Billings or Missoula? post your pics (Bozeman: best neighborhoods, low crime, home)

[zvercetti]

I cant decide, they both look great...
I need your help people...
Heres what I like

• Decent Size Cities (Pop. 50,000-150,000)
• Snow, Alot of it
• Walkable, nice downtown
• Mountains
• Cities where people aren't afraid to be themselves
• At least a decent mall
• Low Traffic
• Low Crime
• Low Cost of Living
• High Livability
• Just a nice place...

What's your favourite?
maybe post some pics, if you can...

umm... one more thing,
how do you pronounce missoula, dumb question??

[GEORGIAINMT]

First of all, the pronounciation is Miz-zoo-la.

I live just out of Billings and love it here. If you could mix the two towns everything that's on your list would be there! I would suggest you come visit both places as they are very different. Here's my take on your listecent

Size Cities (Pop. 50,000-150,000) - Billings 120,000, Missoula much less but a college town so has more people when college is in session
Snow, Alot of it- Missoula generally gets more snow and has snow in the areas around it - Billings doesn't get that much snow but there is a lot in mountains that are within an hour's drive
Walkable, nice downtown - Both
Mountains - All around Missoula, short drive from Billings
Cities where people aren't afraid to be themselves - both, but Missoula is much more liberal
At least a decent mall - both, if you call small malls decent, both have the typical box stores
Low Traffic - depends on the parts of town & time of day...both would be considered low compared to any cities
Low Crime - probably about the same per capita, but I think quite low everywhere in MT
Low Cost of Living - quite a bit higher in Missoula than Billings, and especially higher in the more mountainous areas
High Livability - I don't know what you mean by livability....I could live just fine in either place!
Just a nice place - Both are nice places. Like I said, more liberal people and I guess you would call "naturalists" in Missoula, more conservative in Billings, both family oriented; Missoula tends to draw more "outdoorsy" type people (hiking, mountain biking, river water sports, etc.), although there is plenty of that near Billings. I've found people to be friendly in both towns. Missoula may be a little more "artsy", but being Billings is larger it has a lot of cultural things to offer.

Any more questions, let me know! Happy searching!

[zvercetti]

Originally Posted by GEORGIAINMT

First of all, the pronounciation is Miz-zoo-la.

I live just out of Billings and love it here. If you could mix the two towns everything that's on your list would be there! I would suggest you come visit both places as they are very different. Here's my take on your listecent

Size Cities (Pop. 50,000-150,000) - Billings 120,000, Missoula much less but a college town so has more people when college is in session
Snow, Alot of it- Missoula generally gets more snow and has snow in the areas around it - Billings doesn't get that much snow but there is a lot in mountains that are within an hour's drive
Walkable, nice downtown - Both
Mountains - All around Missoula, short drive from Billings
Cities where people aren't afraid to be themselves - both, but Missoula is much more liberal
At least a decent mall - both, if you call small malls decent, both have the typical box stores
Low Traffic - depends on the parts of town & time of day...both would be considered low compared to any cities
Low Crime - probably about the same per capita, but I think quite low everywhere in MT
Low Cost of Living - quite a bit higher in Missoula than Billings, and especially higher in the more mountainous areas
High Livability - I don't know what you mean by livability....I could live just fine in either place!
Just a nice place - Both are nice places. Like I said, more liberal people and I guess you would call "naturalists" in Missoula, more conservative in Billings, both family oriented; Missoula tends to draw more "outdoorsy" type people (hiking, mountain biking, river water sports, etc.), although there is plenty of that near Billings. I've found people to be friendly in both towns. Missoula may be a little more "artsy", but being Billings is larger it has a lot of cultural things to offer.

Any more questions, let me know! Happy searching!

Thank you so much, GEORGIAINMT, I think im considering Missoula more...
I would love Butte, that city looks beautiful, but it's economy seems down, I need a job

A couple more things...

• A Good local music scene
• Culture
• Gay Friendly...

[delta07]

Finding a job in Missoula may be difficult, but not impossible. I certainly would not move to Billings or Butte if you are looking for a city that is gay friendly. Missoula sounds like the place for you. My sister lives there, and while gay friendly in Montana is certainly more difficult than say LA, you will find it is the liberal college towns. Also, for the size city, Missoula has a decent music scene and cultural atmosphere. The college helps to keep the arts alive. I happen to love Missoula and may be moving there myself. Hope this helps.

[michael11747]

i find it so interesting that most people don't even consider bozeman when they are looking for what is exactly on your list. we have enough people here right now so it doesn't bother me, but i am just wondering how certain people arrive here and some end up in butte or billings, both towns i could never live in. the mountains are far from billings. you won't be able to go for a hike in them after work in the summer. not like in missoula or bozeman. but like everyone knows, you will pay for that convenience in a higher cost of living. i would eliminate billings and make your choice between bozeman and missoula, since both have what you need except for a low cost of living. butte is on tainted ground, just like libby, montana, although not as extreme. i have heard stories from realtors about trying to sell a 3000 sq ft home on an acre for 15,000 dollars because it is sinking into the ground. but i also hear butte is advertising "the pit" as a tourist attraction nowadays.

[moritz391]

Originally Posted by zvercetti

Thank you so much, GEORGIAINMT, I think im considering Missoula more...
I would love Butte, that city looks beautiful, but it's economy seems down, I need a job

A couple more things...

• A Good local music scene
• Culture
• Gay Friendly...

I wouldn't even consider Butte. It's probably one of the most depressing towns in the country.

I agree that you might consider Bozeman. I grew up in Billings and have lived all of the country. I lived in one of the best neighborhoods in town (on the edge of the rims), which meant we enjoyed great views of the Beartooths and had a great series of dramatic trails to hike on. We also had two gay couples on our block who had been there since the '80's and were a beloved part of the neighborhood. In general, Montana is reasonably 'gay friendly.' I've been out to my entire family since I was 18 and regularly bring my boyfriend to stay with my Grandma in the mountains without incident. There is also an active gay scene in Billings and I a, sure Missoula (especially for woman). It's not a gay mecca by any stretch of the imagination, but I've never once had an incident where I felt uncomfortable. I've honestly think the outlying suburban and areas of most major US metros are less gay friendly than either city.

Billings probably has the better economy as Missoula and Bozeman's appearance of affluence has more to do with imported rather than home-grown wealth. And while nowhere in Montana is really cheap, Billings is much more affordable. That being said, Billings is more on the edge of the great plains (with some dramatic mountains nearby), rather than truly in the Mountains.

Billings has better weather in that you will get a lot more blue sky and the winters are much less difficult for depression issues as Missoula gets inversion clouds that make for long, dark winters. Missoula, however, will ultimately probably feel more "special" whereas Billings is much more bland. Missoula also is closer to 'civilization' in that you can get to Seattle for a long weekend. Billings just has Denver which is pretty much Billings but bigger. Plus, the range of scenery accessible on a day trip around Missoula is much more impressive.

Both Missoula and Billings have pretty decent small symphonies and strong local music scenes if classical is your thing. For indie Missoula winds hands down. Culturally, Billings has a few real museums and reads like a much bigger city than it is if you dig. Missoula has the better university and producers far more literature (I think Billings is a bit of a waste-land in that regard).

I hope that helps.