Best places to live around Missoula? (Great Falls, Kalispell: how much, buying, school)

[meridavi]

Hi all,

I'll be moving to the Missoula area next spring for school and am looking at buying a few acres up to 30 miles from town and building a cabin. Which areas are the cheapest/most expensive? Which areas should I avoid (densely populated, long commute)? I've also heard that there are a bunch of microclimates in the area - how much do they differ?

Thanks a lot for your advice! And don't worry - I'm not coming into town with the intention of setting up any subdivisions. Just want to live out in the woods in a sustainably built shack and learn about anthropology.

[rickers]

Lolo, Frenchtown, Evaro, Potomic or Clinton come to mind, even Arlee if you don't mind living on the rez.

[seven of nine]

Originally Posted by meridavi

Hi all,

I'll be moving to the Missoula area next spring for school and am looking at buying a few acres up to 30 miles from town and building a cabin. Which areas are the cheapest/most expensive? Which areas should I avoid (densely populated, long commute)? I've also heard that there are a bunch of microclimates in the area - how much do they differ?

Thanks a lot for your advice! And don't worry - I'm not coming into town with the intention of setting up any subdivisions. Just want to live out in the woods in a sustainably built shack and learn about anthropology.

one question
Have you ever lived through a Montana winter?

[meridavi]

Originally Posted by seven of nine

one question
Have you ever lived through a Montana winter?

Nope. I've lived through 22 northern Minnesota ones, though. I grew up east of Fargo

[meridavi]

Originally Posted by rickers

Lolo, Frenchtown, Evaro, Potomic or Clinton come to mind, even Arlee if you don't mind living on the rez.

Thanks, rickers! I've heard that the Lolo area's pretty built-up. what's your take on that?

[rickers]

All the areas close to Missoula and Kalispell are being developed too fast for many although the economic slowdown has had an effect of slowing the growth down a bit. I don't care much for Missoula except for the shopping. I'm in the Golden Triangle now so I go to Great Falls when we need box store shopping or ethnic food eateries.

[meridavi]

Clinton looks awesome. I like the idea of living somewhere a little out of the valley, away from the smog that some people are going on about. BTW, how does that smog really compare to other cities around the country?