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Would anyone reach out from Montana to tell me what they know, what I should know?
The two big questions are...
Where in California are you living? CA is not monolithic; you might find a more congenial part closer to home and family. Myself, I'm fond of the deserts and the Owens Valley, but absolutely hate the Bay area.
What does your husband do for work? While MT has relatively low unemployment, it also has relatively few job prospects, and a far smaller welfare system.
Me, I grew up in MT, lived 28 years in SoCal, and am now back in MT.
I need some help from a kind hearted person from Montana. I'm almost 21 years old and my husband is almost 22, though please don't stereotype us. We do have an 11 month old son, and I am about 4 weeks pregnant. The worst part is that I have Chronic Lyme Disease and a very bad back from multiple things including a car accident. I'm neurologically and physically disabled. We're barely getting by here financially with the help of welfare.
We decided to move out of state when we found out I was pregnant. We hate California. We hate the gun laws. We dislike the people very much. Our family is here, but we would be a million times happier in a secluded, completely different environment. Where people have manners and morals. Where people learn to get through the struggles of, for example with montana, weather and job hunting and driving to another town for an errand, to be able to enjoy all the benefits that the state brings. We've never fit in here. We keep to ourselves for that very reason. Because we have morals and respect, and no one else does. It's too busy here as well.
We aren't experienced in the typical Montana activities, but we respect them and would hope that we would be welcomed despite that. We would fight for the life that Montana has to offer. My husband and I have been through hell and back with life constantly, and we're prepared to learn to do anything to be happy and raise our family the way it properly should be. Not in California where the kids have no manners or respect. We've searched the state's and we know the downfalls montana has to offer, but we're so miserable in this state of California, the struggles would be worth it.
Would anyone reach out from Montana to tell me what they know, what I should know?
My general,advice to anyone when moving to Montana is that you can't eat scenery. People tend to get a romanticized view of the state. Making ends meet in Montana can be very difficult as good paying jobs are few and far between. Wages are lower than the national average and cost of living is generally neither than the national average. As far as being welcomed, it depends on which part of the state you're in. There are areas that are friendlier than others, but there is a stigma attached to Californians there. Politically it is a night and day difference. It's conservative and be warned that there is a small but very loud group that can be very vocal and in your face about politics.
Thst being said, if you are able, come check it out for yourself and try to come in the winter. Do you have any cities in mind specifically?
I was born in Southern California and have lived in Kalispell for two years.
They are so different that comparisons fall short. I tell people in Montana that in my lifetime, more people moved into my California county than live in the entire state of Montana. That sort of change and population size in unthinkable to a native Montanan.
What makes Montana special to me is the dominance and abundance of nature. People and diversity and culture are secondary there simply because there just aren't that many. They haven't been forced into sardine cans of conformity and habits.
In Southern California that situation is flipped. Nature is largely paved over and squeezed out and replaced by people and culture.
These different environments create different people.
To me what makes Montana special is what it is not, and the fact that much of it remains as it has always been.
I need some help from a kind hearted person from Montana. I'm almost 21 years old and my husband is almost 22, though please don't stereotype us. We do have an 11 month old son, and I am about 4 weeks pregnant. The worst part is that I have Chronic Lyme Disease and a very bad back from multiple things including a car accident. I'm neurologically and physically disabled. We're barely getting by here financially with the help of welfare.
We decided to move out of state when we found out I was pregnant. We hate California. We hate the gun laws. We dislike the people very much. Our family is here, but we would be a million times happier in a secluded, completely different environment. Where people have manners and morals. Where people learn to get through the struggles of, for example with montana, weather and job hunting and driving to another town for an errand, to be able to enjoy all the benefits that the state brings. We've never fit in here. We keep to ourselves for that very reason. Because we have morals and respect, and no one else does. It's too busy here as well.
We aren't experienced in the typical Montana activities, but we respect them and would hope that we would be welcomed despite that. We would fight for the life that Montana has to offer. My husband and I have been through hell and back with life constantly, and we're prepared to learn to do anything to be happy and raise our family the way it properly should be. Not in California where the kids have no manners or respect. We've searched the state's and we know the downfalls montana has to offer, but we're so miserable in this state of California, the struggles would be worth it.
Would anyone reach out from Montana to tell me what they know, what I should know?
Well, Montana is a state with little in the way of social welfare programs. And the ones in place are underfunded. In short, it would be a real poor place to be poor.
Many people with job offers and decent sized nesteggs who move to this state seem to end up moving away in a short while--because the cost of living is high compared to the average wages. If your spouse is a doctor, lawyer, accountant or highly skilled tradesman he can make a good living here.
After reading all this about people from California and the people who already live there, it sounds likes Montana's have taken ownership of this state.
Who are we suppose to see for permission to move there?
After reading all this about people from California and the people who already live there, it sounds likes Montana's have taken ownership of this state.
Who are we suppose to see for permission to move there?
I'm sure there are plenty of people who are convinced Californians own the state.
You see people saying there are no good jobs, and Montana pays way less than California in our case.
Look at the facts:
California has a higher real (U6) unemployment rate than Montana and a lot of other states. California is in 4th worst unemployment position, and is worse than all states except Alaska, Nevada, and New Mexico. Montana has 7 American Indian Reservations, where the big unemployment factors are located. And these are all under Federal Control. Note these are official government figures.
You are told, California is such a high pay area, but what they are not taking into consideration the life style that the local wage scale will support. When California wages are compared to other states the other states are favorable over California. After adjusting for cost of living and determining the buying power of the Median Income (median is used, as it is the exact center in income) it is found that California falls from one of the highest incomes to that high income adjusted for difference in cost of living, California falls to 48th place, in other words 4th from the bottom of all 50 states plus the District Of Columbia, beat out for 51st place by Hawaii, New York State, and District of Columbia (Washington D.C.). This is for 2015, but things have not really changed. This is the easiest to understand chart and official government figures.
You know little things such as, Price Of Homes in our biggest City in the state Billings, and the difference between there and our former homes in the Silicon Valley of California, being about a Million Dollars to much more in difference for the same quality of homes, in a similar quality area.
This home is just a very few blocks from our old home (our first of 4 in Silicon Valley). We are talking about a home that cost about $25,000 when brand new. My wife and I toured the models when they stated building them as they were so close, my wife could have hit the closest if she threw a rock at them, and she is only 5'2 small woman that cannot throw very far. Now it is on the market at $1,588,000, as a resale 50 years later.
I would have pocketbook-guestimated the diff in my purchasing power between SoCal and Billings MT at about 30%, based on my realworld costs while living in each. Per these charts I was pretty close, +6 to -21 being 27%.
I would have pocketbook-guestimated the diff in my purchasing power between SoCal and Billings MT at about 30%, based on my realworld costs while living in each. Per these charts I was pretty close, +6 to -21 being 27%.
3% difference in this situation, is almost exactly the same as far as I can determine. A +/- 3% is as close as anyone could possibly determine it, when we don't have the figures available to determine the exact difference that the government has.
Here is a great calculator, to compare salaries between states by profession/job. You can enter state you live in or comparing against up to 5 other states. You enter the profession/job your current state, and 4 other states, It will give you the state the figure that help you make decisions.
Here is a great too, to compare up to 5 states at a time by profession.
Hi -comment to the young mom - the cold and long winter will be very hard if you have health problems. The icy roads are scary to drive on- most of the drivers speed and the amount of fatal accidents and injuries is just crazy.
I have lived in Kalispell for 6 years and am done.
My health was great - perfect - when I moved here but after being rear ended by a speeder I can no longer do sports that involve running or chance falling- such as skiing - tennis- kickball , it's sad.
Montana for kids might be okay , but the dreary long winters in a place with a lot of depression is not where I will stay.
I am from California and have lived in other states since having to leave California at age 21 due to my husbands job back in 81.
I have been divorced and came to Montana along with my 2 youngest kids- as well as an older daughter with her family. We had high hopes for starting a new life. I even had some money saved and got the kids in to all the fun outdoorsy things- myself too.
Since then- I have seen a huge change in the town mood or attitude.
The rate of extreme obesity is shocking - the car crashes- the fires for most of the summer( breathing smoke is not healthy)
The cost of food , you will miss the healthy food available in California-
I just spent the entire summer in calif and am getting back to montana inorder to pack up and find a way to move back to California so I can be near my siblings and other relatives and the ocean- even if I do have to live inland.
You are lucky that you have a husband- if you are interested in moving here for the gun laws, you will enjoy that aspect- I can see that.
I just caution you as far as the food and health aspects.
It gets harder with the time that passes though- so you might be able to withstand it for a while-
I am glad I had the freedom to come here when the town was friendly- peaceful and cute-
The town makes jobs of cutting down all the older trees which is the most ridiculous thing I have seen a town do!
So the shade is taken from our streets- the noise pollution is bad- no noise ordinance-
The amount of obese people has increased so much that if I were a statistician I would try to find out what is causing this. Suicide rates are bad.
In any case - perhaps if you stay in a great health routine and can afford the food - you might be happier- every person is free to try montana but what gets me is the stuff I mentioned- no way am I going to let my kids drive in montana - the newspapers are full of the car accidents-
But you don't hear about all the "minor"ones like mine that ruined my back.
I do find that most of the people in montana are nice enough to you in public but are actually very selfish .
If you pay for services they will be nice to you- but as far as being accepted into a circle of friends- I wish you all the luck in the world.
We met nothing but people who will take and not give.
I want to be near my own family members who know me .
What makes it the last straw is seeing last winter all of us( my 2 kids and myself) struggling to get motivated every day-
Eating became A Real pastime-
I will not become obese or old before my time- most of the population is hunched over and overweight. The icy conditions make going for a walk risky without ice trekkers- spending all your money on tires or car parts is not fun---
Seeing a town bend over backwards to attract record breaking number of tourists yet not create one benefit for local people's health(such as an indoor pool for a low cost admission) -
We put up with traffic in Kalispell yet get nothing to feel we are a part of the city's plans! So good bye never seemed so disappointing- to save my life I am outta here before the snow arrives.
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who owns this state?
