Montana - Colorado Comparison (Denver, Grand Junction: for sale, real estate, schools)

[orygun]

Has anyone lived in both Montana and Colorado in their lifetime and have an opinion on the similarities and differences? I just visited Denver/Front Range and over to Grand Junction via the Park so have a good feel for the terrain and what is there. Life is as good as it gets here in terms of our housing, job, schools and scenery. But with relatives in Denver, Texas and Illinois I do think about being closer and wonder what the big difference would be.

I lived in Oregon for 19 years, including metro areas so can handle that. The weather seems more unpredictable in Colorado and it is certainly more commercialized than Montana. There are definitely more things to do in Colorado and more opportunities than Montana. Personally, I think the Mission Mountains in Montana are as beautiful as mountains can be but I love mountains in general so that probably shouldn't matter. Just wondering what I "might be in for if we moved there."

Thanks!

[Shuffler]

you'd be in for high prices and not many jobs...just a guess

drove through MT en route to N. ID a few years ago...spectacular scenery...

picked up a few land/real estate booklets here and there, and got depressed very quickly

[katie_c_s]

I was born in Colorado and lived there for basically 25 years, but I have spent 4 months in Glacier Nat'l Park and now I am living in Butte, MT. One of the biggest differences I have noticed is that Montanans are not near as liberal as Coloradoans, excluding the residents of Missoula, which is where I would suggest for you to move. As far as scenery is concerned, they are similar in that there are plains in the east, mountains in the west. Glacier is the exception. It's so beautiful, unique, and stunning. You should visit Glacier at least once in your lifetime.

I have also noticed that in Butte people litter all over and just don't seem to care about the environment. I hate to say this in such harsh terms, but the residents of Butte, America are a little "white-trashy". Not everyone of course, but in general they drive huge trucks, have BAD road-rage, throw cigarette butts and trash everywhere, and don't have the best work ethics. They somehow seem more religious too.

Montana is also economically-depressed compared to Colorado. It is less-populated too, which is cool. There are more Native Americans, more reservations, and a TON of casinos! Just about every building is a bar, restaurant, casino, and liquor store. The people are generally friendly though and I just try not to take them (and their conservative views) too seriously. For example, my boyfriend's co-workers think global warming is all a big scam because last winter was as cold as ever.

It's also not as sunny here as CO. The winters are dark and dreary. You get long, sunny days in the summer, but shorter, darker days in winter. This month has been really nice though, so it varies.

Personally, I would never move to MT permanently. I am too spoiled having grown up in CO. I LOVED Glacier and can appreciate Butte while I'm here, but in May, it's back to CO for me!

There are some really great things about MT though, so it comes down to personal preferences. I have really enjoyed my time spent in MT, but my heart belongs in CO. If I were you, I would move to CO, but plan a long summer vacation for MT. It is a place you should spend time in for sure!

[BillRadio]

Originally Posted by orygun

Just wondering what I "might be in for if we moved there."

My wife is from Montana and we have visited ocassionally and have asked ourselves and our friends there, "can we live in MT?" Number 1 is the weather. We spend more time in Bozeman than anywhere else, and even that far south, nice weather doesn't think about starting until May. In Colorado, weather can be wonderful as early as March. Yes, it is highly variable, but the number of nice days in spring and fall give Colorado a huge edge.

Our friends in Hamilton and Missoula are even more critical of the weather there, and actually leave town for a few months. We can be playing golf in January in Denver.

Next is the ability to make enough money to enjoy a good standard of living. The price of gas and food is the same in both places, but in most parts of Colorado, if you can find work, it should pay better than MT.

Of course there's a whole lot more to do in CO. Professional sports, live music, arts scene, etc. In Bozeman, our friends get pretty severe cabin fever. They can go out, but there's not enough to make them want to.

[Ticky909]

coors, you saw that movie didnm't ya?

[onthamove]

forget co and alsaska to many people go to alaskan range, then head up into arctic circle and yukon, if you like quiet and solitutude colorado will dissapoint, when i arrived the first time i was a little let down i just kept picturing a front range scene minus cars and the big city of denver, i was going for more a trippin across the high prairie to the rockies by horse in 1825 with joe walker or jim bridger or deca cabeza type scenario, but if i had to choose i'd take montana, but i allready know thats to crowded for me too, alaskas where i have to go but i will undoubtly be back to co as well as az, and nm to visit some folks i met out on my trips i could never live in either though, but co is best views in lower 48 hands down, it epitomizes the old west

[onthamove]

ps look up some threads about colorados exploding population, no place to live off the land and have no one near you

[katie_c_s]

Originally Posted by onthamove

no place to live off the land and have no one near you

This is just not true. There are plenty of lots (many over 100s of acres) for sale in Colorado. Sure, Denver is crowded, but head northwest or southwest (or east if you want farm land) and you can find all kinds of small mountain towns and land. Check out Rico, Lake City, Poncha Springs, Walden, or Silverton if you think everywhere in CO is overcrowded.

Also, I don't know why you even mentioned Alaska in this tread, but since you did... I spent a summer up there and although it is beautiful, I would NEVER live there permanently. The weather would be so awful in winter. Windy, cold, and dark. There is practically no sunlight in the winter months. And if you're comparing CO to AK, then that is a BIG problem since CO is sunny pretty much everyday. Also, the locals in AK are not normal. I don't mean to be mean, but the Alaskans I met, I couldn't even have a conversation with. The lack of sun, and then too much sun, do not even out. They are strange and it takes a certain kind of person to live in AK year-round.

Another problem I had with AK is that since it is so desolate, it's practically impossible to travel and see a lot of the state. You have to charter planes and that costs hundreds of dollars per person. There are several cities that you can only get to by plane, and if you can afford it, cool. But I couldn't, so I didn't get to see near as much as I wanted. For me, AK is a place I would visit during summer vacation when I had a lot of time and money. FYI, the drive through Alberta, BC, and the Yukon is so amazing! I highly recommend it and honestly, I enjoyed the road trip up there and back as much as the 3 months in AK.

[delta07]

I didn't read all the posts, so please forgive me if this has already been said. Although you didn't specifically state it in your post, I'm assuming you live in MT. I have never lived in MT, but my sister has lived in Missoula for over 10 years, so I have been there many times. I was born and raised in CO, but recently relocated to Bend, OR. My husband and I considered MT also because we always love visiting there. However, there were several things that made us consider OR over MT.

#1: Wages- MT is one of the poorest paying places in the west, and my husband would have taken a huge salary cut to move there.

#2: Weather- Winters are overcast in Missoula and downright cold. We couldn't deal with that.

#3: Familiarity- Bend, OR reminded us so much of CO in terms of weather, sunshine, and the general feel.

So...to get back to your post. MT does have some similarities to CO. The mountains are equally as beautiful, especially if you go the SW part of the state. However, CO has much better wages for the most part and better weather if you don't mind a greater population. Many have described MT as what CO was 20 years ago. I do know that my sister loves MT and would never move back to CO. For her, the lower wages and overcast winters are the price she is willing to pay to live in the beauty of MT.

[orygun]

Originally Posted by katie_c_s

I hate to say this in such harsh terms, but the residents of Butte, America are a little "white-trashy". Not everyone of course, but in general they drive huge trucks, have BAD road-rage, throw cigarette butts and trash everywhere, and don't have the best work ethics. They somehow seem more religious too.

Just about every building is a bar, restaurant, casino, and liquor store.

I can definitely imagine Butte being as you said. I have always liked Butte but I was there recently and it felt like you are describing.

And how about all the bars? Oregon didn't have near the number of bars I see in Montana. What is Colorado like? Do people do things other than drink?