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For numerous reasons we are uprooting our family from nyc and seeking a fresh start, far away from the city and everything we’ve ever known.
I’ve always romanticized Montana. I’ve spent years idly googling pictures of it’s beautiful landscapes, watching youtube videos and becoming enamored with it’s beauty. I don’t know how I can be obsessed with a state I’ve never even visited but everything about it just seems to call to me. The small town western charm, cowboys, all that wide open space. I’ve been drawn to it from the second I knew a place like this existed in the U.S —
That said our biggest hesitation is the weather and wildlife (bears, snakes) etc. We are from Brooklyn. Needless to say this would be a massive paradigm shift. We don’t hunt, we don’t hike, we don’t camp... yet I can see us settled in a sprawling ranch with miles of space in either direction, hills at the backdrop. Maybe even horse or two. My husband has job opportunities in specific areas, we have to follow the money as his career is very niche and limited (union). Butte, Billings, Bozeman and Missoula are the prospects employment wise. It’s concerning that he earns well over 6 figures but we are not seeing that salary in MT for the same position. I know cost of living is much lower so it’s relative, but it’s a (significant) drop.
Lastly how bad are the winters exactly? Winters here can get pretty brutal. I don’t mind the snow but the freezing temperatures and wind are really hard to bare. If anyone here has experienced winters in nyc - how does this compare? Also how big of a threat is the wildlife in day to day living?
I’m ready to finally make my dream a reality, but I do realize we’re 100% out of our element. I also wonder how we’ll be treated as “outsiders” — I want our family to feel welcomed. We’re looking at Montana because it’s the exact opposite of NY in every way & we want to embrace that! Thoughts? Advice?
Last edited by bklynzf1nest; 07-01-2019 at 02:12 AM..
Please do yourself a favor and watch videos about actually living in MT and not just the glossy tourism or Realtor videos. Despite your romantic ideas, most Montanans don't live on ranches with "miles of space in either direction". I know a handful of "cowboys". It's quite expensive to live on acreage. And ranching is serious business. Not to be taken lightly because it looks fun on t.v..
Have you researched the differences between these four towns? They're all very different. He won't make great money in any of them. Butte is the cheapest but also the roughest.
The weather varies along I-90. Missoula and Billings are 350 miles apart and the continental divide separates Missoula from Butte, Bozeman, and Billings. Overcast and moisture on one side, dry and WINDY on the other. Bozeman and Butte get the coldest. Bozeman gets the most snow. You'll see temps below 0 every year in all of these towns. Not many days but you'll see them.
It's silly to worry about wildlife.
For what it's worth, I moved to Montana sight unseen without a job or house lined up. I didn't know anyone and it was before the internet is what it is. My boyfriend at the time and I just packed up what we could fit and drove away. But we were only 21 at the time. It was the best decision we've ever made but that's a lot different that uprooting an established family. We also got over the novelty of Montana and moved away eventually.
You probably will be treated like outsiders. At least for a little while.
Does the rest of your family share your desires? I can't imagine yanking kids from city life and the only life they've ever known to go play little house on the prairie against their will.
I am thinking of moving to MT from Washington State and have been researching for several months. I spent 3 weeks over the last two months in MT looking at property, speaking with real estate agents and have friends in the Butte area and stayed with them. After all this, I am reconsidering my move based mostly on what I was told about the winters in MT. Not that you cant survive them but you must be prepared and its work unless you are going to live in town and rely on electric or gas. Yes, MT is beautiful and there is lots of outdoor stuff to do. The advice I got from everyone is to rent a place through a winter and get a feel for it before moving there full time. Dint know if that would work for you. I was told but many Montanans that a lot of folks uproot and move there and come spring they are out of MT. Do a lot of homework before you go. One more thing, MT is not a cheap place to live. Check out the state income tax, property taxes etc. Good luck.
My wife is from Washington Heights. She says that the winter in Montana is much drier than in NY, due to the much lower humidity. She also says that Montana doesn't get as much snow.
There is a huge cost of living difference between MT and NY. In NY your tax burden is much higher, there isn't a sales tax in MT, and the income tax is about half of what you paid in NY. There also isn't city taxes either, and property taxes are less. The other reason that some industries pay less in MT is because of competition. Some jobs just don't have a very large need here. So one industry wages will be less, but in another it could be much higher. Doctors here, especially specialists, earn allot. My kids have allergies, and the one allergy Dr. in Helena has appointments booked out 9 months in advance. She is seeing the maximum number of patients she can, as a Dr. having that type of traffic means that she is maximizing her earnings, compared to a Dr. that might have 5 or 10 empty slots a week. So it all depends on what your career field is in.
As far as the cities you mentioned, Butte and Billings will have the cheaper real estate. Missoula and Bozeman are college towns and the Universities create an artificially high median income in those areas, which causes inflated real estate prices. At least to me, the areas aren't worth the additional cost.
Living in MT isn't much different that living in any other northern state, if you have stable employment you can make it here. Make sure you have all wheel drive or 4x4 vehicles for the winter, and take it slow as you learn to drive and you will do fine.
I am thinking of moving to MT from Washington State and have been researching for several months. I spent 3 weeks over the last two months in MT looking at property, speaking with real estate agents and have friends in the Butte area and stayed with them. After all this, I am reconsidering my move based mostly on what I was told about the winters in MT. Not that you cant survive them but you must be prepared and its work unless you are going to live in town and rely on electric or gas. Yes, MT is beautiful and there is lots of outdoor stuff to do. The advice I got from everyone is to rent a place through a winter and get a feel for it before moving there full time. Dint know if that would work for you. I was told but many Montanans that a lot of folks uproot and move there and come spring they are out of MT. Do a lot of homework before you go. One more thing, MT is not a cheap place to live. Check out the state income tax, property taxes etc. Good luck.
I don't think I am superman or anything, but I moved from Florida to Montana, and I don't think the winters are bad at all. We do live close to town, and we have electric heat, but our house is insulated very well. The largest electric bill we ever had was $320.00, and that is only for Jan and Feb. My electric bill in Florida was much higher, as it averaged $280.00 a month year round. Here during spring and fall the electric is just over $100.00. During the hottest parts of summer it is around $180.00.
I love driving in the snow. There isn't anything better than executing a perfect 4 wheel drift around a corner on a back county road.
Reality is if you want a ranch in MT with miles of space in either direction, you will need millions of dollars to buy it. You might be able to find what you want size-wise, but in a very remote area like along the Milk River for 10 mil, otherwise it will be way more. It is possible to buy something small in the area of large ranches, however this can be difficult to find.
Winters are all over the place on the severity scale. As a general rule, lower elevations (under 5000 feet) will have less snow.
I wouldn't be too worried about wildlife as a threat. I have deep respect for grizzles & I hate rattlesnakes--it's been years since I've encountered either.
Last edited by historyfan; 07-01-2019 at 10:45 AM..
Please do yourself a favor and watch videos about actually living in MT and not just the glossy tourism or Realtor videos. Despite your romantic ideas, most Montanans don't live on ranches with "miles of space in either direction". I know a handful of "cowboys". It's quite expensive to live on acreage. And ranching is serious business. Not to be taken lightly because it looks fun on t.v..
Have you researched the differences between these four towns? They're all very different. He won't make great money in any of them. Butte is the cheapest but also the roughest.
The weather varies along I-90. Missoula and Billings are 350 miles apart and the continental divide separates Missoula from Butte, Bozeman, and Billings. Overcast and moisture on one side, dry and WINDY on the other. Bozeman and Butte get the coldest. Bozeman gets the most snow. You'll see temps below 0 every year in all of these towns. Not many days but you'll see them.
It's silly to worry about wildlife.
For what it's worth, I moved to Montana sight unseen without a job or house lined up. I didn't know anyone and it was before the internet is what it is. My boyfriend at the time and I just packed up what we could fit and drove away. But we were only 21 at the time. It was the best decision we've ever made but that's a lot different that uprooting an established family. We also got over the novelty of Montana and moved away eventually.
You probably will be treated like outsiders. At least for a little while.
Does the rest of your family share your desires? I can't imagine yanking kids from city life and the only life they've ever known to go play little house on the prairie against their will.
My first sentence in my post said for numerous reasons. I will not go into details on a public forum but in short the biggest reason we are leaving nyc is FOR my children, so they can have a better life, space, freedom and experience life outside of what has now become a socialist state. My husband desperately wants out of the city also.
We would be renting for sure. Maybe my views on Montana are unrealistic and we might have to look elsewhere. None of the responses have been exactly positive, but I thank you for being realistic.
For numerous reasons we are uprooting our family from nyc and seeking a fresh start, far away from the city and everything we’ve ever known.
I’ve always romanticized Montana. I’ve spent years idly googling pictures of it’s beautiful landscapes, watching youtube videos and becoming enamored with it’s beauty. I don’t know how I can be obsessed with a state I’ve never even visited but everything about it just seems to call to me. The small town western charm, cowboys, all that wide open space. I’ve been drawn to it from the second I knew a place like this existed in the U.S —
That said our biggest hesitation is the weather and wildlife (bears, snakes) etc. We are from Brooklyn. Needless to say this would be a massive paradigm shift. We don’t hunt, we don’t hike, we don’t camp... yet I can see us settled in a sprawling ranch with miles of space in either direction, hills at the backdrop. Maybe even horse or two. My husband has job opportunities in specific areas, we have to follow the money as his career is very niche and limited (union). Butte, Billings, Bozeman and Missoula are the prospects employment wise. It’s concerning that he earns well over 6 figures but we are not seeing that salary in MT for the same position. I know cost of living is much lower so it’s relative, but it’s a (significant) drop.
Lastly how bad are the winters exactly? Winters here can get pretty brutal. I don’t mind the snow but the freezing temperatures and wind are really hard to bare. If anyone here has experienced winters in nyc - how does this compare? Also how big of a threat is the wildlife in day to day living?
I’m ready to finally make my dream a reality, but I do realize we’re 100% out of our element. I also wonder how we’ll be treated as “outsiders” — I want our family to feel welcomed. We’re looking at Montana because it’s the exact opposite of NY in every way & we want to embrace that! Thoughts? Advice?
It isn't Montana, but you may want to look at Sheridan, Wyoming. Not exactly the situation you asked about, but it may be a good match. As always, getting a job lined up first is key.
Good luck
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