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Hi all,
I've been on this forum asking about locations which our family was looking into moving to for quite a while now, and everyone has been really helpful.
At this point, it seems we have narrowed it down to either just stay in Boulder CO, or move to Bozeman MT.
I like Boulder, but we can't afford to move to a house we would really like here (we have a house now, but want to move to something that better suits us, but what we like we can't afford!!). I like the atmosphere, the trees, the artsy kind of vibe. I like that it's sunny, but don't like how hot it gets in the summer. 90s is way too hot, I like warm, but that's just silly.
We have visited Bozeman twice now, once in September and once in July. Both times it was rainy, so I didn't really get a chance to see if it ever gets sunny and nice! It seems much smaller than Boulder, and a little more of a "country" kind of vibe. However, we did notice pockets of artsy places and it seems to be growing. I like that we could get the house of our dreams that we could afford, but I wish there were more trees and development at this point, as I don't like feeling like I'm living in an open field (I know there is huge development happening so perhaps it's just a matter of time).
I also like that the schools seem much better than Boulder, both elementary and secondary. That's huge because Boulder has been a bit of a disappointment.
For anyone who has lived in both places, what were your thoughts? Or for people who live in one or the other, what do you like/dislike about Boulder or Bozeman?
This is a really hard decision. Basically, it's Bozeman-nice house, affordable, good schools, ok weather, but may be a little too rural, OR stay in Boulder, can't afford to move, too hot in summer, sunny and nice winters, not the greatest schools, but beautiful treed neighborhoods.
Above the average precipitation (snow) projected (at the moment) in Bozeman this winter. So 120 plus inches?https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/produc...nal.php?lead=5
The snow coming probably from mid to late November until early to mid April. Isolated storms possible before and after period.
Above the average precipitation (snow) projected (at the moment) in Bozeman this winter. So 120 plus inches?https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/produc...nal.php?lead=5
The snow coming probably from mid to late November until early to mid April. Isolated storms possible before and after period.
Yes, that's a lot of snow. I can handle snow, that really doesn't bug me that much. Extreme cold is less appealing, but I can handle that too as long as it's not solid EVERY DAY and there are breaks in the extreme cold here and there.
Hi all,
I've been on this forum asking about locations which our family was looking into moving to for quite a while now, and everyone has been really helpful.
At this point, it seems we have narrowed it down to either just stay in Boulder CO, or move to Bozeman MT.
I like Boulder, but we can't afford to move to a house we would really like here (we have a house now, but want to move to something that better suits us, but what we like we can't afford!!). I like the atmosphere, the trees, the artsy kind of vibe. I like that it's sunny, but don't like how hot it gets in the summer. 90s is way too hot, I like warm, but that's just silly.
We have visited Bozeman twice now, once in September and once in July. Both times it was rainy, so I didn't really get a chance to see if it ever gets sunny and nice! It seems much smaller than Boulder, and a little more of a "country" kind of vibe. However, we did notice pockets of artsy places and it seems to be growing. I like that we could get the house of our dreams that we could afford, but I wish there were more trees and development at this point, as I don't like feeling like I'm living in an open field (I know there is huge development happening so perhaps it's just a matter of time).
I also like that the schools seem much better than Boulder, both elementary and secondary. That's huge because Boulder has been a bit of a disappointment.
For anyone who has lived in both places, what were your thoughts? Or for people who live in one or the other, what do you like/dislike about Boulder or Bozeman?
This is a really hard decision. Basically, it's Bozeman-nice house, affordable, good schools, ok weather, but may be a little too rural, OR stay in Boulder, can't afford to move, too hot in summer, sunny and nice winters, not the greatest schools, but beautiful treed neighborhoods.
Please Help!
Boulder must be horrifically expensive because Bozeman and affordable haven't gone in the same sentence for at least 20 years! Have you seen a real estate guide?
I lived in Bozeman as a college student. I'm sharing my opinion and experience. I couldn't stand Bozeman. Many of the people are pretentious and rude. There is a lot of money there and a lot of people gave their noses in the air.
As mentioned before, cost of living is through the roof. Wages are lower than the national average. You can't eat scenery and if you want to do things like ski it's going to cost you.
Bozeman has nice neighborhoods with trees and I suppose the schools are good but yeah.
I think the main difference may be that Bozeman is not nearly and liberal as Boulder but I've heard that's changinh.
Boulder must be horrifically expensive because Bozeman and affordable haven't gone in the same sentence for at least 20 years! Have you seen a real estate guide?
I lived in Bozeman as a college student. I'm sharing my opinion and experience. I couldn't stand Bozeman. Many of the people are pretentious and rude. There is a lot of money there and a lot of people gave their noses in the air.
As mentioned before, cost of living is through the roof. Wages are lower than the national average. You can't eat scenery and if you want to do things like ski it's going to cost you.
Bozeman has nice neighborhoods with trees and I suppose the schools are good but yeah.
I think the main difference may be that Bozeman is not nearly and liberal as Boulder but I've heard that's changinh.
Yes, Boulder is horrifically expensive. It's insane. We have a house, but we're stuck here, with no way to move within Boulder because we can't afford to.
Yes, Boulder is horrifically expensive. It's insane. We have a house, but we're stuck here, with no way to move within Boulder because we can't afford to.
I'd be very surprised if Bozeman turned out to be much more affordable.
Median home cost in Bozeman last fall was reportedly near $450k. I heard it was around $475k now. In Boulder, it was near $750k last fall. A different source says $800k this year.
These figures show Boulder about 70% higher.
But would need to look at "comparable houses" to get a better sense of relative costs of what a buyer wants.
(Other numbers are out there. Mean price. Offer prices. Assessed value. Need to be consistent for comparison and pay attention to when different stats are cited.)
Boulder is high for a interior west city. (Some neighborhoods in Denver go higher. Others elsewhere in a few places in interior west do too.)
On your previous Bozeman trips did you identify neighborhoods you like? Have a relationship with a real estate agent? I do get a sense that lot size & trees might take premiums, but that is generally true. It sounds like you might prefer a neighborhood that existed more than 20 years ago. The minority (or close to it perhaps) but they exist.
Did you leave thinking it was a 7 or 8 on a gut reaction scale of 10? More? Less?
What might you miss about Boulder? Live music from "name" acts? DIA? Going from 950 restaurant choices (in Boulder and nearest neighbors but not Denver) to 230 in Bozeman area?
Does it matter to you if the next Governor is more likely Republican (along with House and Senate) and they try things like further restricting abortions, cutting Medicaid more than other places, probably cutting some taxes and probably cutting school funding (slightly above national average currently in Bozeman)?
Montana State University has already undergone cuts and will face more. Enrollment probably continues up though.
Growth in last decade was slower than before but relatively strong. About 750 new in city (by all means) per year and another 500 in the metro area suburbs. Probably continues, though real estate prices are probably slowing it some.
Traffic and parking probably get worse but likely not as bad as you know now.
Is the arts / culture scene big enough, elite enough for you? Past newspapers can give some sense of what to expect.
City will have somewhat more country feel on average, but there are plenty of people (from out of state or in state and urban) who are not by experience or taste. Do you go into Denver very often? Think you'll miss that much?
Are you big into doing anything super specialized or relatively rare? Bozeman might have it or not but an internet answer should be fairly likely with a search effort.
It is in broad terms a pretty safe area.
Past threads would offer more opinions & details if you haven't already exhausted them. If you havent gotten quite enough info on something, you'll probably need to ask about it specifically.
On your previous Bozeman trips did you identify neighborhoods you like? Have a relationship with a real estate agent? I do get a sense that lot size & trees might take premiums, but that is generally true. It sounds like you might prefer a neighborhood that existed more than 20 years ago. The minority (or close to it perhaps) but they exist.
Did you leave thinking it was a 7 or 8 on a gut reaction scale of 10? More? Less?
What might you miss about Boulder? Live music from "name" acts? DIA? Going from 950 restaurant choices (in Boulder and nearest neighbors but not Denver) to 230 in Bozeman area?
Does it matter to you if the next Governor is more likely Republican (along with House and Senate) and they try things like further restricting abortions, cutting Medicaid more than other places, probably cutting some taxes and probably cutting school funding (slightly above national average currently in Bozeman)?
Montana State University has already undergone cuts and will face more. Enrollment probably continues up though.
Growth in last decade was slower than before but relatively strong. About 750 new in city (by all means) per year and another 500 in the metro area suburbs. Probably continues, though real estate prices are probably slowing it some.
Traffic and parking probably get worse but likely not as bad as you know now.
Is the arts / culture scene big enough, elite enough for you? Past newspapers can give some sense of what to expect.
City will have somewhat more country feel on average, but there are plenty of people (from out of state or in state and urban) who are not by experience or taste. Do you go into Denver very often? Think you'll miss that much?
Are you big into doing anything super specialized or relatively rare? Bozeman might have it or not but an internet answer should be fairly likely with a search effort.
It is in broad terms a pretty safe area.
Past threads would offer more opinions & details if you haven't already exhausted them. If you havent gotten quite enough info on something, you'll probably need to ask about it specifically.
Thank you for the thought out questions.
I left Bozeman thinking it was very nice, but small. We never go to Denver really (I'd say maybe once every 6 months) but that's only if we are visiting someone there or are bored and want to go to a store there. I wouldn't miss being close to Denver, and I definitely would NOT miss DIA! That's a long drive and through bad weather can be very scary out on the "plains" in a storm.
Ultimately, I am looking for a neighborhood with LOTS OF KIDS. That's my number one criteria. Need lots of kids since we have little ones. Then good schools (which sounds like they mostly ALL are), trees, and nice houses, not really in the flat area, but somewhere more cozy and treed.
If there is an area in Bozeman with LOTS of kids, that would be where I would want to look first.
We liked the Southside (West Meadow?) The Legends in the North East, but not sure if there are a lot of school ages kids in those areas?
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