have to make a future out in Montana. Thank you.

162. Thannie on August 17, 2010 2:41 pm

     Hey Cheesehead

     Join the crowd; I am getting sick of Wisconsin as much as you are. I am going to be a soon to be former Cheesehead myself. When you visit or move to Montana always be yourself and feel very comfortable of who you are in your own skin; it works for me. I, myself, never have a problem with anybody in Montana such as strange stares, finger pointings, stereotypings or bigotry…that, my friend, is what you and I both experience in Wisconsin. And when you move to Montana, the reek of the hatered of the Wisconsin stench definitely shakes off of your heart and mind gates. You will become a whole, brand new man.

163. Thannie on August 17, 2010 2:49 pm

     Instead of giving the State of Montana an A+, I am giving it an O… as in OUTSTANDING.

164. dianeh on August 19, 2010 10:31 pm

     Nattalie,
     As Dave said, a block heater can be helpful here but it not necessarily a must have. I do not have one and it seems to have been ok so far.

165. Rosemary on September 8, 2010 5:46 pm

     I like Billings, Mt. I have visited Bozeman, BigSky etc. For me Montana people are not prejudice. However, I was surprised to read that Dianeh who thought of moving to Montana did’t like to see immigrants. This is what you said, “One reason I liked Montana was it seems like not a lot of immigrants are ending up there—”. For me Montana is a place of good (not prejudice) people. I am scared to read that people such as Dianeh had wanted to move, because I as a person of immigrant family liked Montana, and have talked about Montana always very well. But thinking that a person like Dianeh who doesn’t want to see an immigrant can like Montana and because there are not many immigrants scares me a little, though I have faith in humanity and believe that people can/need to understand people no matter where they are from. Of course I am against illegal immigration but those who are here legally shouldn’t face the prejudice. After all this country is about immigrants.

166. Ben Payne on September 9, 2010 12:30 am

     I’m moving to Montana whether Local Montanan and kathy like it or not. Who in the hell do you think you are? You don’t own the state and judging by your griping,you probably don’t contribute much to it.Move over or move your ass out!

167. dianeh on September 9, 2010 3:51 pm

     Rosemary, I was referring to illegal immigrants however it seems that did not come across in my post. Montana is full of good people. Unfortunately prejudice is found everywhere including Montana.

168. Rosemary on September 9, 2010 9:49 pm

     Dear Dianeh,

     Thank you for your post. I am glad to read it. I am so relieved. God bless you.

     Rosemary

     I wish you a happy living in Montana

169. Rosemary on September 9, 2010 9:51 pm

     Ben, I wish you too luck.

170. Ben on September 13, 2010 3:29 pm

     I am moving to Montana and have came across the Ranches at Belt Creek. This seems like a great concept. Has anyone heard about this? There is Horseback riding, rodeos, ATVs, hunting, fishing, Clay shooting. Please let me know if you have heard about it.

171. Rosemary on September 13, 2010 11:27 pm

     Horseback riding, fishing, rodeos, I have heard not clay shooting. Amazing, looks like you have actually moved. How are you feeling? The peace in surrounding is just admirable.

172. Ben Payne on September 14, 2010 6:51 am

     note: Ben Payne and Ben are not the same person.

173. Ben Payne on September 15, 2010 8:12 pm

     Thanks Rosemary and good luck to you.

174. Rosemary on September 17, 2010 5:45 pm

     Thanks Ben.

175. robin on September 19, 2010 6:03 pm

     My best friend lives in missoula. I need a job and place to live. I need to get away from Joliet il. as I dont speak spanish, and that is the primary language here now. I am a certified Phlebotomist. Anybody have info on jobs in Missoula?

176. dianeh on September 20, 2010 2:29 pm

     Robin, the best places to check on jobs in Missoula would be: Missoula Job Service http://wsd.dli.mt.gov/local/missoula/

     Or the Missoulian http://missoulian.com/

     You could also check St. Patrick Hospital which is the main hospital in Missoula (http://www.saintpatrick.org/)

     Since your friend lives in Missoula I’m sure she would be a better source for information for you.
     Best of Luck.

177. jsasser on September 21, 2010 4:03 pm

     im from illinois and i was having a very difficult time trying to find good information on how to make a kinda seamless move out of state first time. i have move from town to town and when younger from illinois to iowa then iowa illinois but pay rent ratio is pretty ok… but not very pet friendly i have a cat and dog.lol lots of info and the people that are from montana seem very friendly i myslef am planning on moving in a year. exciting and scary

178. jsasser on September 21, 2010 4:35 pm

     oh forgot to say that the job statistics are better in montana by me in northern illinois.i think we are like close to 14 % unemployed one job 100 people apply. rent is high. and montana was way lower for unemployed

179. Rosemary on September 22, 2010 8:59 pm

     There are two job openings at Community Medical Center in Missoula for Phlebotomist.

180. Ashleigh on November 16, 2010 8:19 pm

     Hey everyone!
     I have seen so much information about moving to Montana and it has all been very conflicting information about cost of living, job opportunities, friendliness of the community, etc., and was wondering if you guys could help me out and/or offer any advice.
     I am a 27 year old female and a young professional. I am a Social Worker with a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice and Associate’s in Psychology and Substance Abuse Treatment. My female cousin, a 40 year old professional as well, has a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice and over 8 years of Collection/Skip Tracing experience. We would like to relocate out of Michigan within the year due to the severely rapid decline in our economy, lack of jobs, and one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation. So far are eyes are on Kalispell, Whitefish, and the Flathead Valley in general.
     We were both born and raised in Michigan and are use to the cold winters and snow. My cousin was also in the Air Force and has lived all over the United States. In January of 2009, I decided to go after a dream and move to Alaska. I lived in Fairbanks for 15 months. I absolutely love everything about Alaska, except for the cost of living lol. I am a hard worker and do not mind working 2 jobs to make sure I am pulling my own weight in the community and enjoying life. I like to buy locally when I have the opportunity to in order to support local farmers and the community members.
     I love wildlife even though I am not a hunter, but I am not against hunting either. I love the mountains and the serenity of being surrounded by them. I do not agree with realtors and developers coming in and ruining God’s beautiful natural wonders or people who disrespect the land by littering, being careless, and/or polluting the lakes, air, and soil! I can adapt to the weather pretty easily being from Michigan and living in Alaska.
     I guess a few of the specific questions I have so far are:
     1. Will my cousin and I be able to find decent jobs in Flathead Valley?
     2. Is the competition for jobs high?
     3. How about finding rental homes/apartments?
     4. What is the main religion in the area?
     5. How are “outsider” treated?
     6. Is there any additional advice or hints you might offer 2 young, hard working, professionals, that would like to bask in the beauty of Montana and enjoy the outdoors?
     7. What is the weather like year-round? Are there 4 distinct seasons? What are the average temperatures in summer and winter? What about sunny day vs. overcast days
     Any information about the community, religion, culture, jobs, housing, attractions, and weather would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

181. becky on December 13, 2010 5:32 pm

     i am thinking of moving to montana. i love the cowboy life . i grew up working cattle and working on my grandads dairy. i work at the post office here in ga. but my dream is to buy a piece of land . maybe let people come hunt during hunting season to make my living for the year.

182. Carlene on December 19, 2010 1:07 pm

     Wow, finally found some information on MT. I am orginally from Wyoming but am currently living in NM. The weather is good but the crime and the employment is grime plus the cost of living is getting higher. Was thinking of moving to Billings MT because of the chance that a bigger city provides jobs, but noticed the real estate is really high what town that is close to Billings would be better to purchase a new home. Thanks for all the notes and comments on this website that has helped a lot.

183. DianeH on December 20, 2010 3:49 pm

     Carlene, there are several areas just west and north of Billings that might be possible locations for you. Billings is the largest city in Montana and so comes with all the big city problems of crime and unemployment. Laural, Hardin, and Roundup are some towns in the area but I don’t know about the real estate in those areas. Just have to look around a lot.

     Becky, there is more to Montana than the cowboy life but I’m sure you’d find it here. Not sure it would be the same as what you are thinking of though. There is plenty of land for hunting so you might not be able to get people to pay to hunt on your property unless it has a lot of game readily available. Even then I am almost sure you could not support yourself on charging fees for hunting unless you become an outfitter/hunting guide and even then it is hard to make it in that business because of competition as well as depressed economic conditions everywhere. As far as cowboy life you might find more of what you are wanting in Wyoming but I’m not trying to discourage you from moving to Montana. You might like to read this: http://www.cowboyhvn.com/Relocating.htm

     Ashleigh, areas like the Flathead Valley are very expensive. You basically pay big money for the views. It might be less than in Alaska but probably more expensive than Michigan. I’m not sure about jobs but you’d just have to check around. There aren’t a lot available anywhere these days. Wages are low compared to other places and rent can be high especially in areas like you mentioned.
     I’m not sure of the “main” religion in the area. Montana generally seems to be largely Christian but there are all religions represented here. If you scroll back through the comments you will find a mix of feelings about outsiders. For the most part I’d say they are not readily accepted. There are seasons but weather depends on the area and with all the weird weather everywhere it’s unpredictable at the very least. Some folks say there are two seasons in Montana -winter and not-winter. For more specifics your best bet would be to check online for location specific information such as local newspapers. mt.gov is a good site with lots of information.
     Best of luck to you all.

184. Salome on December 21, 2010 2:22 pm

     I am a 34 year old mother of 3 boys who love to hunt and fish. I recently got divorced after 15 years of marriage. I am feeling lead to move to Montana. I grew up in kansas and i miss the cold. I live in east texas now and there is no winter. just cooler days here and there. I want my kids to go to a good school that has a good sports program. I have teenagers and they have always played baseball and football and now golf. I have been very persistant that i do not want to leave where my kids have always lived but I feel that my boys and I would be able to heal and grow in Montana. Anyone have any suggestions so far as good schools? Also I have 2 of my 3 are dyslexic and need extra help in there reading. I have a year before I can move from this state so I am doing my research now incase this is not want is meant for me and my boys. Thanks

185. chris on January 16, 2011 8:50 am

     To Nichole,
     I lived in Billings for two years. I too have a degree in Biology (Molecular) and had a tough time finding work. We move to Billings because of my wife’s job in Health Care.

     I settled for a Chemist position at Energy Labs in Billings. Not exactly what I was looking for, but it was job-salary was low for a degree position.

     We liked MT very much and are looking at moving back soon.

186. Brian Veasey on February 15, 2011 9:56 pm

     I might be moving to Montana soon!(Frank Zappa)I lived there during the ’60s as a child, father was station @ Malstrom AFB, now that they are retired (my father’s health is failing)they have, for years, expressed a desire to move back. I currently live in Philadelphia,PA(Killadelphia,Filthadelphia,etc.) sick of it! I want big sky, fishing, and clean air. Not paying any attention to rumors of hate groups who alledgedly reside there, cause hey, they are everywhere! Need info to move there, thanks.

187. PJ on February 18, 2011 11:32 pm

     Well, after 21 years at a ski resort in Vt, we are moving to Big Sky this summer. Any advice?

188. elijah on March 10, 2011 7:35 am

     i am moving to montana sometime next year and im moving with my dad. the downside is he is disabled, but i used to work for him as a contractor. so i didnt know if there was any recomendations on where we could move, he wants a piece of property thats by itself. not close to any facilities or other people, but to kinda just be able to live by ourselves in a quiet life with nature around us. ive never been to montana but i know how beautiful it is so i just wanted some ideas for him so he could choose where he wants to live. anything really helps me as long as it gives me a good idea of the location.

189. Tammy on June 16, 2011 4:46 am

     I always wanted to move to Montana since watching LonesomeDove…..LOL
     I have lived in Florida for 25 years ,and am originally from Ohio.Does anyone think I could make the conversion…..LOL
     I have a friend who just moved to the Great falls area and he has been in Louisiana for 25 years.But he’s from Montana.

190. Ra'lee on June 16, 2011 9:34 pm

     i have read all most every post on here and i have found them to be help full. I am going to MT dont know if im mon=veing there yet im just going i will have less then 800 what close i bring and a dream of a fresh star. I plan on gettin a job working in the oil filds i have never worked in the oil fild be for but a guy i met in passing said they hier gree horns every day. Im going to start in billings but seeing as i dont have a car i need to know whar to go i dont want to spen all sumeer looking for a job. and freez my tush off all winter in a tint :) im a hard worer and have no problem doing a job noone else wants to do ill be in billings no latter then 7/11
     pleas help if you can.
     I have never dun any thing this crazy in my life. every one i know, says i should stay, or you cant go in lees you know some one, or have money. but i say this is amarca the land of the free home of the brave!!! all I need is a lead I dont have mutch time with or with out help im coming…..
     SEE YOU SOON “MT”

191. tammy on July 24, 2011 6:25 pm

     Hello, My family and I are wanting to move out west from VA We would like a small town that is very kid oriented.. My son is football crazy…We want to find a good school for both our children but simple and cheap living..Am I asking too much?

192. ziffle on August 12, 2011 2:08 pm

     Stay out of Helena. It isn’t cheap to live here, nor are the people friendly! Jobs pay minimum wage and they slave drive you! People are unfriendly once you move here.If you don’t like outdoor activities, your screwed!

193. Steph on August 17, 2011 3:15 pm

     ‘ello all! My hubby and I desire to move up to Montana to escape the hectic, crazy city life of Southern Cali. This state is just not for us anymore. We’re looking to visit Montana next year, but have no specific place picked out yet. Anyone have any suggestions?

     Also, a few questions. If one would be so kind as to take the time to answer them, it would be very much appreciated:

     1.) What is the job market like? What areas are the best for two people who have retail experience and health care experience?

     2.) Is race an issue? I mean no offence, but it’s nice to know what we may be getting into. We are both of Mexican descent, but are very much NOT your typical Mexicans. We like classical music, hiking, archery, theatre; stuff like that.

     3.) How hard is it to make it the first year?

     4.) What city/town do you recommend for a married couple with no kids, who just want a more relaxed pace than they’ve been living in their whole lives?

     5.) What’s the easiest city/town to start out living in? Best job opportunites, affordable rent/housing, etc.

     I look forward to anyone responding back. Much thanks from two city folk looking to get back in touch with Nature.

194. Dianeh on August 19, 2011 12:32 pm

     Steph,
     I’m not speaking for the whole state of Montana and times are changing but I do know that Montana is still about 90% caucasian so it may be hard for you to fit in, so to speak. A larger town like Billings or Great Falls might be a better bet for you. Also there are definitely anti-Californian sentiments here. Unfortunately a lot of people from California came here (or continue to come here) after selling high dollar houses in California and can afford to pay higher prices and buy fancier houses so raise the housing prices here. That’s basically the short version of why Californians are all glumped together as a group and considered bad for Montana. No offense to anyone, just stating the facts as I’ve experienced them. Montana on a whole is more laid back than most places so most anywhere would fit with your more relaxed pace. Job opportunities are scarce here as with a lot of the country these days and wages are notoriously low here. Rent and housing prices tend to be high unless you live in a smaller town but even then the wages don’t match the housing prices for sure. It’s called “poverty with a view” for good reason. Wish you the best of luck.

195. Lisa on September 17, 2011 9:26 am

     Hello everyone,

     My husband and I are seriously considering relocating to Montana. He is from CO and I am from WI however, we both ended up in Phoenix, AZ 20+ years ago and can’t wait to get back to the cold weather. We will be empty nesters in the next 3 years and figure we have paid our dues in the heat. We love being outdoors, on the water fishing, my husband is an avid hunter, and we both love to ski. I just spent 8 days driving through MT and WY and fell in love with the Helena area so I am trying to learn all I can about the area.

     Jobs seem to be the biggest concern. My husband works in the enviromental industry for the State of AZ and I am an Insurance Agent. From the research I have done, it appears most of the jobs in the environmental area are through the state. I am not sure that I want to continue to work in insurance versus getting into something more administrative. Does anyone have any direction with regards to these areas of employment?

     Secondly, we don’t want to live in town however, after driving around Helena, I want to make sure I am not driving over any high passes during winter. I really liked the area around Clancy and want to be no further south than Jefferson City. The other area that looks promising is west and northwest of Helena as we want to be in the mountains. Any thoughts on these areas?

     We are planning a family vacation to Helena next summer to scope it out more. We had originally thought northern Idadho (Coeur D’Alene is beautiful) but after 2 weeks there this summer, the area is not quite what we wanted. We are about embracing the lifestyle of the area we move whole-heartedly and want this to be our last move.

     Thanks for any information you can provide. This blog has been very informative :)

196. Shayla Danielson on October 5, 2011 10:57 am

     Hello everyone,
     I am 99.9% planning on moving to Kalispell in the summer. I am a senior, graduating early and getting a CNA certification before the move. I am also going to be recieving my associates at the FVCC. I know it’s a small school, but I want some indepence. It won’t be just my income, my Fiancee will be moving with me also. I have been told it’s very expensive, which is obvious since it’s a beautiful area. But I am curios as if it is all expensive? Is there reasonable priced renting, we’re not dirt poor, but we also can’t afford lakeside property. Any input would be greatly appreciated.
     Thanks!
     Shayla

197. Barbara Keith on November 19, 2011 9:32 pm

     I came from California and I love it here, fresh air, no gridlock, and no violence. I lived there over 3/4 of my life, when it was good. It changed
     because of too many people, and that brings crap. I love the less people here, and more beauty. Better quality of life. It depends upon what you are looking for.

     I live in the beauty of naturalness, to paint what I see.

198. Ashley on December 8, 2011 11:32 pm

     For anyone looking to move to Montana and live in a place that has a good amount of job opportunities, cheap living cost, and beautiful mountain surroundings I would highly suggest somewhere in the Bitterroot Valley. There are rivers and mountains in every direction and it is a short drive to Missoula where there are lots of job opportunities. I was born and raised in Montana and have spent lots of time all over the state. As a young adult I would recommend living in Missoula itself but if you are looking for a more country feel the Bitterroot Valley (Lolo, Stevinsville, Hamilton, Corvallis) is a wonderful place to live. There are also a lot of jobs available in the valley itself if you are into any kind of outdoor work. For example its one of the largest producers of logs in the country. There are tons of Log yards all over. Rent is very cheap compared to living in Missoula itself and as I said before…it is a short drive to Missoula if you want or need to be there for work or play.

199. Danny on December 28, 2011 8:46 am

     Hello, Montana !
     My wife and I are both retired living on Social Security. Would we have a chance in heck if we move to your great state? We want to move there in the near future but are un-sure if we could survive there on $2500 a month! Any responses or opinions would be greatly appreciated!