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Old 09-07-2018, 12:08 PM
 
8 posts, read 20,545 times
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Hello! We were leaning toward moving to Missoula pending a job offer for my husband, but he has options to go other places too, so I am hoping some native Montanan's can chime in and let us know what areas are best for a family with two children? We all love outdoors, we love WATER after all, we are moving from the land of 10,000 lakes aka Minnesota. We are just so OVER the humidity here as it has gotten almost like Florida in the summer with wicked thunderstorms too. It is so miserable that if you are outside for even a few minutes, you feel you need to shower again from the sheer moisture in the air. Snow doesn't bother us at all as we grew up in the coldest place in the United States in the winter with lots of snow, but the EXTREME COLD like the several months of below zero...well that has gotten a bit old. You can not go outside when your eye lids freeze in 2 minutes from -30 degree temps. 30 degrees above zero is like a heat wave to us in the winter..no joke. Anyway, looking for suggestions. We like a clean feel and safe. My dream is Coeur D' Alene, Idaho, but the job industry the hubby is in, that one isn't very likely for him. If any are somewhat even remotely similar to Coeur D' Alene...I am sold! I appreciate the feedback!!
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Old 09-07-2018, 01:25 PM
 
Location: Idaho
6,354 posts, read 7,760,940 times
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Perhaps there are opportunities for employment for your husband in Spokane. There are many who commute from Coeur d'Alene/Post Falls/Hayden into Spokane for work.
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Old 09-07-2018, 03:58 PM
 
Location: Where the mountains touch the sky
6,756 posts, read 8,575,024 times
Reputation: 14969
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nwrungrl View Post
Hello! We were leaning toward moving to Missoula pending a job offer for my husband, but he has options to go other places too, so I am hoping some native Montanan's can chime in and let us know what areas are best for a family with two children? We all love outdoors, we love WATER after all, we are moving from the land of 10,000 lakes aka Minnesota. We are just so OVER the humidity here as it has gotten almost like Florida in the summer with wicked thunderstorms too. It is so miserable that if you are outside for even a few minutes, you feel you need to shower again from the sheer moisture in the air. Snow doesn't bother us at all as we grew up in the coldest place in the United States in the winter with lots of snow, but the EXTREME COLD like the several months of below zero...well that has gotten a bit old. You can not go outside when your eye lids freeze in 2 minutes from -30 degree temps. 30 degrees above zero is like a heat wave to us in the winter..no joke. Anyway, looking for suggestions. We like a clean feel and safe. My dream is Coeur D' Alene, Idaho, but the job industry the hubby is in, that one isn't very likely for him. If any are somewhat even remotely similar to Coeur D' Alene...I am sold! I appreciate the feedback!!
With the criteria you noted, Helena.

Missoula gets severe inversions in the winter making the air really nasty. Coats everything with a coat of grey.
Add to that, anything west of the divide is pretty overcast most of the winter, and there are no real close lakes for recreation.

Bozeman is nice, just super expensive, and limited water nearby if you want to boat or swim.

Helena is dryer than Missoula or Kalispell, but it does have 3 reservoirs and a lake very close, and a couple lakes back in the mountains.

All have mountains, snow, skiing, hiking, camping etc. All can get cold too, although west of the divide is usually warmer that the east side, more snow too with the exception of Bozeman which can get dumped on. It can get cold here too. Roger's pass has the coldest recorded temperature in the lower 48, but usually it doesn't get down to -30 or -40 for very long.
Montana also has very low humidity, so even though it's super cold out, it doesn't feel that bad. You see folks in shorts and t-shirts in 20 degree temps all the time if the sun is out.


Good Luck.
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Old 09-07-2018, 06:06 PM
 
8 posts, read 20,545 times
Reputation: 16
Thank you for the responses! :-) We have considered Spokane for work, but he is a railroader and that is limited for headquarters near there :-( so I don’t see it working. I will look more into Helena. We have visited Missoula this summer as I had to see it first before I gave the okay to transfer, but seeing it for two days doesn’t give you the best idea of where to go. Thank you so much again!
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Old 09-07-2018, 11:24 PM
 
Location: North Dakota
10,350 posts, read 13,928,406 times
Reputation: 18267
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nwrungrl View Post
Hello! We were leaning toward moving to Missoula pending a job offer for my husband, but he has options to go other places too, so I am hoping some native Montanan's can chime in and let us know what areas are best for a family with two children? We all love outdoors, we love WATER after all, we are moving from the land of 10,000 lakes aka Minnesota. We are just so OVER the humidity here as it has gotten almost like Florida in the summer with wicked thunderstorms too. It is so miserable that if you are outside for even a few minutes, you feel you need to shower again from the sheer moisture in the air. Snow doesn't bother us at all as we grew up in the coldest place in the United States in the winter with lots of snow, but the EXTREME COLD like the several months of below zero...well that has gotten a bit old. You can not go outside when your eye lids freeze in 2 minutes from -30 degree temps. 30 degrees above zero is like a heat wave to us in the winter..no joke. Anyway, looking for suggestions. We like a clean feel and safe. My dream is Coeur D' Alene, Idaho, but the job industry the hubby is in, that one isn't very likely for him. If any are somewhat even remotely similar to Coeur D' Alene...I am sold! I appreciate the feedback!!
Helena would be my only choice out of those, but Billings would be my top choice in Montana, although it's not in the pretty part of the state. Be aware Montana is very different from Minnesota culturally.
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Old 09-08-2018, 06:09 AM
 
8 posts, read 20,545 times
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That’s what drew us to Montana. Minnesota is becoming a little too left field for us. Sort of like California and very liberal. Not saying I am completely anti-liberal, but it can be extreme. Plus we are seriously turning into Chicago here which is so so sad because of the high amount of welfare our state hands out. Again, I do believe in helping people get on their feet, but people are starting to flock here because our welfare is so good- people that are dangerous and are bringing a lot of drugs and shootings to an area that you used to rarely hear of. Our taxes in Minnesota are like the 8th highest in the US- in anywhere else except Minneapolis/St. Paul, the wages don’t match the crazy taxes. I know Montana wages look to be less too like here, but I have been told you guys don’t have state taxes. Just a lot of reasons why we want to leave. Our state may be pretty up by Lake Suoerior, but so much has changed about it and it’s sad to see. Thank you for your input and I greatly appreciate the heads up and info too!
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Old 09-08-2018, 08:34 AM
 
Location: Aishalton, GY
1,459 posts, read 1,400,393 times
Reputation: 1978
Taxes and weather aside, take the job in Missoula. After a couple of years there, you'll either love it or hate it. I moved my family from Wyoming (the no tax state) to Montana. Smartest decision I ever made. We lived on Swan Lake, yet avoided Kalispell and did most of our shopping in Missoula.
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Old 09-08-2018, 09:22 AM
 
246 posts, read 349,501 times
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After 12 years in Helena and Kalispell we moved to the Northwoods of Wisconsin. 1st and foremost we never saw ourselves being able to retire there with the Real Estate prices. I can buy 4 or 5 rental homes here for what 1 rental would cost us in Montana and have mailbox money every month for retirement. Here is what you can expect for 2$250K in Missoula. https://www.flexmls.com/share/1jz9X/...issoulaMT59802

2nd, both my daughters where leaving due to low paying jobs, (oldest is a CNA and makes 20% more here) and no real way to get out on their own unless they lived in some shack. They both came to Wisconsin with us and are loving it.

3rd, Insurance is off the hook insane as well. I own a property maintenance business and was paying almost 7K a year out there. Same policy here, Apples to Apples is $2,500. My 2011 F250 is 900 a year FULL COVERAGE on a million dollar commercial policy. It was $2,700 in Montana. All the high speed wrecks and drunks with 10-15 & 20 DUI's drive this.

4th, Smoke/fire season is HORRIBLE especially in Missoula. Winter is bad there too with the inversions. You can't get a woodstove permitted in Missoula anymore.

5th, We never got to enjoy Montana. Sure we had a few days in the summer to take in the sights but most of the time we where working to survive. I went from 6-7 days a week there to 54-5 days here in Wisconsin and have a TON of time to recreate. Heading out with the pontoon this afternoon to go fishing as a matter of fact!

If your dead set on the area i would look at Post Falls ID. Real estate prices are a LITTLE better but many of the other issues remain. Just be aware, The drug problem is rampant out there. Even in the Flathead my kids saw it nearly every day. https://missoulacurrent.com/governme...bstance-abuse/ The alcohol problem is rampant as well. Stay off the roads after 8PM and your safer. Not sure where your at in Minnesota but the weather here in Northern Wisconsin is much nicer than the Flathead Valley. We've been here 2 years and the warmest day has been 86* where the Flathead has hit over 100 for weeks each summer. Be prepared for everything brown and dead from about the 1st of July on. Also a lot more overcast days in the winter there. Hope it all works out for you.....
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Old 09-08-2018, 09:51 AM
 
Location: North Dakota
10,350 posts, read 13,928,406 times
Reputation: 18267
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nwrungrl View Post
That’s what drew us to Montana. Minnesota is becoming a little too left field for us. Sort of like California and very liberal. Not saying I am completely anti-liberal, but it can be extreme. Plus we are seriously turning into Chicago here which is so so sad because of the high amount of welfare our state hands out. Again, I do believe in helping people get on their feet, but people are starting to flock here because our welfare is so good- people that are dangerous and are bringing a lot of drugs and shootings to an area that you used to rarely hear of. Our taxes in Minnesota are like the 8th highest in the US- in anywhere else except Minneapolis/St. Paul, the wages don’t match the crazy taxes. I know Montana wages look to be less too like here, but I have been told you guys don’t have state taxes. Just a lot of reasons why we want to leave. Our state may be pretty up by Lake Suoerior, but so much has changed about it and it’s sad to see. Thank you for your input and I greatly appreciate the heads up and info too!
If Minnesota is too liberal you might like Montana. The areas around Kalispell and Missoula have lots of the extreme hiding from the government type conservatives. Also quite a few people who you'll swear never experienced the 20th century let alone the 21st. That being said, there are some extreme liberals in the area, especially in the city limits of Missoula. Wages anywhere in the state are often lower than The national average and Bozeman, Kalispell, and Missoula are horrendously expensive to live in. I tell anyone considering a move to Montana that you can't eat scenery.
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Old 09-08-2018, 09:55 AM
 
246 posts, read 349,501 times
Reputation: 473
Quote:
Originally Posted by NDak15 View Post
If Minnesota is too liberal you might like Montana. The areas around Kalispell and Missoula have lots of the extreme hiding from the government type conservatives. Also quite a few people who you'll swear never experienced the 20th century let alone the 21st. That being said, there are some extreme liberals in the area, especially in the city limits of Missoula. Wages anywhere in the state are often lower than The national average and Bozeman, Kalispell, and Missoula are horrendously expensive to live in. I tell anyone considering a move to Montana that you can't eat scenery.

Well stated but most don't take the advice. All they see is mountains.....
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