Moving to Montana (Billings, Missoula, Great Falls: house, buy, university)

[whitehorse22]

Hello, I have a few questions for people who live in Montana.

First my fiancée and I want to eventually move to Montana. I currently live in West Virginia, but we hope to move to Montana in a couple of years when he graduates from college.

What in your opinion are the best places in Montana to live? My going to be hubby will be an Accountant and we won't be having kids for a long time after were married. So we are looking for something out of the city but close enough that he could get to for work.

Also I know that once I get there I won't know anyone. I'm worried about the whole making new friends thing...

[MTSilvertip]

Talk to Threerun on this board, he comes from your neck of the woods and his experience could be very beneficial for you.

As to best places, remember, Montana is a huge state with multiple regions, each different in climate, rainfall, prices, popluation density from the others.
Transpose a map of Montana over the eastern seaboard and see how big this state really is, it is impossible to make a blanket statement about what is "best" as it is all good, it just depends on what you want.

[bongo403]

Billings is probably the best place for jobs right now. Bozeman, Missoula, and Helena are pretty decent as well. There are lots of places outside of each city within commuting distance so it really depends on what you are looking for as far as scenery, amenities, lifestyle, cost of living, etc.

Montana is generally a pretty friendly place. You'll meet people through work. I would also recommend getting involved in community activities - volunteering for non-profits, attending church, taking some fun adult ed classes (if you're in a University town they have them on all kinds of fun topics), book clubs, or whatever appeals to you. People are friendly and if you're outgoing, you'll make friends!

[Reziac]

Y'all already made friends just by coming here, see?

[happiness is]

When I read in your description "something out of the city", I think it's important for you to know that there are no real cities in Montana in the sense that you see them back east. Even the largest city in Montana, Billings, is surrounded by wide open plains and no matter where you move here, you are minutes from being out in the country... and I mean very sparsely populated country.

I know several people who moved here from cities and bought land outside of town, commute in to their job, and now regret that they didn't just buy a house in town to avoid all that driving and inconvenience, when the towns are so rural and you can see mountains or open plains around you when you are in town.

The population density of West Virginia is about 77 people per square mile.
The population density of Montana is about 6 people per square mile.

[GLS]

Originally Posted by happiness is

........The population density of Montana is about 6 people per square mile.

Yep, startin' to get crowded!

[Threerun]

Yup- I'm from West Virginia. Lived in Martinsburg/Inwood for a good many years and a few in Clarksburg / Bridgeport.

I live in Helena and for the most part it's a fine place. It's actually a little larger than the Martinsburg area, but I live north of town on a few acres. My neighbors are pretty nice, with the exception of one complete tree hugging whack-job behind me that called the cops on me for cutting trees under a power line, but that's a whole nother story... You can't win 'em all unfortunately.

I work in commercial finance and you'll find accounting work is generally okay around the major cities- Billings, Bozeman, Helena, Missoula, Great Falls etc.. I wouldn't discount Miles City, Havre, Kalispell and some other small towns either- especially out east where things are picking up. The state is generally 'stable' with a a couple areas being pretty hard hit with the housing crunch- Kalispell and Bozeman are the two major one's. depending on what type of accounting your husband is in may play a large role in where you may find the best job.

Topography wide- depending on where you lived in West Virginia it could be quite a change for you. Helena is in a large valley surrounded by mountains and forest. It's like Martinsburg and the Shenandoah Valley in a way but again completely different. The valley here is pretty darned flat, no real rolling hills per se, just flat, transitioning to hogbacks, to mountains.

In my opinion the climate here is awesome compared to West Virginia. Throw humidity out the window. My first winter here (which was last winter) wasn't bad at all IMO. The locals I work with said last winter was pretty tough as compared to prior winters, but if I can sweep snow off my vehicle with a broom and not a backhoe- I can live with -20 on occasion, lol.

I've met some really great folks out here; a few from this board, a few from Scouting, a few from work. Like anything if you're a decent 'ol West Virginian pretty much anybody is going to like you. If you move here you have the added benefit of no one knowing the litany of West Virginia jokes that permeate the East Coast, lol.

I can assure you, living here is MORE like living in West Virginia than if a true West Virginian moved to say, Northern Virginia or even Virginia for that matter.

It's a great place, very welcoming, and pretty laid back. The outdoors are EVERY BIT as spectacular as West Virginia, although I do sometimes miss the fall colors in the hollers and the hills- especially the aroma of oak burning from a woodstove.

Send a pm if you make your way to Helena, I'd be more than happy to show you around.

[Montana Griz]

Originally Posted by Threerun

............Yup- I'm from West Virginia............................. (the following comments in dark red have been "respectfully" inserted by " ole Griz".
If you move here you have the added benefit of no one knowing the litany of West Virginia jokes that permeate the East Coast, lol. OK Threerun........now that you've aroused the curiosity of some of us 'ole Montana folks................lets hear some of these jokes you've "been hidin'!!

I do sometimes miss the fall colors in the hollers and the hills- especially the aroma of oak burning from a woodstove.............and definitely the aroma of a "big batch of Pon Haus" just a simmerin' away in a big 'ole cast iron kettle over an open fire 'out in the "back forty".

'ole' Threerun (several months back) "dropped a hint or two" about this 3rd or 4th generation recipie for Pon Haus that he "takes out of his special hidin' place" about once a year and cooks up a big batch.......and he said,..:he was gonna share"well.......so far,......"we ain't tasted no Pon Haus yet

Maybe your comin' to Helena will "prod 'ole Threerun to "fire-up-that old kettle & do his cilinary magic

..

Oh.....by the way........"what the hell is Pon Haus

[happiness is]

It's the the PA Dutch name for Scrapple (there are Pennsylvania Dutch on my mom's side of the family).
I'm curious, too, about Threerun's version of the recipe.

[NDak15]

Can you be more specific about what you want in a town? What kinds of activities are you wanting to do as well? Keep in mind Montana is a very large state and eastern and western Montana are almost like two separate states.