Cities to consider for our situation (live, costs, housing)

[Redraven]

Originally Posted by nowhereman427

tHe chickens from Popeyes, Churches Chicken and KFC are low maintenance

Actually, in our opinion, the chicken at Pizza Ranch is the best. No work, just good eating.

[nowhereman427]

Originally Posted by Redraven

Actually, in our opinion, the chicken at Pizza Ranch is the best. No work, just good eating.

[sky1949]

All comments above are good. Only question is, since you're apparently coming from Miami area, are you ready for Montana winters?

[nowhereman427]

Originally Posted by sky1949

All comments above are good. Only question is, since you're apparently coming from Miami area, are you ready for Montana winters?

[zimm17]

Originally Posted by sky1949

All comments above are good. Only question is, since you're apparently coming from Miami area, are you ready for Montana winters?

I am, my wife isn't. My parent's can't wait for me to get the tractor and snow blower out of their Florida garage!

The research continues. I know this is the Montana forum, but we're also looking into Flagstaff, AZ and possibly Idaho or Utah.

I really value going out for off-roading and camping. Might have to go further west for that. Moab is magic, so living a day's drive from there would be pretty cool.

[volosong]

Originally Posted by zimm17

The research continues. I know this is the Montana forum, but we're also looking into Flagstaff, AZ and possibly Idaho or Utah.

If you end up in North Idaho, for both you and your wife, (and the kids), please consider getting involved with the Sea Cadets. The local battalion drill out of the NOSC on the far side of Spokane. We could use some more adult volunteers, and your kids can be part of the program too. Next door to the NOSC is the local VA hospital.

You might add the extreme northeast part of Washington to your investigation list. Politics align with the rest of the Rocky Mountain states, (except east Colorado), and the environment is much like NID, NW MT, etc.

[bigskydude]

Originally Posted by zimm17

My wife and I are military. I've lived in the 'burbs my whole life. I've moved every 2 years for the last 25. I've seen most of the country and lived in a lot of it. I love the mountains, snow, hiking, backpacking, and any type of off-roading from mountain bikes, dirt bikes, 4x4's to snow mobiles.

I recently retired from the Navy (taking care of the kids now) and she has 2 years to go. We'll be living off dual retirement, so we'll have enough money to pay the bills and we'll have a small business for supplemental income and to keep ourselves busy.

Our boys will be 10 and 12 when we move in 2022 so a good middle and high school are paramount.

Our business requires a backyard garage/workshop. Big enough to work on a vehicle or two, or small camper trailer. My brother and his wife want to come out and work too- so an apartment on property or over the workshop would be great.

We're looking for towns/cities to consider. We do not want suburbs, but 10-20 minutes out of a town for easy grocery and hardware store runs would be great. I've never had over 1/2 acre, but thinking 1-5 would be great.

We have a big dog, plan to get a second one, and some lower maintenance animals like chickens and maybe goats.

I don't hunt and fish anymore (I was terrible at it), so I can skip the requirement to live on a trout stream. Nor do we need to be on a ski resort- we don't like touristy things, so I only see us skiing 1-2 times a year at a resort. We'd rather be out on the trail doing our own thing.

At first we were looking at Whitefish and the Bitterroot valley, but prices are rising and we don't need to pay for the tourist stuff. Helena has our attention too.

Thoughts?

You just described Townsend, Montana perfectly -- Not too far from Three Forks and not too far from Helena ... They just finished the new bridge at Toston and the highway between Townsend to the Three Forks junction at interstate 90 is 95% 4 lane w/center turn lane.

[snowave]

If the wife isn't excited about winters, probably best to not bring her to Montana. Sure, you can find places that don't get a lot of snow, but those places are going to either be gray all winter (flathead/bitterroot valley), or windy and cold (much of the region east/south of the divide). Although I've been to Helena and think its fairly nice, it still gets less than 200 sunny days a year.

I think the Flagstaff area is a good compromise, although I've heard its gotten pricey. Yes, they can get some good dumps of snow, but lots of sun and easy to get out of the snow if you want to. I would also have recommended the Boise area in the past, but housing has skyrocketed and is tough to find as everyone is moving there. Not sure anywhere else in Idaho will fit the bill, except maybe Pocatello.

As far as Utah, possibly check out St. George area (lots of new growth/and retirees though).. Cedar City is also nice, but colder and snowier. Moab has gotten to be a small city in recent years, and I assume its gotten $$. Heber Valley is in the same boat.

The Arkansas River Valley in south-central CO is nice, but again.. it also gotten very popular and $$ over the last 10-20 yrs as has the Durango area. Maybe Cortez? Its in the high desert, but not too far from the San Juans.

[ChrisMT]

Douglas County, Nevada checks all your boxes.

Sunny, outdoor adventure paradise. Real estate is pricey though :/

[Kenbrell]

I'd second the thought of Billings. I've lived here for a few years now; or more technically, I've wintered here after spending summers fighting wildfires on crews out of Zortman and Twin Falls, Idaho. As far as that goes, the winters here are no joke; it's a full 6 months of biting cold and wind, with plenty of snow to go with that, mostly. There are occasional warm spells throughout, in the Yellowstone Valley at least, but any further north like Lewistown is noticeably harsher. The Highline is a different beast altogether. But God, is it all some beautiful country.... If you're a boating man, a few hours southeast is the Yellowtail Dam on the Bighorn River. I guided the river a spell, and went on the 70+ mile long lake several times. It's got incredible rock walls which tower over the water, tons of side canyons to boat up and explore, good fishing, and power boats are allowed. The Yellowstone River is gorgeous too, and great for summer floating with mild whitewater at higher levels. Red Lodge ski resort is 90 minutes south in the Beartooth Mountains, which are pristine hiking and fishing areas in summer but virtually impassable from mid fall to late spring. Billings currently has a lot of jobs in a lot of different industries... its a good deal.