Best town in montana for us (Billings, Missoula: fit in, low crime, find a job)

[natepickle]

Hi,
My family and I are ready for a change we live in Virginia about 2 hrs west of DC we have found the mountains still have the DELIVERANCE feel to them.

What is the best town there for a family with a 10yr and 6 yr old; they love to swim on swim teams. We thought Shenandoah Valley here got snow but we have not seen any in 2 yrs. We want to see snow with bright sunny winter days. We want to be close to water, but not right on it. Within a short drive would be nice. A pet friendly place with allot outdoor activities

We would like to be within 2 hrs of museums and zoos like DC , a town where kids are safe, a sense of community, great job growth, low crime and communities with children for mine to play with.

I grew up all my life at the beach of NC. I miss friendly people, the kind that invite you to dinner to welcome you and handshakes mean something. Almost a Mayberry feel with clean streets and modern stores nearby.

Are there any towns like that there?

[anonymoose]

I wish I could tell you the name of a Montana town with "Mayberry"-like friendliness, because I'd move there if there were one. I've spent about fourteen years in this state and have lived in Billings, Missoula, Lewistown, and Stanford. If you're not familiar with the populations of those areas, they range from 100,000 to about 500. In general, the smaller the community is, the friendlier people will be.

If you want to avoid crime, I would advise you to avoid Billings. Several large areas of the town are notorious for violence, drugs, and increasingly, gang activity. Burglary is also a problem all over town. Missoula has very little violent crime, but property crime is something of a problem. Missoula is quite different from any other town in the state because of the large numbers of people who come there from other states to attend the University of Montana. When I attended U of M, I was suprised by the many, many students there from Massachusetts and Virginia. These folks brought with them a certain east-coast reserve, and I found it difficult to make friends there.

All areas of Montana receive abundant snowfall in the winter. As I write this, I'm looking out the living room window at my lawn, which is covered by about six inches of snow and getting more right now. Winters in Montana are very cold by almost any standard. A week or two at a time of sub-zero temperatures is by no means unusual at this time of year. People here accept it as part of life in this state, and there is an optimistic saying about it, "It keeps the riff-raff out."

The culture of nearly all parts of Montana is heavily influenced by the "cowboy mystique," and many people here appear to consider cowboy-types superior to other sorts of people. Lewistown has an abundance of game hunters and fishermen, and outdoor sportsmen fit in well there, no matter where they come from.

Billings and Lewistown both have large public swimming pools, and there are many other pools at health clubs in both towns. If you live anywhere in the state west of Billings, you'll never have to drive very far to find a lake, and the Missouri, Yellowstone, Gallatin, and Clark Fork rivers provide opportunities for rafting and fishing for seven or eight months of every year.

[bigtrees]

Originally Posted by natepickle

We would like to be within 2 hrs of museums and zoos like DC , a town where kids are safe, a sense of community, great job growth, low crime and communities with children for mine to play with.

Montana is not the right state for you. We don't have museums or zoos like DC anywhere in the state. People who live in the Western part of the state will go to Spokane for shopping and culture, but Spokane it's about 3 1/2 to 4 hours away and it's a far cry from DC. People on the eastern side of the state go to Denver, but that's quite a hike and a hard drive in winter.

Great job growth is also generally not found in Montana. It's a state that offers few jobs and few employment opportunities.

[jimj]

We don't have zoos because we don't need 'em. If I want to see wildlife I just look out the windows or take a walk in the woods!

[truckingbronco]

Portland, or another NW city, might be a better fit as you won't find what you're looking for in MT. MT will still have that "Deliverance" feel, as you put it, and lacks all the cultural amenities you're looking for. MT is a great place for the right person, but it can also be rather miserable if you move there and realize it's not the same place that you dreamed of.

Bend might also be worth a look if you're in the market for a smaller town (less than 100k).

[8 SNAKE]

Originally Posted by natepickle

We want to see snow with bright sunny winter days.

I'm not a resident of MT, but it is my understanding that their winter days are normally not bright and sunny.

Given all of the factors on your list, perhaps towns around Denver or Salt Lake City would be more up your alley?

[jimj]

As to the winter days, we just got our first real shot of sunshine yesterday in about 3-4 weeks and today it's currently -10 with a high expected of +17 though it will be sunny for "most" of the day.
Snow and cold starts again tomorrow and we'll probably not see the sun again for a couple of weeks.

[smilekjf]

One thing I have found about Montana - there can be a lot of variation in the weather! Eureka is known as the "banana belt of Montana". We get all four seasons here - but without as many extremes as some parts of the state. I have lived here 2+ years and we rarely go more than a few days at a time without at least seeing the sun, even if it does not hang around for long. Not too hot in the summer & not toooooo cold in the winter - although sometimes winter hangs around longer than some of us care for, even if it is mild!
The people have been very open and accepting - once they know you are not here to "modernize" the area. There is a reason we don't live in the "big city" - don't try to bring it here!
People still wave as you pass by, make eye contact on the street, and when it is really cold - all of the cars in the grocery store parking lot will be left unlocked and usually running! Yes we have crime - but it is not a huge worry for most people.
But...it is a small town and jobs are hard to come by. You are never more than 5 minutes from a lake, river, pond, or creek - but you may have to commute to Kalispell to find a job. The waitress will probably know you by name, but there are very few "going out" choices, and after 7:00pm, good luck finding anything open!
Summers the sun hangs around past 10 - really! and is up before 5. But - our last snowfall last year was on June 13. Of course, we did have 70+ degree days in early May too.
No zoos, but as was previously mentioned - just look outside! Deer are still seen crossing the main street. I live 5 miles out of town & have seen thousands of deer, many elk, one bear, one cougar, and smelled a few skunks. Bighorn sheep, bald eagles, ospreys, hawks, etc. are also regularly seen. I had family come in '07 - they went to Glacier first, then here. They said they saw much more wildlife here than they had there!
Fishing is fabulous!