Economy, places to live or avoid?

What is truly considered NW Montana? Haha.

Missoula and Bozeman seem pretty expensive but with more employment options. Same with Helena.

A little piece of land, a tiny house and car shed would be perfect. One can dream.

As a tourist, it’s awesome and they have some great shooting ranges in Three Forks, Missoula, and Billings. Hamilton is good too, just less amenities. Haha.

Never been to Missoula, but a friend who grew up there described it as the Austin, TX of Montana.

Son is a sophomore at Montana State in Bozeman and we’ve spent a little time there. I like it a lot, but it is a little ‘hip’ in places, growing fast, and expensive. You may get some of that in any university town.

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A little piece of land, a tiny house and car shed would be perfect. One can dream.

My friend pretty much has this set-up in unincorporated East Helena. 10 years ago 150K got this deal easily; figure on twice that now, and it's still going up. You might still be able to get a deal. I just visited there a couple months ago. Slightly away from the metro, but the big city Helena is only a drive away.

We are just north of Kalispell. It is a beautiful spot in the world. Jobs are plentiful but real estate is way, way expensive. You can live on the fringes of the area in places like Kila, Martin City, Hungry Horse, Marion, Somers and more small towns not far from Kalispell. We’ve lived here 20 years and the place has exploded.

We have a large firearms industry and a number of medium size manufacturing businesses. Construction jobs are very plentiful in both labor and skilled trades.

Bozeman, Missoula and Helena are very liberal and I wouldn’t live any any of them. College towns.

Feel free to ask more questions.
Mike.

Gonna be watching this one. NW Montana is one of the places I'm thinking about moving to when I retire in another 2-4 years. Disappointing though to hear about the housing prices. California money?

^^Pretty much. Even the roads are getting crowded from Left Coast transplants.

Check out the real estate rags for housing prices and raw land. It's not your fathers Buick! AND the natives don't really need or want emigrants. Montana is no longer "paradise lost". It was "discovered" decades ago by folks who fantasized about 'escaping' something or other. Contrarily to the Duck Boy's postcard, 'he who dies with the most toys' does not win, he's just dead and the survivors have to deal with the residue!

All I know about Montana is from two different guys that were in the Air Force and stationed there . All they ever talked about was how cold it was .

Unfortunately many states that were once relatively affordable for real estate and considered bastions of gun freedom have fallen to the same fate.
I moved 5 years ago from the liberal hell of New York to Arizona. In just the last 5 years the influx of Californian refugees has worsened traffic, caused housing costs to skyrocket and turned a solidly red state to light blue.
Based on proximity and similar climate to California not too much of a surprise.

Other nearby states such as Nevada Idaho among others have also suffered the same fate

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Originally posted by selogic:
All I know about Montana is from two different guys that were in the Air Force and stationed there . All they ever talked about was how cold it was .

That was probably in Great Falls. We have 2 totally different climate zones in Montana based on whether you are east or west of the Rockies. On the western side, we seldom get below zero. Our winters are overcast and calm while the eastern side sees sun, wind and cold temps. I’ve spent over 20 years on both sides.

What you can do living in Montana. Enjoy and God Bless

Moved there in 88. Left in 2000. Finished my degrees in Missoula. Worked in Whitefish and CDA, ID

It’s not the same state I fell in love with. I’m not sure I could live there again. 1950’s 3/1 that sold for 55k are now 350k+ in Missoula. The 20acres I was a few hours late submitting my bid at 36,5 15 miles NW of Whitefish was last on the market for 550k

Saddens me the “californication” that’s happened. Even more so with covid

Most of my friends have had to move out of state because they couldn’t afford it any longer, many native montanans

I hear Montana is great for raising Dental Floss.

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Originally posted by smschulz:
I hear Montana is great for raising Dental Floss.

Huh?

I empathize with the OP, but as a native of the region it would be misleading for me to tell you anything else than you're too late.

As for other posters saying that natives are moving to to get away from here...well, I'd like to know where to. Please tell me it's somewhere that doesn't know what a snow shovel looks like.
I despise winter in all its varieties, but I've stayed here due to the overwhelming suckage of everywhere else.

My friends were seriously considering relocation to South Dakota, but I think the influx is gaining momentum there as well. It'll probably be another Montana in 5 or 10 years.

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Originally posted by apprentice:

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:
I hear Montana is great for raising Dental Floss.

Huh?

I empathize with the OP, but as a native of the region it would be misleading for me to tell you anything else than you're too late.

As for other posters saying that natives are moving to to get away from here...well, I'd like to know where to. Please tell me it's somewhere that doesn't know what a snow shovel looks like.
I despise winter in all its varieties, but I've stayed here due to the overwhelming suckage of everywhere else.

Frank Zappa reference

Most of my friends went to Spokane Valley so they still in proximity of their aging parents

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:
I hear Montana is great for raising Dental Floss.

I admit I had to look up that reference.

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Originally posted by VBVAGUY:
What you can do living in Montana. Enjoy and God Bless

Haha! I was thinking of this, too!