White Sulphur Springs vs. Lewiston (Great Falls, Helena: real estate, income, living)

[SHIZZLE]

Good evening all. I have recently relocated to Absarokee, MT, rooming with a coworker until I find a place to move the family unit. Absarokee is a nice place but prices seem inflated due to nearby Stillwater Mine. I have heard good things about White Sulphur Springs and a little about Lewiston.

Does anybody have a preference and a quick explanation why? Thanks in advance for your time!

[rickers]

Lewiston is in Idaho ! Are you sure you meant Lewiston Idaho or Lewistown Mt. ? Lewistown and White Sulphur Springs are both a bit isolated and the reason that the prices are lower in those towns is because decent paying jobs are few and far between.

[JetMech72]

I do believe, too, that you must be talking about Lewistown...since it is in the same general area as White Sulphur Springs. Interestingly enough I drove through both towns recently on a road trip from Havre to Butte. The back roads are the best for carefree, summertime, travel. Anyway, I really liked Lewistown...I even stopped there to get the oil changed in my little Focus. I asked the Lube-Quick attendant if Lewistown was seeing the same growth as the rest of Western Montana....he actually laughed a little and said; "Oh no, I think we're shrinking if anything." I like the location of Lewistown right near the Judith Mountains, but isolation is has got to be an issue there, much like it is with Havre, because it is the same distance from Great Falls. Great Falls is the hub of civilization in this area. Simple things like T.V. repair don't exist in Havre, so people have to haul their T.V.s 110 miles to Great Falls where most of the convienances are. White Sulphur Springs on the other hand is close to Helena, so those kinds of trips are shorter at about 72 miles. But, White Sulphur Springs, even though its tucked away in the Big Belt Mountains, is kind of a dump......no offense to the residents there, I met friendly people there, but the town is dilapitated.
I don't know. If you're looking for isolated living, I'd choose Lewistown.

[rickers]

There are real estate bargains to be had in both of those towns but it would be very difficult to pay off a property with a job salary, (unless you're a doctor or lawyer). Rents shouldn't be very high for the same reasons. Low low low paying jobs are easy to get. High paying jobs (such as union blue collar jobs) really don't exist unless you're in a mining or oil boom town and when that is the case the property values and rents are higher. Unless you have outside income, Montana can be a brutal place to survive for some. Good luck to you where ever you go !

[Reziac]

Originally Posted by JetMech72

Simple things like T.V. repair don't exist in Havre, so people have to haul their T.V.s 110 miles to Great Falls where most of the convienances are.

Hmm... I wonder if a computer repair tech could make a living there??

[JetMech72]

Originally Posted by Reziac

Hmm... I wonder if a computer repair tech could make a living there??

If he's good at it, yes. The two computer repair or "communication systems services" that we have here suck , to put it mildly.

[imbobbbb]

Well lewistown is about 6X the population of white sulpher springs,[not that that says much,about 6,000 people vs about 1000].Not a lot of people but i guess good enough for around the 12-15 biggest city in the state.Lewistown has a lot more amenities then white sulpher springs though neither one is in danger of becoming a metropolis.Before i would move to white sulpher springs i would get a place in tiny neihart or monarch or belt and be 40-60 miles closer to greatfalls....but thats just me.

[AndersonRM]

I have some relatives in Lewistown and I like it. Sort of reminds me of Hamilton 40 years ago.

[Reziac]

Originally Posted by imbobbbb

i would get a place in tiny neihart or monarch or belt and be 40-60 miles closer to greatfalls....but thats just me.

Of course then we wouldn't see you for 6 months of the year... when's the snowplow coming through again, March?

[Reziac]

Originally Posted by JetMech72

If he's good at it, yes. The two computer repair or "communication systems services" that we have here suck , to put it mildly.

Well, when I get done beating on a system, it never dares crash again

Downside being that kinda does away with the repeat business aspect!

Haven't kept up on the latest and greatest, tho. Been changing too fast, not worth the effort... easier to figure out what I need when I need it!