Billings, Montana (Laurel, Pryor: house, new construction, school district)

[watts5family]

Hey all! My husband, myself and my three little children are moving from small town ND to a bit bigger town - Billings,MT. I am just wondering where we should look for a home around 180,000-190,000. A great elementry school district is very important to us. Also, we are wondering if Billings is a safe town, or if there are places that are dangerous to go in Billings. And one more thing, are you able to see the mountains from Billings? Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

[GEORGIAINMT]

Please see the post I just wrote re: Laurel...it's on the "Near Billings" thread. I'd like to add that you can see both the Beartooth Mountains to the SW of us as well as the Pryor Mountains (which aren't big mountains but are pretty) to the south. It's a bit easier to see the views from here than in Billings itself. Laurel is 10 miles W. on the interstate from Billings. You can get a nice house in Laurel within your budget. There are some new construction homes in a subdivision near the school that start in the $180K's, and some older homes anywhere from the smaller ones in need of repair at just over $100K to some that are bigger and nicer for $160K or so. We bought a cute 3 bedroom 1 bath with large detached garage, nice yard, etc. for $125K a year ago. A bit small for a family, but it gives you an idea. I want to put in another good word for the Laurel Schools. I've been in several towns as both a parent and as a teacher and feel Laurel can't be beat. Even though I'm not paid as much as I would if I taught in Billings, I would never trade what I have for more money. Being you have small children, I think this is something you will want to take into consideration. Please let me know if you want further information and I'd be happy to help you. I am proud of this little community! Best Wishes!
Georgia

[watts5family]

Just wondering what Laurel is like, and how long it takes to get from Laurel to Billings? What kinds of people are the ones living in Laurel?

[GEORGIAINMT]

Hi again! It takes 10-15 minutes to get from Laurel to Billings, depending on what part of Billings you are going to. It is actually faster for my husband to get to work in Billings from here than it is from some parts of Billings! It is interstate from Laurel to Billings, so a really fast, easy drive. Most of Billings' shopping (mall, Costco, all the big box stores, etc.) is on the West End, which is closest to Laurel. But Laurel just had a Walmart open.....yippeeee! As for the people here, I guess I'm not sure what you're asking. Do you mean how are the people as far as friendliness, good neighbors, etc.? Or do you mean what kind as far as jobs, economic status, etc.? I have found people to be very friendly, welcoming, and a lot more "home town" than in Billings. There is a ton of local support for schools, children, Veteran's, elderly, local business, community affairs, etc. We just kicked off a holiday food drive at the middle school I teach at today and the outpouring of support is tremendous! People here are very middle class. I don't know many (none really!) wealthy folks. Of course there are a few who struggle financially, but for the most part, we are a down-to-earth working population. Our biggest employers (with the exception of the new Walmart!) are the Cenex Gas/Oil refinery, and the railroad. The people who work at those 2 places, mostly men, are probably the highest paid in town when it comes to general salaries. A lot of people commute to Billings for work. The area between Billings and Laurel is really growing, with new subdivisions popping up, although the housing market has softened a lot from what I hear. Even at that, there is a lot of wide open spaces between the two towns. If you have any other questions please let me know. I'm always happy to help if I can. Take care!

[thomas paine]

To Georgia..thanks from an onlooker. I too am considering moving my family to the Billings area..Laurel sounds quite nice. I have 3 children..who love to learn. I'm looking at opening a business in Billings but I enjoy the country. I will be checking Laurel out..sounds like a nice community. thanks.