So You Want to Move to Montana…

If your job allows remote work and you’re thinking of moving from Big City, America to Montana, I’m writing this article for you. I’m a Montana native who spent my youth globetrotting, but I’ve been back in Montana for the past 15 years working remotely for tech companies headquartered on both the east and west coasts. Montana has changed a lot since this, and I’d love to share my perspective with you if you’re considering a move to Montana (or one of the other Rocky Mountain states: Wyoming, Idaho, Colorado, etc.) Of course my experience and perspective are limited, but I’ll try to cover the broad differences between big-city living vs Montana. If you have any questions about specific topics I don’t mention, hit me up in the comments.

One other thing: I’ll do my best to avoid labeling anything “good” or “bad”. I just want to share, as I’ve experienced it, the major differences between living in Montana vs the big cities. It’s up to you to decide if the differences are good or bad, and if they’re good or bad enough to affect your decision to move.

Climate

Montana is an arid continental climate with 4 noticeably distinct seasons. They’re beautiful but can be extreme. If you are coming from a coastal climate, you’ll definitely notice much larger temperature swings.

If you’re moving from the south, you’ll also notice the variation in daylight hours. On the longest day of the year, it starts to get light before 5am and isn’t dark until 10pm. On the shortest day of the year, the sun sets in Montana well before 5pm. Seasonal Affective Disorder is a real thing in Montana. But even in the winter there are plenty of opportunities to get outdoors; and the summers are glorious.

If you love variety, Montana climate has it in spades. Montana has beautiful warm summer evenings; frosty autumn mornings and Indian summers. Waking to a 12" blanket of new snow outside is a unique experience. And Montana springtime is the subject of adoring song…

Culture

Culture is tricky; a deal-breaker for one person is a non-issue to others. If I gloss over something that’s a big deal to you, I apologize. Here’s what I see as major trends, roughly in order of importance to Montanans; I leave it to you to research further if any of them are a big deal to you.

• Montanans love the outdoors. I cannot overstate how much this permeates every part of Montana culture; it bridges politics, religion, race, class, and any other division you might find.
• Montanans are neighborly; we nod or wave to each other as we drive by, and we’ll stop to help when you’re broken down or stuck in the snow on the side of the road. Just don’t expect too much Southern hospitality from us. We’re neighborly, but we do like our personal space.
• Montanans are comfortable with guns. We have the highest gun ownership rate of all 50 states; 64% of households have a gun (and most have several). To a Montanan, guns are useful tools and shooting is an enjoyable hobby. Guns are so commonplace in Montana that they just don’t have the stigma or emotional/political baggage that they do in urban areas.
• Montanans are fiercely independent. Politically, Montanans are strongly libertarian. Republican vs Democrat is not as huge of a cultural divide as on the east coast, but government intrusion is almost universally loathed in Montana (although in practice we do enjoy the Federal dollars that pour in to our state…)
• Montanans are mostly unexcited about out-of-staters moving in. You’ll see bumper stickers saying “Montana’s full; I hear North Dakota is nice.” or “Don’t Californicate Montana”. If you’re a decent person you’ll be welcomed and appreciated by your neighbors, but nevertheless there’s some general resentment towards out-of-staters moving in, pushing up home prices, and trying to change the culture.
• Montanans like to be our own bosses. We have the 4th highest small business rate of all 50 states. It goes along with our independent spirit, and Montanans are known for a strong work ethic as well; the result is a vibrant small business culture…
• …many of which are breweries. Montanans love beer. Sometimes to a fault: we rank 3rd in the nation for DUIs. But we also rank #2 for breweries. Most of these are small local breweries serving a delightful variety of high quality beer. The local watering hole is alive and well in Montana, even in the age of COVID.
• Montana nightlife is spotty. You simply won’t find the variety of restaurants, dance halls, and other urban nightlife that you might be used to in the big city. Some of the college towns have a bit to offer, but nothing like what you’re used to in the city.
• Shopping in Montana is also spotty. You won’t have trouble with the necessities of life, but if you enjoy the latest in fashion and furniture you’ll find the options are limited. Online shopping has been a huge equalizer in this regard, and most major towns in Montana have a variety of great local brands, but it just won’t compare to big-city shopping.
• Montana has very little racial diversity. Outside of the Native American reservations, which are literally their own sovereign nations, over 90% of Montanans are white. I wouldn’t say Montanans are any more racist than other places, but if you are used to a racially diverse population you will notice the lack of it in Montana.
• Religiously, Montanans are mostly Christian or non-religious. You’ll have no trouble finding a Christian community almost anywhere, but if you’re Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu, or other minority religion you may struggle to find a house of worship or community of like-minded individuals.
• Montanans are tech-savvy but don’t particularly love the digital age; tech intrudes on Montana culture rather than driving it like in Silicon Valley. The slightly-tongue-in-cheek sign I saw at a new local restaurant the other day says it all:

Economy

If you’re keeping your job when you move to Montana, you’re probably not too interested in the local job market. So I’ll just say that like most of the country, COVID has hurt certain sectors of the economy; for instance, now is not a great time to be looking for a job in the restaurant industry. Other sectors, though, like the housing sector, are booming.

Speaking of housing, if you’re coming from Big City, America, you’ll find two things to be true about the current Montana housing market:

1. House prices are more affordable in Montana than in the big city. Check Zillow for details, but in general a well-kept 3 bedroom house in a decent neighborhood in any of Montana’s major cities should cost $300,000 or less.
2. The housing market is booming, and houses are selling quickly. If you’re buying a house in 2020 be prepared to put in an offer quickly, probably at asking price or higher. Bidding wars are the norm in all the major cities.

Conclusion

If you made it this far I’m guessing you’re at least a bit serious about moving to Montana. If comfort and convenience are important to you, I would not recommend Montana. But if you’re interested in the exploring the great outdoors, and you enjoy variety in climate and landscape, Montana will not disappoint. Your adventure awaits!