Kalispell, Helena, and Marion (Billings, Missoula: insurance, houses, neighborhood)
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What are these towns like? Is there lots of open space, forest with little or no people and traffic?
Weather? Condition of roads as in well maintained smooth roads or full of potholes?
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Helena is situated in the Helena Valley. We are surrounded by mountains on all sides. The mountains are part of either National Forest land, or State Forest land. We have Lake Helena, Canyon Ferry Lake, and Hauser Lake, all with excellent fishing. Being in the middle of the state, you can access all of MT very easily. The valley has a population of around 60,000.00. About 30,000 live in town. There is no traffic here, as there are plenty of back roads to go around any congested spots. We have a hospital, one of the best Christian Colleges in the nation, as well as a Technical School. We also have a regional airport that can connect to larger airports to get you anywhere you want to go. Plenty of housing, check realtor.com, at every price range.
Helena is situated in the Helena Valley. We are surrounded by mountains on all sides. The mountains are part of either National Forest land, or State Forest land. We have Lake Helena, Canyon Ferry Lake, and Hauser Lake, all with excellent fishing. Being in the middle of the state, you can access all of MT very easily. The valley has a population of around 60,000.00. About 30,000 live in town. There is no traffic here, as there are plenty of back roads to go around any congested spots. We have a hospital, one of the best Christian Colleges in the nation, as well as a Technical School. We also have a regional airport that can connect to larger airports to get you anywhere you want to go. Plenty of housing, check realtor.com, at every price range.
If you have any specific questions, let me know.
Thanks, do you have a Costco, Sam's Club and Wal-Mart nearby or how far?
Is there a lot of traffic signals, signs and regulations?
I will be looking for a newer house preferably with at least a 2 car attached garage.
I want to move to an automobile friendly state with roads in good conditions.
Is this the most desirable area in Montana?
Is there such a place in Montana that is most desirable perhaps more north or west further away from east or south in regards to weather (Tornado Alley) or any other factors?
Thanks, do you have a Costco, Sam's Club and Wal-Mart nearby or how far?
Helena has a Costco and a Walmart super store, no Sam's club.
Is there a lot of traffic signals, signs and regulations? Not as bad as some places, it's a populated area for Montana so there are more lights than more rural places.
I will be looking for a newer house preferably with at least a 2 car attached garage. That's no problem, Developments all over the place.
I want to move to an automobile friendly state with roads in good conditions. Roads are usually in pretty good shape. We do have severe freeze/thaw cycles that cause damage, but those are usually taken care of pretty well.
Main streets and highways are in good repair, but during construction season (summer) you'll find a lot of roads closed or with restricted flow while they rebuild or repair or chip seal.
Is this the most desirable area in Montana?
Is there such a place in Montana that is most desirable perhaps more north or west further away from east or south in regards to weather (Tornado Alley) or any other factors?
Depends on what you mean by desirable. Everybody has their own criteria.
Helena is a pretty nice place, dryer than some as it sits in a rain shadow from the continental divide, but not desert.
We don't get a lot of tornados in Montana, and the few that do happen are usually further east than Helena. Billings gets them once every 40 years or so.
We can get micro bursts which are concentrated downdrafts of wind, they can do some damage but not like a tornado.
Helena can get cold and get inversions during the winter. Not as bad as Missoula, but it happens.
Lot less snow than Bozeman, not as much wind as Great Falls, not as cold or hard to drive around as Butte.
Helena can get hail, the last time that it was bad though was in about 1990 or 1991 when it was big enough to dent cars and damage roofs.
Wildfire is a bigger consideration here since we can't manage the forests anymore. Building out in the sticks can be dangerous during the summer, but if you're closer into town, it's just the smoke that gets you.
Helena does have mountains and trees and lakes. Depending on where you are, sweeping views of the valley.
Traffic isn't too bad, rush hour is usually about a 1/2 hour or so of traffic at 7:30 to 8:00 AM and 5-5:30 PM during the week. Got most of the major amenities of restaurants, symphony, shopping, hospital etc.
Depending on what you see as desirable, yeah it can be pretty good.
Depends on what you mean by desirable. Everybody has their own criteria.
Helena is a pretty nice place, dryer than some as it sits in a rain shadow from the continental divide, but not desert.
We don't get a lot of tornados in Montana, and the few that do happen are usually further east than Helena. Billings gets them once every 40 years or so.
We can get micro bursts which are concentrated downdrafts of wind, they can do some damage but not like a tornado.
Helena can get cold and get inversions during the winter. Not as bad as Missoula, but it happens.
Lot less snow than Bozeman, not as much wind as Great Falls, not as cold or hard to drive around as Butte.
Helena can get hail, the last time that it was bad though was in about 1990 or 1991 when it was big enough to dent cars and damage roofs.
Wildfire is a bigger consideration here since we can't manage the forests anymore. Building out in the sticks can be dangerous during the summer, but if you're closer into town, it's just the smoke that gets you.
Helena does have mountains and trees and lakes. Depending on where you are, sweeping views of the valley.
Traffic isn't too bad, rush hour is usually about a 1/2 hour or so of traffic at 7:30 to 8:00 AM and 5-5:30 PM during the week. Got most of the major amenities of restaurants, symphony, shopping, hospital etc.
Depending on what you see as desirable, yeah it can be pretty good.
Hail damage so hard it damages your car?
I would say then which part of Montana gets the least amount of snow and wind?
I prefer the temps to be in the 55-65 degree range and I know Montana gets a lot colder than that but what really kills me is the heat anywhere from 77 degrees and up. I don't care for the sun and stay out of it if possible. Montana probably does not get fog which I love but that's ok.
The real deal breaker is traffic with no parking and waiting in long lines either in grocery stores, banks, doctor appointments etc. We got too much of it here and pay alot for car and home insurance.
As far as house and neighborhood goes I would prefer the nearest neighbor to be 1/2 to 1 mile+ away as I am looking for privacy and quiet away from traffic, (here I have to use brakes every block to stop which I prefer not to have to do that as I hate stop and go driving) schools or teenagers racing up and down the streets with whatever they drive. Do not want to live in a subdivision where neighbors are right across the street or behind house.
I would say then which part of Montana gets the least amount of snow and wind?
I prefer the temps to be in the 55-65 degree range and I know Montana gets a lot colder than that but what really kills me is the heat anywhere from 77 degrees and up. I don't care for the sun and stay out of it if possible. Montana probably does not get fog which I love but that's ok.
The real deal breaker is traffic with no parking and waiting in long lines either in grocery stores, banks, doctor appointments etc. We got too much of it here and pay alot for car and home insurance.
As far as house and neighborhood goes I would prefer the nearest neighbor to be 1/2 to 1 mile+ away as I am looking for privacy and quiet away from traffic, (here I have to use brakes every block to stop which I prefer not to have to do that as I hate stop and go driving) schools or teenagers racing up and down the streets with whatever they drive. Do not want to live in a subdivision where neighbors are right across the street or behind house.
Weather in Montana is very spotty. I will explain. Yesterday there were powerfull thunderstorms across western MT. Some places got blinding rain and 60 mph gusts. Helena got about 2 drops of rain, and some wind. Last winter Butte south of us got hammered with a severe snow storm, and 6 inches of snow in a couple of hours. Helena barely got any measurable snow from that storm. In Montana, it can be raining like crazy in one valley, and you get into the next valley and it is bone dry.
Now to temperatures. The weather in MT is based on cold fronts dropping down from Canada. A typical mid summer week could have a couple of days in the 90's, followed by a day in the 70's, then in the 80's the rest of the week. It very seldom gets in a pattern of constant temps day after day after day. The next few days are forecast for 85, 80, 75, 60, 80. It is cool every morning, even in the summer. The temps at night drop into the upper 50's, lower 60's every night. Some nights it can even get in the 40's.
During fall the average is in the 60's during the day, 40's at night. Once you get into winter however, the temps will be all over the place again, some days it will get into the 50's, but much of the time it is 20's, 30,s during the day. Night time temps will be teens. Helena doesn't get allow of snow. Last year there were about 3 weeks solid where the roads were iced up to dangerous levels. About the same the year before.
Please look at realtor.com, you are sure to find a property that meets your expectations. There are plenty of houses on land here, even in the valley.
We don't have to wait in lines at the store, the schools only have traffic right when they start, and when they get out. The areas with schools can be completely avoided. No problems with teenage racers either. The MT countryside is deadly to those who drive carelessly. Every summer the local news has stories of young teens killing themselves in traffic crashes. You go off the road in MT, and you will very likely hit a tree, boulder, or go down a ravine.
Weather in Montana is very spotty. I will explain. Yesterday there were powerfull thunderstorms across western MT. Some places got blinding rain and 60 mph gusts. Helena got about 2 drops of rain, and some wind. Last winter Butte south of us got hammered with a severe snow storm, and 6 inches of snow in a couple of hours. Helena barely got any measurable snow from that storm. In Montana, it can be raining like crazy in one valley, and you get into the next valley and it is bone dry.
Now to temperatures. The weather in MT is based on cold fronts dropping down from Canada. A typical mid summer week could have a couple of days in the 90's, followed by a day in the 70's, then in the 80's the rest of the week. It very seldom gets in a pattern of constant temps day after day after day. The next few days are forecast for 85, 80, 75, 60, 80. It is cool every morning, even in the summer. The temps at night drop into the upper 50's, lower 60's every night. Some nights it can even get in the 40's.
During fall the average is in the 60's during the day, 40's at night. Once you get into winter however, the temps will be all over the place again, some days it will get into the 50's, but much of the time it is 20's, 30,s during the day. Night time temps will be teens. Helena doesn't get allow of snow. Last year there were about 3 weeks solid where the roads were iced up to dangerous levels. About the same the year before.
Please look at realtor.com, you are sure to find a property that meets your expectations. There are plenty of houses on land here, even in the valley.
We don't have to wait in lines at the store, the schools only have traffic right when they start, and when they get out. The areas with schools can be completely avoided. No problems with teenage racers either. The MT countryside is deadly to those who drive carelessly. Every summer the local news has stories of young teens killing themselves in traffic crashes. You go off the road in MT, and you will very likely hit a tree, boulder, or go down a ravine.
I see thanks. That's great. The less traffic the better. We have too much here and it's overpopulated here. You will not die of loneliness here as there is always someone around or behind you whether walking or driving...Can't help but not bump into each other in person or via vehicle collisions in parking lots and on roads.
I have looked at Relator.com but I look at Zillow more because it gives a "Birdseye view" of the area so I can see how close or far the houses are apart. I can see if it is a subdivision or if it is a forrest with lakes nearby. Also it seems to be more user friendly with more details.
The only other place of interest is Wyoming and I would be interested in the differences between these two states of Montana and Wyoming.
Marion will get a lot of snow. I do not know how overcast in winter months it will be. It is very small population, no services area. That section of highway 2 tends to be closed on some days in the winter.
Helena will have more below zero days than Kalispell, some days may be colder than 40below & with wind very cold, less snow than Kalispell, & not much humidity in Helena. It is in the area that is affected by Alberta Clippers, which are severe fast cold fronts in winter.
Kalispell will be overcast most of winter. Typically has deeper snow than Helena, and more icy road days in winter, ice fog & black ice. Weather fronts come from PNW.
I would consider Marion area to be pleasant summer cabin/home spot.
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with no parking and waiting in long lines
That's great. The less traffic the better. We have too much here and it's overpopulated here. You will not die of loneliness here as there is always someone around or behind you whether walking or driving.
