Missoula Questions (Lolo, East Missoula: apartment complex, rent, house)

[genericnamehere]

My husband is planning on starting grad school in the fall at UMT. I'm trying to work out a budget since we'll be taking a significant cut in income. I've gotten a good feel for what things rent for, and I can't imagine food is much higher there than here (greater Baton Rouge), and gas might be higher, but he won't have to be tanking the car up more than once a week, so I figure that will balance out.

What do utilities run? I know, of course, winter electric will be higher-- but I really have no idea what to expect. Our highest electric bills in a 2br apt down here were around 200 dollars. Does that sound about right?

What do I need to know? Any areas of town that would be a bad idea for us to try to live in with kids?

As a native Wisconsinite, I am SO excited about having winter again. Are the autumns spectacular as well? Does anyone know what there is in the way of a homeschooling community?

Thanks so much.

[rickers]

I don't think Missoula has a "bad side of town" ! Your electric bill would be less in Missoula than where you are. Wages are real low here.

[genericnamehere]

Thanks! I grew up in a town the size of Missoula, and I am excited to get out of the metro. We're going to be poor regardless for awhile, with him in school-- but wages are pretty low here for his field, so that's nothing really new.

Missoula is fairly easy to get around without a vehicle, isn't it?

Thanks again.

[jimj]

If you like the food in BR bring your own spices and ingredients and hope you can cook! Most eateries in MT pretty much bite unless it's meat and potatoes kind of food.

[Radek]

Originally Posted by genericnamehere

Thanks! I grew up in a town the size of Missoula, and I am excited to get out of the metro. We're going to be poor regardless for awhile, with him in school-- but wages are pretty low here for his field, so that's nothing really new.

Missoula is fairly easy to get around without a vehicle, isn't it?

Thanks again.

I don't know their mass transit system, but I'm sure you can locate yourself close enough to campus to not need a vehicle for that purpose, and that'll also keep you close to grocery stores, etc.

Missoula is sprawling enough though that I think I'd want a vehicle, just in case.

[grizzfan]

jimj says:

Most eateries in MT pretty much bite unless it's meat and potatoes kind of food.

I'm not sure what jimj is talking about! Gumbo we don't have, but there are some mighty fine places to eat in Missoula and some inexpensive ones too.


Rickers opines:

I don't think Missoula has a "bad side of town" !

Well he's wrong. The north side is an area subject to all sorts of petty and major crime. Stay out of East Missoula. I'm serious here and you can check the Sunday Missoulian for the stats and plot the occurances. Check into University Housing. Hundreds of nice units on the "good side of town".

[Greybear]

I second the northside as being the worst part of town. And stay out of East Missoula as there is no sunshine at all in the winter time (Mt Jumbo/Mt Sentinel will block the southern sun).

Electric bills have many variables. If you are in the middle floor of a three story apartment complex, it will be much cheaper than a large single story house. I paid about 550/month for a 2 bed 1 bath duplex with a garage in a nice quite neighborhood.

I enjoy the fall in Missoula due to the golden larch in the surrounding mountains, but I haven't been there since black mountain burned.

There will be some smoky air in august, and polluted air in the winter.

[JetMech72]

Originally Posted by grizzfan

jimj says:

I'm not sure what jimj is talking about! Gumbo we don't have, but there are some mighty fine places to eat in Missoula and some inexpensive ones too.


Rickers opines:


Well he's wrong. The north side is an area subject to all sorts of petty and major crime. Stay out of East Missoula. I'm serious here and you can check the Sunday Missoulian for the stats and plot the occurances. Check into University Housing. Hundreds of nice units on the "good side of town".

Okay, she's gonna get confused, you've mentioned the Northside and East Missoula....she's going to see that the Campus is in the North East corner of the city and freak out.

There are bad neighborhoods along the Interstate, and in the very center of the city. So don't freak out, too much, as there is some housing around the campus that students have been renting for as long as I've been alive.
As far as alternate transportation, bring your bikes, Missoula is a cyclist's dream and a driver's nightmare. Sometimes, those roles reverse themselves, but all in all a good town for cycling.

[jimj]

Originally Posted by grizzfan

jimj says:

I'm not sure what jimj is talking about! Gumbo we don't have, but there are some mighty fine places to eat in Missoula and some inexpensive ones too.

Notice I didn't say "all". I've eaten all over the U.S. and am married to a chef and cook alot myself so I tend to be a little more critical. Sanitation is a major issue here and I could go through a whole littany of food that's not available here or if available is a poor representation of what it should be. We have talked with many people and the general consensus is that most of this state is about as diverse as vanilla ice cream so without the diversity you're not going to get the actuall food either.
Need I also mention that produce here unless you buy at the farmers market is not of the best quality? This is the first place I've ever had to buy cucumbers that bend like rubber. I don't blame the stores, it just takes alot of time to ship things here so they sit on a truck for a while.
Again, I'm not saying that ALL the eateries are bad but you really have to dig to find the gems unless you want meat and potatoes or fast/chain food.
On the upside though, we found a GREAT sushi place in bigfork not long ago! Not Montanaized sushi but close to the real deal....

[grizzfan]

jimj says:

Again, I'm not saying that ALL the eateries are bad but you really have to dig to find the gems unless you want meat and potatoes or fast/chain food.

Let me help you out for the next time you are in town:

Red Bird, Pearl, The Keep (formerly Shadow's Keep), River City Grill, The Depot, Romeo's Italian Kitchen, Guy's Steak House (Lolo), Ciao Mambo, China Gardens Restaurant, Kadena's. These are moderately expensive to expensive and, my opinion, many are fine, fine, restuarants. Neither my wife or I are chefs, but we've eaten in fine restsurants on 4 continents.

jimj says:

Sanitation is a major issue here and I could go through a whole littany of food that's not available here or if available is a poor representation of what it should be.

Well Jim, guilty as charged! I haven't done a salmonella count in any of these places, but I'm still on the green side of the grass. You are correct again, we rarely if ever get spargle in Montana, reh steak und wild schwein is hard to find, truffles are a bit high priced and the kim che comes in cans. What's a body to do? Starve?!!