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I think the CA bashing is exaggerated on this forum. I was born and raised in CA, the bay area near Oakland no less, and moved to MN shortly after I turned 18. I lived there for about a year and a half, and then lived in MT for 2 years. I never had any problems in MT for being from CA, some would joke and roll their eyes but only in jest. I only remember one guy being a complete a-hole about it, ranting that Californians were ruining the state. Most everyone in MT will treat you well as long as you're respectful and don't try to change what MT is. There is a (very incorrect) stereotype that all Californians are tree hugging, politically correct hippies that want to change wherever they move into CA. The truth is that for the most part those types would never move to MT because they consider it a "backwards redneck state". Others hate CA, and want out. Due to the political climate here, the crime, pollution, illegal immigration, political correct BS, etc. are not going away. To tell someone from here "you should stay where you are and fight" is noble, but not reality. You can stay here and complain, or you can get out. I came back here because of my wife and her family, but after 11 years here I can't take it anymore. Beyond the ghetto/gangster lifestyle that is prominent here, having things stolen from my house, rocks thrown at my truck, my son beat up at the park, the last straw for me was a gang fight in front of my house where people where shot and stabbed literally on my front lawn. We then made the decision that we will be moving to MT this summer. I am moving to give my children a better and safer upbringing, and anyone who can't understand that I refuse to raise my children in a dangerous environment and still give me any grief are not people I'd want to be associated with anyway. My parents and brother are there, and we can stay with them until we get settled. We will have jobs lined up before we move. I want to move to MT because I like the way MT is, and any ex-Californians trying to turn it into CA will get more fury from me than any native Montanan. I've been there for a few winters, and they don't bother me. I actually prefer them to the constant 90/100 degree days here, as I deal with the cold better than the heat. I do agree with a lot of the statements here however, especially about having a job lined up before you move. My advise to anyone looking to move to MT is to move for the right reasons and know what you're getting into. If you love warm weather and hate snow, don't move there. If you have to have attractions like ballet, opera, major league sports, busy night clubs, etc., then MT is probably not for you. It can get boring real fast if that's the type of person you are. The towns are fairly small, and there are long distances between the "bigger" cities. If you like to hunt, fish or hike, you'll be in heaven. It is a simpler life, and make sure that is truly what you want, not just what you think you want. I already know that with the values and beliefs that I hold, I will be among like minded people in MT and will be treated just fine. If you are considering moving to MT move there because you love what it is and you want to be a part of it. But if you move there and try to change it, you are not going to be received well at all, and most likely won't last too long.
I think the CA bashing is exaggerated on this forum. I was born and raised in CA, the bay area near Oakland no less, and moved to MN shortly after I turned 18. I lived there for about a year and a half, and then lived in MT for 2 years. I never had any problems in MT for being from CA, some would joke and roll their eyes but only in jest. I only remember one guy being a complete a-hole about it, ranting that Californians were ruining the state. Most everyone in MT will treat you well as long as you're respectful and don't try to change what MT is. There is a (very incorrect) stereotype that all Californians are tree hugging, politically correct hippies that want to change wherever they move into CA. The truth is that for the most part those types would never move to MT because they consider it a "backwards redneck state". Others hate CA, and want out. Due to the political climate here, the crime, pollution, illegal immigration, political correct BS, etc. are not going away. To tell someone from here "you should stay where you are and fight" is noble, but not reality. You can stay here and complain, or you can get out. I came back here because of my wife and her family, but after 11 years here I can't take it anymore. Beyond the ghetto/gangster lifestyle that is prominent here, having things stolen from my house, rocks thrown at my truck, my son beat up at the park, the last straw for me was a gang fight in front of my house where people where shot and stabbed literally on my front lawn. We then made the decision that we will be moving to MT this summer. I am moving to give my children a better and safer upbringing, and anyone who can't understand that I refuse to raise my children in a dangerous environment and still give me any grief are not people I'd want to be associated with anyway. My parents and brother are there, and we can stay with them until we get settled. We will have jobs lined up before we move. I want to move to MT because I like the way MT is, and any ex-Californians trying to turn it into CA will get more fury from me than any native Montanan. I've been there for a few winters, and they don't bother me. I actually prefer them to the constant 90/100 degree days here, as I deal with the cold better than the heat. I do agree with a lot of the statements here however, especially about having a job lined up before you move. My advise to anyone looking to move to MT is to move for the right reasons and know what you're getting into. If you love warm weather and hate snow, don't move there. If you have to have attractions like ballet, opera, major league sports, busy night clubs, etc., then MT is probably not for you. It can get boring real fast if that's the type of person you are. The towns are fairly small, and there are long distances between the "bigger" cities. If you like to hunt, fish or hike, you'll be in heaven. It is a simpler life, and make sure that is truly what you want, not just what you think you want. I already know that with the values and beliefs that I hold, I will be among like minded people in MT and will be treated just fine. If you are considering moving to MT move there because you love what it is and you want to be a part of it. But if you move there and try to change it, you are not going to be received well at all, and most likely won't last too long.
Well said. I agree with you. Kinda the same things, but from a East Coast perspective. All I am looking for is peace and quiet. Which i will get once I retire, maybe, if the wife is alive then, maybe not.
But really, its a nice place from what I see to die in also....
We have people starting this tread, saying how bad the economy is and calling Montana a poverty stricken state. Not true for much of the state.
Montana Workforce Informer, Labor Market Info (http://tinyurl.com/7xl5n37 - broken link)
The Montana State website will show you that most of the counties, are below the national average unemployment rate, and many of them are below 5% unemployment rate with the lowest county unemployment rate only 2%. Some of them, are having to import people to fill all the jobs available. As an example, Billings is below 5% unemployment and with the oil boom in the North Eastern part of the state, that rate is going lower fast.
On the other hand, Lincoln County has over 15% unemployment rate, but it is away from populated areas over 3,600 square miles and only 5.4 people per square mile. The least populated counties Petroleum, Garfield and Carter only have 1/3rd of a person per square mile in the entire counties. Petroleum county is one of the smallest counties at over 1,600 square miles which is considerably larger than state of Rhode Island.
People choose where they want to live when they move to Montana. Some will choose to live where there are no people to speak of, and that means there is going to be high unemployment rate a way of saying no jobs. Other parts of the state, where there are more people, there are more job opportunities and low unemployment rates.
Montana is the forth largest state, and about as large as the entire North East U.S. Some areas are prosperous and people are doing well, and as some are saying from other areas it is poverty stricken. The state has a lower unemployment rate than 34 other states and the district of Columbia.
When you compare the average salary in the more prosperous areas of Montana against other areas of the county, adjusted for the cost of living differential between two areas of the county, you will find that people in Montana are doing very well. Much better than much of the country, especially with the big city states.
Unfortunately unemployment is the wrong statistic to review for most of Montana. Montanans are very hard working and many of them have two or three jobs to make ends meet. The cost of living, state-wide, is lowered by the eastern half. The same groceries cost less in Missoula than Bozeman or god forbid Kalispell. There is also a large disparity in the resort areas between people who actually live there and the ones who just own vacation homes.
Montana ranks in the bottom 10 for average household income and per-capita income. Billings, the top paying metro area, pays only 39k when the national average pays 42k. Cost of living plays into it but you'll starve on the average income of 35k/year in Missoula. The only fortunate thing is that most Montana natives are not heavily into debt. They do not have much in retirement as 6% of a small salary into an 401k translates into a smallish 401k at retirement. Any wrong turn means the 6% gets cut and now the worker lives hand to mouth.
Now that Western Montana is a park for the rich by killing off any remaining non-government or non-tourism related industry, they will focus on using representative power in Helena to crush the eastern half. Poverty with a view but hey, you can see the rich and powerful stop by your espresso cart at the Bozeman airport on their way to their 30 Million Dollar dacha in Big Sky. Save those $5 tips and you might get to eat something other than meatloaf on Sunday.
Hum, I read each and every post.
I would assume that if you lived in New York you would so because you have a job, then when you wanted to vacation you would leave for vacation destinations.
That saying, you might have to live in a less scenic area of Montana for work but you still have access to the scenic areas. If you have not experienced the joy of going to your job and perhaps being the only one who is a native English speaker or getting mugged then hey let us not knock someone who is trying to get a better life. The millionaires will move where they will. The rest of us are just trying to get by. Trust me when I say that anyone coming here for a better life will just be so grateful they will do all they can to fit in...7 years and I have never said "well they do it so and so back where ever..."
Pestilence, or should we fear Conquest on the White horse from California. Revelations 6:1-2.....and not far behind War, Famine, and Death (from neighboring Nevada, Oregon & Washington?).
From a less melodramatic perspective. People retain the freedom to relocate. Some you want as a neighbor. Some you don't. Let's not see all Californians as the first vanguard of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
YES, pestilence.....the insane, fi***y libs need to wallow in the messes they have created. But no, they get sick of the disaster of their own making......move to a decent, non-infected area.......then spread their JOY in their new home.
overactive, and enjoy the outdoors
have an unmatched zest for life
have no desire to be in or around major cities with large populations
americans, and are free to move where they choose
over the past while I have noticed allot of people from Cali, Washington & Oregon moving to Montana, being from this fine but poverty stricken state I can see the desire for "closer to nature" and small town charm, but really? most of western Montana doesn't even have enough jobs for the locals to pick through... over half of my family are in the Dakota's and Nevada for work. yet I see a new family in the microscopic town of troy at lease monthly... this makes no sense, as most have small children and they end up spending their life savings trying to find work after trying to relocate to a not so friendly (jobless) town.
if logging came back I could see people relocating, we are trying to get even better forest management back here but it is a long and hard journey, esp. since most implants hate logging and wont listen to a "meet in the middle" solution... bumber (yes, I'm a loggers daughter... and yes they had to go out of state to find work now)
sorry if this has come off as a rant (if it has, its not meant to be one, I'm just wondering if there is some bug in the water that makes Montana seem like such a great random idea for middle class families with children to support... though I love my great state our slogan should be
"Montana, a beautiful place to starve"
Montana is the place to move because it is so romanticized. Even people in Wyoming romanticize the state so much. They question why I moved here and the reason why I did was because it is a beautiful place to starve. However, I think that the residents of the state are just as guilty about romanticizing it. People are willing to work there for such a low wage and be content with it. I don't understand it.
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Wrong statistic
Trust me when I say that anyone coming here for a better life will just be so grateful they will do all they can to fit in...7 years and I have never said "well they do it so and so back where ever..."
, or should we fear Conquest on the White horse from California. Revelations 6:1-2
.....and not far behind War, Famine, and Death (from neighboring Nevada, Oregon & Washington?).
(yes, I'm a loggers daughter... and yes they had to go out of state to find work now)
