Alright Wyoming...let me have it (Cheyenne, Casper: best cities, sale, mobile home)

[sav]

Agree with many of the previous posters that what you are looking for is hard to find,and is what many are looking for. Idaho Falls would fit most of your bill (very inexpensive still, mtn west, altitude 5000 feet) but the mountains are an hour away. However, they ARE the tetons....
Best of luck to you. We lived in Salt Lake for a number of years and loved it but it is too big and crazy now. Then Oregon but 9 mos of rain is grim, I would not recommend Portland if you like sun and blue skies, although it is a very cool city.

[imbobbbb]

there are plenty of towns fairly close to mountain recreation-lander,sheridan,buffalo,centennial,cody,dubois,bag gs,are all right by mountains.kemmerer,casper,lovell,powell are but a short drive to mountains.some of these places arent super expensive for housing and some have ok memployment prospects.

[sunsprit]

Originally Posted by imbobbbb

there are plenty of towns fairly close to mountain recreation-lander,sheridan,buffalo,centennial,cody,dubois,bag gs,are all right by mountains.kemmerer,casper,lovell,powell are but a short drive to mountains.some of these places arent super expensive for housing and some have ok memployment prospects.

OK, I'll bite ... which of those places have the magic combination of not super expensive for housing and jobs? Or have you ever been to Dubois?, or Kemmerer?

[j1n]

Originally Posted by sav

Agree with many of the previous posters that what you are looking for is hard to find,and is what many are looking for.

See, this is what I'm not understanding...
What am I looking for that's hard to find? Is it the combo of both "mountain views" and "inexpensive"??
Because other than that, I'm at a point in my life where I just really want to live. I have almost zero aspirations to be filthy rich or some sort of corporate climber. I work on a horse farm now...work with my hands, exercise, get dirty, etc. I'm not too picky about what I do as long as I can do something...and somewhere where there's big, rocky, pointy things with snow on them every so often.

OK, I'll bite ... which of those places have the magic combination of not super expensive for housing and jobs? Or have you ever been to Dubois?, or Kemmerer?

I know that this wasn't directed at me, but I will respond. Yeah, I' ve been to Dudois...that's a great town. Camped up in the hills outside of town. But live there?? I don't think I could find a combination of part-time jobs that would support what I assume the rent would be there...if there is even any real range of rentals to be had.

[jazzlover]

Originally Posted by j1n

See, this is what I'm not understanding...
What am I looking for that's hard to find? Is it the combo of both "mountain views" and "inexpensive"??
Because other than that, I'm at a point in my life where I just really want to live. I have almost zero aspirations to be filthy rich or some sort of corporate climber. I work on a horse farm now...work with my hands, exercise, get dirty, etc. I'm not too picky about what I do as long as I can do something...and somewhere where there's big, rocky, pointy things with snow on them every so often.



I know that this wasn't directed at me, but I will respond. Yeah, I' ve been to Dudois...that's a great town. Camped up in the hills outside of town. But live there?? I don't think I could find a combination of part-time jobs that would support what I assume the rent would be there...if there is even any real range of rentals to be had.

Look, you've already made choices that is going to make it tough. You're married and you have two children. If you were single and footloose--yeah, you can move some gorgeous place, pay high living expenses, and make a relatively meager income. But you are not single and fancy-free, so that is not an option. What I, and a lot of people, are trying to tell you is that to even make a meager subsistence living in many Rocky Mountain towns is very difficult. It's been difficult, even in a regional economy that has been quite robust until recently. The shine is going off of that apple now--it's probably going to get even harder to make it--not easier. I live in the rural Rocky Mountain West--I see it every day. The BIGGEST export this region makes is young people (20-35). If you don't believe it, look at the median age in most rural Rocky Mountain counties. Most people of that age group are economically FORCED to leave the region or go the big metro areas to make a living. As the old saying goes, "You can't eat the scenery." Some never return--some manage to make enough to return to those rural areas to retire.

If you are determined to live in Wyoming, then try to get a job in the gas fields or the coal mines. Just know that you will probably be working long hours, be away from your family a lot, and not be living in a "garden spot" where you can walk out your back door to gorgeous mountains--you'll be more like a hundred miles away from that--or more. That's just the way it is . . .

[j1n]

See, I think some of you have the wrong idea. I'm not looking to move to Sun Valley, Telluride, Jackson, etc. My sister lives in Golden, CO. I've walked out my sister's driveway and gotten a Rocky Mountain view. In probably less than an hour from her place, I was going rock climbing in Eldorado Canyon.
But Golden seems to have gotten pretty pricey (for me, at least).

I guess my point is that there have to be "real" towns with warehouses and doctors offices, etc. (places to work)...that also offer views and access to solitude. What about Buffalo? Or Sheridan? Even Red Lodge up in MT seemed like a "real" town where "real" people live. I've never said that I wanted to live out in the boonies somewhere cut off from civilization...or in some remote ski town. I never said that I was against living in a large metro area. I liked the SLC area when I was through there. That's also on my relo radar.

As I stated originally...a town with a manageable cost of living...with some scenery around it...that offers access to the outdoors...for someone willing to work. That's it.

[jazzlover]

Originally Posted by j1n

See, I think some of you have the wrong idea. I'm not looking to move to Sun Valley, Telluride, Jackson, etc. My sister lives in Golden, CO. I've walked out my sister's driveway and gotten a Rocky Mountain view. In probably less than an hour from her place, I was going rock climbing in Eldorado Canyon.
But Golden seems to have gotten pretty pricey (for me, at least).

I guess my point is that there have to be "real" towns with warehouses and doctors offices, etc. (places to work)...that also offer views and access to solitude. What about Buffalo? Or Sheridan? Even Red Lodge up in MT seemed like a "real" town where "real" people live. I've never said that I wanted to live out in the boonies somewhere cut off from civilization...or in some remote ski town. I never said that I was against living in a large metro area. I liked the SLC area when I was through there. That's also on my relo radar.

As I stated originally...a town with a manageable cost of living...with some scenery around it...that offers access to the outdoors...for someone willing to work. That's it.

In that case, your best bet in Wyoming is either Cheyenne or Casper. Both are manageable size and have relatively diversified economies. I prefer Cheyenne, myself. Admittedly, both are a ways from the mountains. You might also consider Billings, MT. For a city close to mountains--really close--Salt Lake City or Ogden are hard to beat--my only complaint about SLC is the smog there. It really has it in the wintertime. Metro Denver and the rest of the Front Range (and I used to live there way back when) has just gotten way too big and sprawled for my tastes.

[sav]

Originally Posted by jazzlover

I For a city close to mountains--really close--Salt Lake City or Ogden are hard to beat--my only complaint about SLC is the smog there. It really has it in the wintertime. Metro Denver and the rest of the Front Range (and I used to live there way back when) has just gotten way too big and sprawled for my tastes.

Agree w/ those comments on SLC, mtn access is unparalleled, and the wasatch staring you in the face daily is hard to beat, but air quality is seriously an issue, and many people I know with young children are looking to move out for that very reason alone. SLC is also now way too big and sprawled for my tastes.

Back to the original poster, I just think many people are looking for the same things that you are,and I think the 'inexpensive' part is the hard part of the equation. For example, even 5 years ago SLC was affordable, but housing prices have skyrocketed. I wish you the best of luck in finding a spot for your family.

[imbobbbb]

Originally Posted by sunsprit

OK, I'll bite ... which of those places have the magic combination of not super expensive for housing and jobs? Or have you ever been to Dubois?, or Kemmerer?

yes i was in both last august and have been to both a number of times..there are sometimes some 'very' modest houses in dubois ,there are 9 between $68k and $199k right now that i could find which may be overpriced for what you get but not 'super expensive' like jackson would be,jobs would likely be an issue there though as most of the town seems made up of vacaton homes for the rich. two kemmerer realtors cuurently have 17 houses for sale right now between 80k-less than 200k.there are jobs there but it isnt real scenic but its not far to some nice places.i guess a lot depends on your definition of 'super expensive'.a lot also depends on what you are able/willing to do for a job.

[Wyomiles]

j1n, I spent much of my life in the Rock Springs and Green River areas. Desert country ,that grows on you. Most days off I would drive a couple hours to the mountains. So there was a trade off for me. I loved the "red rock" and isolated canyons of Southwestern Wyoming and could get my fix of the high lonesome on weekends. If you can find work and a home in the following areas I would think you would find some happiness. Lander, Buffalo,Casper,Laramie,Pinedale, The Bridger Valley, Farson area, Saratoga, Baggs, to name a few. I think that many of these areas will have jobs but the hard part is finding them from a distance. You may have to take some time and visit. Ask around for info. Web search, get the local newspapers etc. If you are within a few hours drive of any of these places , plan some weekend trips. Sometimes you have to be "there" to stumble into what you are searching for.