looking for a good place to raise a child (Billings: appointed, crime)

[smlltwngrl]

I am considering relocating to montana to raise my son. We are currently living in an area that has gangs ad crime and we need a different life. I am looking for open places where he can play, people that work hard and enjoy it, weather that changes with the season and the chance to give him better life. I am thinking that Montana sounds great. The people I have spoken with seem hard working and good hearted. Any further input would be appreciated. Thanks

[Rickers]

Hang a map of Montana on the wall and throw a dart at it. That's a good place to raise kids where ever it lands !

[smlltwngrl]

Thank you for telling me. I was thinking the same thing.

[orygun]

Originally Posted by rickers

Hang a map of Montana on the wall and throw a dart at it. That's a good place to raise kids where ever it lands !

I love this!!

[jimj]

Well, there are SOME places you hope the dart doesn't hit that's for sure!

[DianaTWM]

Billings is a great place, but the calibre of some of the people moving in from other places makes me a little uneasy. I have children and am aware that gang activity, drug trafficking and meth use is increasing here, although a great majority of the population is still in denial. I know there are other towns in Montana experiencing the same increases.

[smlltwngrl]

I am very concerned about meth use and gangs. That is a HUGE part of the reason I am leaving Reno. That concerns me

[jimj]

Originally Posted by smlltwngrl

I am very concerned about meth use and gangs. That is a HUGE part of the reason I am leaving Reno. That concerns me

We just had this conversation in another thread but since you missed it here is what the deal is as far as my family has seen so far.
Meth is everywhere in the US, don't let anyone try and snow you about that. We and the people we know have yet to see a big problem, yes there are people here that have a problem but it's not like you see it on every corner or that people are being robbed or murdered on a daily basis in every town because of it. Alchohol and drunk driving are way more of a problem here IMO.

As for gangs, I can't speak for billings but in the flathead there are no gang issues at this point. Yes, as is everywhere there are dirt bag kids that are up to no good but there is no organized gangs at this point. We don't (knock wood) have driveby shootings,you can wear red and blue shirts here without fear of being called "nortino or serano",nobody gets jumped in or out here except off rocks or bridges into the river.
I have never heard anyone say they don't feel safe here anymore, while the time of being able to leave your car runing in the store parking lot while you shop may have passed I don't worry about walking around at any time of day or night, nor does my son.
Most of the crime here is property crime, dirt bags breaking into cars at night or opening cars left unlocked in the parking lots with things out on the seat or shoplifting and as you get closer to places like Missoula store/casino robbery is picking up.
Hope this helps.....

[ExilefromCa]

SmllTwn, we moved to MT for similar reasons (wanting a more wholesome culture) and were disappointed by what we found. Drinking and gambling rule the day in many MT towns. I live in Livingston, and cannot recommend it. If you don't frequent the bars (there are plenty) and the casinos (there are plenty more), you won't have much to do here except shop at Pamida (a smaller version of Wal-Mart, basically). Bozeman might be a nice place to raise a family, but make sure you visit and study the culture first.

[ExilefromCa]

Also, I would avoid Billings, or least make sure I visited first before making a decision to move there. It is an industrial city and extremely polluted. There are refineries on virtually all sides of the city, and parts of the city smell terrible at night. Overall, it's a grimey, depressing place to live.

Helena is nice. It's the capital, so it has a lot to offer in the way of culture and activity. I haven't been to Great Falls yet, but will visit soon and let you know what I discover. I notice that your name is "SmallTownGirl." If you're looking for a small, all-American town to raise your kids in, I strongly recommend that you check out Lewistown. It's small, clean, and thriving. The downtown area is beautiful, and there's plenty for kids to do here. It's also a very religious town, and whether you're religious or not I think you'll appreciate the wholesome values that the people of Lewistown bring to their city. My only caution about Lewistown is that it's pretty isolated. If you can do without "big city" amenities like Wal-Mart, Target, shopping malls, etc. you might like it. Depending on what industry you're in, you'll want to check out the job market, too. It's worth a look, though, and I can tell you that if it weren't for my career, I would move to Lewistown in a heartbeat.