Ranking of Montana towns politically (Billings, Missoula: real estate, apartment, townhouse)

[NDak15]

Originally Posted by Shuffler

Reading between the lines, your views align with most Montanans. MT is red and has been a big draw for those looking to escape blue areas.

It's slowed down significantly since housing prices almost doubled inside of 2yrs and most young families and working/middle class can't afford to live here now.

I think Montana could become Colorado in about a decade. The bigger cities are too damn expensive now. Even Billings is getting ridiculous. Bozeman, Missoula, and Kalispell have reached California prices.

[MTSilvertip]

Originally Posted by Shuffler

Reading between the lines, your views align with most Montanans. MT is red and has been a big draw for those looking to escape blue areas.

It's slowed down significantly since housing prices almost doubled inside of 2yrs and most young families and working/middle class can't afford to live here now.

Agreed.

I would point out that the smaller towns at least 50 miles from the population centers are much more affordable, and for someone who doesn't need to have a living wage job, it can be much easier to live.

If the OP is planning on a few years until their move, I might recommend they find a place now because prices are only going to go up, and it gives them some time to build equity while they're still working.
Think of it as a long term investment, and when they're ready to move, if they have a place they're selling, they can pay off the balance, and have a nest egg from what's left, and they lower their capital gains taxes by rolling over their gains from the sale into another investment, their new home.

[Shuffler]

Originally Posted by NDak15

I think Montana could become Colorado in about a decade. The bigger cities are too damn expensive now. Even Billings is getting ridiculous. Bozeman, Missoula, and Kalispell have reached California prices.

I see the country going through another economic convulsion before things ever have a chance to get to that point. This will impact everyone, including the OP's pension.

Wall St and Main St are 100% disconnected ... the former facilitating the largest wealth transfer in history while the latter is going broke.

We got a ways to go to ever catch up with CO - 16th in the nation for GDP ($390B), MT is 49th ($52B).

Our MT politicians better get busy selling us out harder while they enrich themselves (and I'm calling out both sides on that one)

[NDak15]

Originally Posted by Shuffler

I see the country going through another economic convulsion before things ever have a chance to get to that point. This will impact everyone, including the OP's pension.

Wall St and Main St are 100% disconnected ... the former facilitating the largest wealth transfer in history while the latter is going broke.

We got a ways to go to ever catch up with CO - 16th in the nation for GDP ($390B), MT is 49th ($52B).

Our MT politicians better get busy selling us out harder while they enrich themselves (and I'm calling out both sides on that one)

I can see your point there.

[Baby B]

Originally Posted by Shuffler

I see the country going through another economic convulsion before things ever have a chance to get to that point. This will impact everyone, including the OP's pension.

Wall St and Main St are 100% disconnected ... the former facilitating the largest wealth transfer in history while the latter is going broke.

We got a ways to go to ever catch up with CO - 16th in the nation for GDP ($390B), MT is 49th ($52B).

Our MT politicians better get busy selling us out harder while they enrich themselves (and I'm calling out both sides on that one)

I guess cannabis sales in CO. help with their GDP

[Montguy]

Originally Posted by Baby B

I guess cannabis sales in CO. help with their GDP

Montana has a cannabis industry too of course, but the state legislature has so far done/attempted everything it can to hinder it and change the legal framework the approved ballot initiatives established in 2020. I hope the industry survives the 2025 session, because those clowns just seem to double down year after year.

[ejisme]

Your initial list of cities carries some BIG differences. Whereas Billings, Bozeman, Missoula, Kalispell, Great Falls, Helena and Butte have some similarity, in that they are bigger cities over 25K in population. Havre, Miles City, Livingston, Anaconda, Belgrade are all +/- 10K. Another thing about Montana that is different from Ohio is that cities are miles and miles apart, so you better really like your city. Havre to the next bigger city is about 120 interstate-free miles to Great Falls. Miles City to Billings is about 140 miles. Missoula isn't really close to anywhere bigger or comparable in size. Belgrade and Livingston are close to Bozeman. Anaconda is close to Butte. By Montana standards they would be considered suburbs of those cities, especially Belgrade that has the commercial airport. Air travel is another difference. They may call many of the airports International, but likely because they have a flight to Lethbridge or Calgary in Canada. I wouldn't say any airport in Montana is a major airport like in Cleveland, Cincinnati or even Dayton. Usually it's a few flights daily to nearby hubs of Denver, SLC, Minneapolis, and maybe Seattle, and probably none are on the common discount airlines. Likely only United and Delta... maybe Alaska Airlines too. Billings being the largest city does have a bit more availability.

Just some things to think about other than political climate that might be even more important. Though I live in Idaho now, I lived many years in Great Falls. I had family in Bozeman (they just moved to the Portland metro as more affordable and easier winters), and my wife has family in Billings.

[NDak15]

Originally Posted by ejisme

Just some things to think about other than political climate that might be even more important. Though I live in Idaho now, I lived many years in Great Falls. I had family in Bozeman (they just moved to the Portland metro as more affordable and easier winters), and my wife has family in Billings.

Cost of living should be the most important aspect of deciding where to live. Pretty mountains don't pay the bills nor will your neighbors whether they are conservative or liberal.

[Shuffler]

As the OP will be retiring with a pension, the question of location and access to quality medical care should also be among the most important considerations, regardless of local politics.

MT is not known for 'high quality' medicine ... still very much a 'backwater' in many ways. I know this because my wife deals with Logan Health here in Kalispell and hears all about it firsthand from patients all the time (her office is one of 2 in the entire Valley that is NOT affiliated with Logan Hell)

Imagine a major medical emergency and you're 1+ hours from any town with minimal services, let alone a hospital, in the dead of Winter. Have fun with that ... you rolled the dice and get to deal with the consequences of rural life when things go sideways.

This has nothing to do with politics of MT towns and more to do with the state still being very rural and geographically inconvenient for the most part.

[ejisme]

Originally Posted by Shuffler

As the OP will be retiring with a pension, the question of location and access to quality medical care should also be among the most important considerations, regardless of local politics.

MT is not known for 'high quality' medicine ... still very much a 'backwater' in many ways. I know this because my wife deals with Logan Health here in Kalispell and hears all about it firsthand from patients all the time (her office is one of 2 in the entire Valley that is NOT affiliated with Logan Hell)

Imagine a major medical emergency and you're 1+ hours from any town with minimal services, let alone a hospital, in the dead of Winter. Have fun with that ... you rolled the dice and get to deal with the consequences of rural life when things go sideways.

This has nothing to do with politics of MT towns and more to do with the state still being very rural and geographically inconvenient for the most part.

Very True: We were in Great Falls. Very nice medical center and many specialists in town, but not all of them if you have an uncommon issue. My wife has a few long term medical issues since her teen years. She needs periodic follow up with an endocrinologist. We had to drive 2+ hours each way to Billings once or twice a year to see one that covered her needs. Based on that condition the local ophthalmologist wanted her to be seen by a specialist. She was sent down to Salt Lake City for two appointments, where they said she was fine, but the local guy didn't want to sign his name to her diagnosis. Then she developed TMJ - jaw pain. To see the right dental specialist we had to drive about two hours to Bozeman. We probably made 8-10 trips down there before her condition resolved. If you pick one of the smaller towns in Montana you will likely be traveling for anything greater than regular primary care, dental and optical services. That's only a worry if you and your family have any special medical or dental care needs, or develop them as you age. Anyway, if those are present today then you need to investigate where you can get care for that/those conditions before you move.

Montana is still a pretty great place to live. It just takes a bit more planning before the move, and a bit more effort some days after you move.