Wanting to move to Montana (Missoula, Bozeman: fit in, apartments, construction)

[ajsander88]

I am 21 years old and I am wanting to move to Montana. I currently live in Kentucky. The two cities that I am interested in is Missoula and Bozeman, but I am open to other cities. I love to hike, hunt, fish, going off roading, and being outdoors and I think Montana would be perfect for me. I figure that I should do this while I am young and single. I would like to finish school in the city I choose. I really like some of the programs at the University of Montana in Missoula. I would like to get a small apartment for hopefully under $700 a month. I currently work as a cook in a restaurant and work construction. I have read that Missoula is very liberal.Thats fine with me but I consider myself more of a libertarian, how would I fit in? I am planning on driving out to visit both in about a month, so I should have a better idea then. I am just looking for some general thought/advice you guys may have. Thanks

[historyfan]

Libertarian gravy covers both parties in Montana. Most people consider your politics as your religious beliefs as your sexual orientation to all be your personal business.

Missoula and Bozeman are both college towns. Pick the one with the programs you want.

Montana is all about the outdoors. Come visit and see what you think.

[TheKezarWoodsman]

Montana is the outdoorsman haven of the lower 48, very few states can match it. The colleges are great (im personally looking into the forestry curriculum in missoula), from what ive researched bozeman has alittle less options as it is not the flAgship. Both towns are great, but 700$ a month may be a strech (replys to my previous posts are leading me to think the col is really high).

[Senah]

Originally Posted by ajsander88

I am 21 years old and I am wanting to move to Montana. I currently live in Kentucky. The two cities that I am interested in is Missoula and Bozeman, but I am open to other cities. I love to hike, hunt, fish, going off roading, and being outdoors and I think Montana would be perfect for me. I figure that I should do this while I am young and single. I would like to finish school in the city I choose. I really like some of the programs at the University of Montana in Missoula. I would like to get a small apartment for hopefully under $700 a month. I currently work as a cook in a restaurant and work construction. I have read that Missoula is very liberal.Thats fine with me but I consider myself more of a libertarian, how would I fit in? I am planning on driving out to visit both in about a month, so I should have a better idea then. I am just looking for some general thought/advice you guys may have. Thanks

You could be happy at U of M or MSU. MSU would probably be a little more similar to going to school in Kentucky (it was an ag school originally and still has that feeling somewhat). Missoula is a little more left I think. Both areas have a lot to offer for out of doors activity.

Restaurant work and construction are both big industries in Missoula and Bozeman. There are a lot of libertarians in MT - you should be fine. Summer is a great time to visit - try and take advantage of some of the activities going on when you are here.

[ericsvibe]

You can find tons of shared apartments in that range. The universities of tons of students just like you living there, and you can find roommate ads on craigslist. I have seen them as low as 400.00 per month plus utilities. I would personally start that was because having a roommate automatically gives you a leg up as that person usually has lived there awhile and knows the local area, as well as the University.

[NDak15]

Originally Posted by ajsander88

I am 21 years old and I am wanting to move to Montana. I currently live in Kentucky. The two cities that I am interested in is Missoula and Bozeman, but I am open to other cities. I love to hike, hunt, fish, going off roading, and being outdoors and I think Montana would be perfect for me. I figure that I should do this while I am young and single. I would like to finish school in the city I choose. I really like some of the programs at the University of Montana in Missoula. I would like to get a small apartment for hopefully under $700 a month. I currently work as a cook in a restaurant and work construction. I have read that Missoula is very liberal.Thats fine with me but I consider myself more of a libertarian, how would I fit in? I am planning on driving out to visit both in about a month, so I should have a better idea then. I am just looking for some general thought/advice you guys may have. Thanks

Bring a small fortune with you. Both of these places are very expensive and likely not going to find a place under $700. I'm not sure how easy it is to get jobs during the school year in Missoula, but I went to school in Bozeman and found very few businesses willing to hire students. I never worked construction so I'm not sure how common those jobs are. Missoula is liberal but the outside areas are about as red as they come. And Missoula liberal is not Berkely liberal. You'll be fine as a libertarian.

[Senah]

Originally Posted by NDak15

Bring a small fortune with you. Both of these places are very expensive and likely not going to find a place under $700. I'm not sure how easy it is to get jobs during the school year in Missoula, but I went to school in Bozeman and found very few businesses willing to hire students. I never worked construction so I'm not sure how common those jobs are. Missoula is liberal but the outside areas are about as red as they come. And Missoula liberal is not Berkely liberal. You'll be fine as a libertarian.

NDak15 - I know you've said this before, but I think your information is pretty out of date. Perhaps things have changed a great deal since you went to school here, but this is not the case anymore. Most businesses in town have Bobcat signs in their windows, participate in 3 events annually involving the public and the university, and are very supportive of the school. I teach at the university, and the majority of my students in their junior and senior years work in town, and almost half of my sophomore students also work in town. This is consistent throughout all the classes I teach, as well as MSU students working at the clinic where I work that aren't students of mine. We are also excited to hire new graduates.

So, I would really caution you about painting this picture for people considering moving here when it isn't really the case. I am absolutely not saying it wasn't the case previously, because it is likely I didn't live here when you were in college at MSU. Just that things seem to have really changed.

Also - there are lots of rooms available between $300 - $600 right now. He would be sharing (most students do), but like others mentioned it is a great way to meet people. Here are listings:

https://bozeman.craigslist.org/searc...housing_type=9

[Dangerous Dave]

I've spent a lot of time all around Montana for work. To anyone that asks between the two cities, I generally recommend Missoula. It's a larger market, the weather is nice and the U has more programs available.


Missoula is a left leaning city, although most of the hippies hang out around the downtown area. There are suburbs to the north, west, and south that are largely rural but minutes away.


Mostly, I just like the westernmost parts of Montana. In Missoula you're closer to the Flathead Lake area, North Idaho, Glacier NP, etc. Central/Eastern Montana is mostly high plains with mountain ranges. In Missoula, you're on the eastern edges of the Northwest US. Fishing wise, you're close to Idaho which has great salmon and steelhead fishing on the Clearwater river and Lake Coeur d'Alene.

[MTSilvertip]

Originally Posted by Senah

NDak15 - I know you've said this before, but I think your information is pretty out of date. Perhaps things have changed a great deal since you went to school here, but this is not the case anymore. Most businesses in town have Bobcat signs in their windows, participate in 3 events annually involving the public and the university, and are very supportive of the school. I teach at the university, and the majority of my students in their junior and senior years work in town, and almost half of my sophomore students also work in town. This is consistent throughout all the classes I teach, as well as MSU students working at the clinic where I work that aren't students of mine. We are also excited to hire new graduates.

So, I would really caution you about painting this picture for people considering moving here when it isn't really the case. I am absolutely not saying it wasn't the case previously, because it is likely I didn't live here when you were in college at MSU. Just that things seem to have really changed.

Also - there are lots of rooms available between $300 - $600 right now. He would be sharing (most students do), but like others mentioned it is a great way to meet people. Here are listings:

https://bozeman.craigslist.org/searc...housing_type=9

Hey! Don't stop NDak!
It doesn't matter if their information is wrong, maybe it will keep folks out


Telling them the truth would bring even more here!

[Senah]

Originally Posted by MTSilvertip

Hey! Don't stop NDak!
It doesn't matter if their information is wrong, maybe it will keep folks out


Telling them the truth would bring even more here!

Touché MTSilvertip.