Needing more info for Montana pls... (Billings, Missoula: fit in, low crime, movies)

[kasouders]

Is Montana like a step back in time, like slower pace, nice people, low crime.. Where is the best places to raise a 10 yr old girl, whom loves horses, love to go to a real rodeo, and just to live the way we should live, enjoying life for what it is, not having to always have so much money for everything. To meet nice people!! But a quiet place to have your own privacy, but not extremely far from medical places if you need help, We are in our mid to late 40's and just want to slow down and husband find a nice job but enjoy lots of beauty and mountains!! nice snowy weather in winter, and beautiful springs and summers. Been told people go out of there way for people here to help each other, Is this true or am I dreaming!!?? Thanks much...

[JoeJoeMan]

Boy, that's a pretty open question

Lot's of places I guess would be my answer.

If you are well to do, independently well off - anywhere with a good view will do.

Otherwise, keep the horse in front of the cart - and make finding a job or livelyhood first priority.

Rodeos ? I think that's more of an eastern montana thing, western MT is more about lattes, kyaking, tatoos, tofu, self-absorption and liberalism. Oh let's not forget diversity and alternative life styles.

[kasouders]

Originally Posted by JoeJoeMan

Boy, that's a pretty open question

Lot's of places I guess would be my answer.

If you are well to do, independently well off - anywhere with a good view will do.

Otherwise, keep the horse in front of the cart - and make finding a job or livelyhood first priority.

Rodeos ? I think that's more of an eastern montana thing, western MT is more about lattes, kyaking, tatoos, tofu, self-absorption and liberalism. Oh let's not forget diversity and alternative life styles.

Thanks, but certainly not what I have been told

[JoeJoeMan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeJoeMan
Boy, that's a pretty open question

Lot's of places I guess would be my answer.

If you are well to do, independently well off - anywhere with a good view will do.

Otherwise, keep the horse in front of the cart - and make finding a job or livelyhood first priority.

Rodeos ? I think that's more of an eastern montana thing, western MT is more about lattes, kyaking, tatoos, tofu, self-absorption and liberalism. Oh let's not forget diversity and alternative life styles.

Thanks, but certainly not what I have been told

??? what were you told ?

[rickers]

True eastern Montana has the majority of the rodeos here but here is a list of towns in the western part of the state that host rodeos. Most are in the summer or fall during the county and state fairs.

Butte
Deer Lodge
Eureka
Hamilton
Helmville
Hot Springs
Kalispell
Libby
Lincoln
Missoula
Plains

[kasouders]

Could you please be honest and tell me which part of Montana is a nice place for me and my family. Thanks for update on rodeos, but are there places w/ horses around there or is that more in Wyoming? Now Im wondering if Wyoming isn't better. Which place is just more layed back and enjoys life for what it is?? Pls. advise and thank you again

[kasouders]

Originally Posted by JoeJoeMan

Quote:


??? what were you told ?

That Montana was a beautiful place to live and nothing about any of the other things you mentioned. I guess the pictures are what Im going by and wasn't aware of all the other. Just trying to find a more layed back place less crime ect, ect. Was cking into a job there.

[JoeJoeMan]

Quote:
Originally Posted by JoeJoeMan
Quote:


??? what were you told ?

That Montana was a beautiful place to live and nothing about any of the other things you mentioned. I guess the pictures are what Im going by and wasn't aware of all the other. Just trying to find a more layed back place less crime ect, ect. Was cking into a job there.

yea some people think MT is beautiful, other people could care less about living here, beauty is only skin deep, and it's all relative. Some people would rather shot themselves before living in eastern MT.
MT has gain a reputation in may ways for something it really isn't. Because of the books and movies. One might say there is two montanas....the liberal hippy montana and the conservative cowboy montana. And gernally speaking you can divide that into western mt + bozeman and second being eastern mt, generally speaking that is.
The impression mt gives in the books, movies, and media is the cowboy montana....
Come to western mt and drive 93 north from the Bitterroot valley and you'd be hard pressed to see a cowboy, what you will see is, well alot of traffic first off, urban sprawl, and yuppie decadence partiulcarly around Flathead Lake, and the like, and if you stop in a bar or cafe, you'll see yuppies and hippies - 50 to 1 over cowboys.....are there some around, yea some. There is the other Mt, but you'll need to go east, it seems the mountains are a magnet for the rich and wealthy poor alike.
And Missoula has a lot more in common with san fransisco than dodge city, it's the kind of place that people celebrate diversity and indulge in 'quality of life' issues....Billings I imagine is more into punching and roping doggies at the fair.
A 'nice place to live' is a pretty subjective thing. what do you like ? Do you like praire or mountains ? cowboys or yuppies ? cheap flat land or expensive mountain waterfront views ?
In general mt should really be two different states.

[8 SNAKE]

Originally Posted by kasouders

Could you please be honest and tell me which part of Montana is a nice place for me and my family.

To be honest, no one can tell you which part of Montana (or any other state) will be a nice place for you and your family.

[NYMTman]

Definitely true about the yuppie vs cowboy dynamic, JJM. Just walk down Main St Bozeman and you'll see what I mean. Most people dressed in cowboy garb around here (Bozeman) are easterners/Californians who recently moved here and are trying too hard to fit in.

That said, even the yuppies here are incredibly friendly, in my opinion. Even in Bozeman, which has a bad reputation amongst many native Montanans, people are friendly and will say hi to strangers as they walk by.