ATransportation issue help needed

[ElkHunter]

Man Rickers, you said a mouthfull. If you can find employment, no matter the wage, you can survive and enjoy Montana. I'm a happy camper if I can just pay the bills and be able to enjoy the outdoors. It doesn't cost anything to watch eagles fly, elk graze, the trout jump out of the stream. All it takes is a little effort on your part. You'll have a wonderful day.

[outasightoutamind]

Again many thanks to everyone who has offered honest advice to us. We have been looking hard into Kalispell, and it does seem to perhaps fit our outline of what we want and what we would need.
And it is still closer to Glacier and other small communities and who knows one of these days in the future we just maybe able to move to a much smaller community.
God Bless and have a wonderful holiday!

[jimj]

Time for me to jump in, I live in the Columbia Falls area and have to second what rickers said! This is a small town of about 1500 homes, 2 grocery stores, a couple of eateries and gas stations and 15 miles from Glacier Park. You do have to get a car if you live anywhere here except maybe in town Missoula but that option is not what it sounds like you're looking for. Insurance is a must here but it's cheap enough and gas is what it is (currently 3.13 gal).

There is a small gym in CFalls and 2 major ones, one in Kalispell and one in Whitefish. The unemployment rate here is runing about 3% and employers are crying for good workers. Hospitals need people constantly and with the one in Kalispell a benefit is gym membership. The resorts and hotels are so hard up for people they have resorted to importing them from other countries.

I would highly suggest staying out of the canyon area to live, they are a different "rougher" group up there and wouldn't be safe for a newbie. This includes Hungry Horse,Martin City and Coram.
We much prefer living out in the county area instead of in the city, rural starts as soon as you leave the city limits and the city is probably only 4 miles long but it's a short enough drive to Kalispell to get what you need or to work.

If you're willing to work and be thrifty you'll do fine here, just remember you're entering a different world here that doesn't like change much so turn your clock back about 20 years and you'll be fine.