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It is a harder search if flat farmland is off the table. But if you go 10-20 miles from the small town and further from the airport it might be possible.
Twin Bridges probably has the town culture you want. Town is in center of open valley but you could probably get something forest / mountains adjacent. Perhaps up Wisconsin Creek Road or upper end of Bear Gulch road.
Choteau is surrounded by flat farmland but I'd there would be places with an acceptable terrain / look on west ends of Canyon Road along the Teton River or Bellview Road.
You may need to work with a realtor to find the right spot.
The prime valley floors in southwest / central MT are expensive because of grand views, sun and conditions suitable for horses and cattle. Western MT can be pricey too near the big cities and resorts but a lot of the bigger parcels will be heavily timbered and you might mostly use a small fraction of the land for much beyond walking & buffer space.
If Florence is too close to Missoula and too suburban yuppy, check around Corvallis or further south.
Maybe Boulder MT. Clinton? Probably too close to Missoula.
In Idaho did you look at Sandpoint to Bonnner's Ferry, St. Maries, Kendrick / Juliaetta, Oakley, Soda Springs, Ashton, Spirit Lake, Cascade and Garden Valley?
Thanks MTSilvertip,
I read Great Falls, Butte, Kalispell, Billings, and Helena have drug issues. I don't look anywhere near these towns and avoid any smaller town around them.
We can't be in the situation we're in now, growth, drugs in our once small town. Everything we've known is now tarnished because of drug prevalence in the PNW. Looking ahead to avoid an area that may grow too much, become a bedroom community.
My husband built a beautiful horse barn, shop, we fully remodeled our home. Now we have breakins, theft, vehicle theft, our locked shop isn't safe, tools or equipment. The thieves are drug addicts.
The view out the window is the subdivision being built across the road with all of its construction noise, trucks, machinery.
Our country road is now a highway in front of our home, round the clock noise, drag racing keeping us awake at night, no longer safe for walks or bike rides.
We'll spend double to avoid the drug areas. It's heart breaking to walk away from a beautiful property that we've built up with our own hands, because of drugs that have ruined our town.
Which MT towns stand out as having an idyllic community feel?
In visiting Big Timber, meeting townspeople, reading the newspaper, social media pages, it appears idyllic. Is it? Are there nicer towns?
I assume a higher price will buy a more wholesome community.
Scattered throughout MT, priced much less than $1M, I find 40 acres, large, newer, upgraded home, barn, shop, long list of amenities. But in Big Timber, Livingston, Paradise Valley, Bozeman, I find 40 acres, small old fixer upper, priced more than $1M. I feel like I might be safer in these towns. I assume I'm buying into an idyllic safe community spending the higher price for the fixer. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
NW Crow, thanks for more great info. We like Idaho for a number of reasons. We're in Washington, so no culture shock, climate or weather difference. I like some of those Idaho areas you mentioned, but almost impossible to find private acreage. Neighbor's homes right alongside yours, or in view, no privacy. Or a noisy highway or busy shared driveway. We like that buffer you speak of for walking, privacy, gardening and whatnot. My husband has a fishing boat and likes salmon fishing. He's not a fly fisherman.
I attempted to replicate my original post inquiring about nice small towns with good schools over on the Idaho forum. Moderator said I couldn't cross post. What are your recommendations for nice small towns with good schools in Idaho? My husband likes the lakes and rivers, and the move would be really easy from Washington.
Thanks MTSilvertip,
I read Great Falls, Butte, Kalispell, Billings, and Helena have drug issues. I don't look anywhere near these towns and avoid any smaller town around them.
We can't be in the situation we're in now, growth, drugs in our once small town. Everything we've known is now tarnished because of drug prevalence in the PNW. Looking ahead to avoid an area that may grow too much, become a bedroom community.
My husband built a beautiful horse barn, shop, we fully remodeled our home. Now we have breakins, theft, vehicle theft, our locked shop isn't safe, tools or equipment. The thieves are drug addicts.
The view out the window is the subdivision being built across the road with all of its construction noise, trucks, machinery.
Our country road is now a highway in front of our home, round the clock noise, drag racing keeping us awake at night, no longer safe for walks or bike rides.
We'll spend double to avoid the drug areas. It's heart breaking to walk away from a beautiful property that we've built up with our own hands, because of drugs that have ruined our town.
Which MT towns stand out as having an idyllic community feel?
In visiting Big Timber, meeting townspeople, reading the newspaper, social media pages, it appears idyllic. Is it? Are there nicer towns?
I assume a higher price will buy a more wholesome community.
Scattered throughout MT, priced much less than $1M, I find 40 acres, large, newer, upgraded home, barn, shop, long list of amenities. But in Big Timber, Livingston, Paradise Valley, Bozeman, I find 40 acres, small old fixer upper, priced more than $1M. I feel like I might be safer in these towns. I assume I'm buying into an idyllic safe community spending the higher price for the fixer. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Conspicuous consumption and putting on airs doesn't really equate to good people, in fact, all the money is what calls in the drugs.
Big Timber is a good example. The ranch folks that live there are as decent and upstanding as you could hope for. The unsavoury elements tend to follow the rich and shameless that have the time and money to waste on drugs to destroy their lives.
Big Timber is a great place, just avoid the movie stars and their hangers on up the valley.
Being around folks that work for a living is much safer since they work for everything they have and respect that from others. Most of the small town folks I know would rather starve then take something that isn't theirs. You're in much more danger of crimes from bored rich kids looking for a thrill and have no respect for anyone or anything. They've never had to work or save for what they want, so nothing has value to them.
Working people aren't the ones to watch out for, it's the bored and lazy.
Take some time to explore before you move, talk to the locals, I spent 3 hours the other day at a small local cafe in Ryegate. I didn't know anybody there when I sat down, but I had some new friends when I left. Just locals having lunch too. They started talking and we had a great conversation going. Other locals came in, grabbed a cup of coffee, sat down and joined in. A real community, just the kind of place you find all over Montana. No pretentious, no agenda, just good people being people.
Ryegate is way out on the prairie, but it's not so different from a lot of places here. Just need to be willing to give them a chance.
Thanks MTSilvertip,
I read Great Falls, Butte, Kalispell, Billings, and Helena have drug issues. I don't look anywhere near these towns and avoid any smaller town around them.
We can't be in the situation we're in now, growth, drugs in our once small town. Everything we've known is now tarnished because of drug prevalence in the PNW. Looking ahead to avoid an area that may grow too much, become a bedroom community.
My husband built a beautiful horse barn, shop, we fully remodeled our home. Now we have breakins, theft, vehicle theft, our locked shop isn't safe, tools or equipment. The thieves are drug addicts.
The view out the window is the subdivision being built across the road with all of its construction noise, trucks, machinery.
Our country road is now a highway in front of our home, round the clock noise, drag racing keeping us awake at night, no longer safe for walks or bike rides.
We'll spend double to avoid the drug areas. It's heart breaking to walk away from a beautiful property that we've built up with our own hands, because of drugs that have ruined our town.
Which MT towns stand out as having an idyllic community feel?
In visiting Big Timber, meeting townspeople, reading the newspaper, social media pages, it appears idyllic. Is it? Are there nicer towns?
I assume a higher price will buy a more wholesome community.
Scattered throughout MT, priced much less than $1M, I find 40 acres, large, newer, upgraded home, barn, shop, long list of amenities. But in Big Timber, Livingston, Paradise Valley, Bozeman, I find 40 acres, small old fixer upper, priced more than $1M. I feel like I might be safer in these towns. I assume I'm buying into an idyllic safe community spending the higher price for the fixer. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Ok, you're wrong.
It used to be that Meth use was prevalent only in the towns at the lower end of the socioeconomic scale. It is everywhere and to say otherwise is just uninformed.
I do not think Big Timber is particularly idyllic.
Sheridan, Montana ok but definitely not Twin Bridges. But Sheridan Wyoming two thumbs up, Willow Creek yes, Three Forks not ever.
Martinsdale yes, White Sulphur Springs never.
Lavina maybe, Roundup not on a bet, Reed Point or Springdale or Melstone yes, Hysham no, Rosebud probably, Forsyth yes.
Big Fork yes, Whitefish perhaps, Columbia Falls yes, Kalispell no, Eureka needs checked out, Libby heck no, Troy no, Yaak perhaps.
Townsend sure, Helena yes, Clancy no.
You want to go far afield from where you are looking go to Wibaux. Nice people very rural.
If you are buying raw land, keep your purchase price under 450k (250-300k or less preferred) or you'll blow your budget. Construction costs are much higher in MT than Washington state.
Of the ID places I mentioned Sandpoint and Spirit Lake have well-rated schools. And salmon fishing lakes. St. Maries' schools rate as good. River and lake fishing for salmon.
Of these 3, Sandpoint is the most resorty but it depends what you do / who you choose to hang with. There is still a strong locals contingent. St. Maries is probably the most blue collar though it is getting some retirees. Spirit Lake probably has a lot of commuters but commuters who went out of the norm for space & quiet.
NW Crow, I appreciate your help. An offer we made on a Big Timber, MT home wasn't accepted. And I get confusing/contradictory info about areas that I've read are good places to raise a family with low crime, drugs etc in MT.
You seem to be very well versed about everywhere. We're military, have lived in many states. Where are your personal top picks in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Wyoming, and any other wholesome-type place?
I have lived in almost two handfuls of places, travelled a lot, but have also done pretty extensive research on many places. There is going to differences of thought on places based on experience, values and level of research. You have to decide how to weigh the input and ultimately decide. Hopefully with the aid of one or more visits.
In the west for lower risk, Idaho and Utah away from the biggest cities would probably be better. But, as said by others, there will be some risk everywhere. If you want the lowest drug risk, the data says Iowa and Minnesota but probably away from the biggest cities there too.
Oregon? There are some nice towns with good schools but apparently the drug issue is on average worse in Oregon than Washington. For your criteria, you might look at Silverton or Philomath OR but they aren't perfect fits.
In Wyoming, you might look around Ranchester / Dayton. Possibly the South Fork of the Shoshone River west of Cody, though that area is more pricey. Powell would make a lot of sense... except for all these the airport commute. If that is every week, Wyoming is probably not for your family. Maybe Star Valley (south of Jackson) or Lander could work. Check on flights out of Jackson or Riverton. In the hills south and west of Douglas? Might work. Well rated schools. Sundance WY? Not quite as well rated schools and more than an hour from Rapid City. But it is traditional west small town.
If you considered Utah, I'd probably look NEAR Kamas.
If you looked in WA, you might check Liberty Lake.
Spearfish SD has well rated schools. Forested acreage to the south. Bigger than you want but not that big. Drug use level? I dunno. Probably somewhere in middle.
"Near Kamas"? I barely know Kamas but now I am interested in Coalville and Silver Summit to north and northwest of there. And Wanship.
I don't live there, but I've visited Dillon several times. It's statistically the safest town in Montana. It's just less than 5,000 people. It's on the interstate. it's 45 minutes to Butte (In good weather), an hour and a half to Bozeman, an hour and a half to Idaho Falls (In good weather), and 2 hours to Missoula (in good weather).
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