Unaffordable, overcrowded, and losing its charm - 1/17/2022

My 2022 updated review, only touching on the recent changes. Kalispell is no longer affordable for most middle class people. The world discovered us during COVID and thousands of people moved here in 2020, and probably more in 2021. In an area this size, that is a MASSIVE flood of people. Add that to our seasonal tourism and you get a mess. Housing prices rose 21% in 2021. My 3BR house I bought for $300k in 2017 is now estimated to be worth $580k. Rentals are absurdly difficult to find and overpriced. I have seen larger houses here renting for more than they would in California. So many people bought properties to become Airbnb or just summer places that only rent a few months in winter. If you have a pet it's almost impossible to rent. It now consistently takes 4+ hours to get your car registered at the court house. Five years ago the wait was maybe 20 minutes. The $16/hr job market is hot but employees are burned out everywhere. I have seen some of the most incompetent employees here this last year because businesses cannot find anyone. Sometimes businesses close early or even for days at a time. This weekend I ordered two coffee orders and both were screwed up as to be undrinkable. That had never happened at that place. Traffic here now feels similar to Whitefish. I used to be relieved driving home from Whitefish to Kalispell but now it has the same traffic vibe, and so many new drivers from Washington, Texas, and other states who bring their aggressive and careless driving habits. Sprawl is happening as city planners rubber stamp developments which are either densely packed single-family neighborhoods with no open space or affordable housing apartments which are beginning to blot the skyline views. These new developments will soon devour much of the gorgeous farmland of the West Valley area. Healthcare is in a crisis here obviously due to the flood of new residents. There are maybe three child psychiatrists here taking patients, one of which is awful, and the other is aloof and uninspired. The third one which has no reviews isn't seeing a new patient until seven months from now. This valley attracts mediocre doctors who cannot make it in more competitive areas. I have literally had to override two doctors on medications based on my own research, and was proven correct in each instance. The best doctors are not taking new patients, which means a GP who is taking new patients may be on of the worst doctors you have ever had. I know the worst doctor I ever had was in this town. And because of the opioid epidemic, good luck getting an effective painkiller. My grandfather fell and got stitches and a cracked neck bone and they released him from the ER the same day with no pain killers. Glacier National Park now uses an annoying ticketing reservation system where you have to sign up early. This year it only gives you a three-day pass. With thousands of permanent new residents also using the park, these tickets are going to be even more scarce. Even Glacier National Park can be ruined by overcrowding, so I understand why they had to institute this system, but it's a sign of the times. Unfortunately what is happening to Kalispell is happening all across America as people flee the places ruined by crowds and politics and then move to the smaller and slower paced places and then proceed to ruin them by overcrowding and by voting for the same policies that ruined the places they fled from. The bummer is that the governments in these small towns simply lack the training and skill to manage this level of growth.

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An Honest Review - 9/21/2021

Against my better judgement I will write a completely honest review from a hird generation resident.. Kalispell is one of the most beautiful places you will ever see, this is undeniable.. That being said it is like any place with its good and bad. I say this because people tend to come here expecting Utopia and being baffled when they see someone who is homeless or somebody who has a drug problem. People are human here. That being said, we still have one of the lowest crime rates. Downfalls- the housing and overall cost of living. Yeah it's through the roof and unrealistic. This is a problem thats developed over the past decade created by so many people moving in and trying to buy up all the property. THAT's why locals aren't always welcoming of people moving in. People here are super loyal and friendly however people are fed up with losing their ability to pay their rent/mortgage.. Yes despite having low crime, we do have some crime like anywhere else. That being said, I haven't locked my door in seceral years, I often leave my keys in my car and there isn't a single area of town I'd hesitate to walk through at 3am. Most of those who complain are people who moved here and expected the town to change to accomodate their views and wishes. It doesn't work that way. Would I recommend moving here? No-- but only because of the housing costs . Unless you are very well off financially it will be a struggle. Thats as honest as I can be folks!

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Don't bother..... - 8/19/2021

I've lived here for a long time. Lots of folks have moved here and driven the price of everything through the roof. Getting ready to leave. Price of housing, both buying and renting, has doubled in just the last 10 years. Lots of west coasters moving here to escape the crap they were living in only to try and make this place just like the crap they left. Cost of living is unbearable. Summers are riddled with smoke filled skies for weeks on end. It's depressing, like living in England or Seattle. All the while the DNRC is closing up the lands around us that we can't hunt and fish anymore. It's sad. I hear South Dakota is looking nice though.

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Jess be Honest - 7/5/2021

Jess be honest! Here’s the REALITY of living in Kalispell. We lived in Kalispell from 2016-2021. We exited due to 9 months of steel gray skies. Kalispell airport ... tourist tourist tourist, all at the locals expense. For groceries we shopped at Super1 in Columbia Falls, until meth head drives car in and around store. Have you ever shopped in Evergreen, carry your gun. Didn’t shop in Whitefish due to extra tax charge. Be careful where you eat ... who owns the place, maybe you don’t want to know. HOA of Glacier Ranch subdivision made us take down our standard Trump flag due to advertising. You and your kids will eat, shop and interact with meth heads, they are all around and living in the areas you called out. Granted the areas you mentioned are beautiful but look beyond the pines. Kalispell Regional now Logan ... changing the name will not correct the ineptitude. Majority of health clinics are tied to the hospital so the Dr’s tow the line for the hospital. Yes, we did sell our home $$$ to FOMO buyers ... ignorance is blind. Ask ... why is everyone moving out if it is a “wonderful place to live”. Revival, no that’s incorrect. Old downtown to remove RR tracks, create path to nowhere ... been in works since moving there, are they finally mobilizing? Best advice ... only visit ... if you can get a lottery entrance to the park!

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Jess be Honest! - 7/4/2021

Jess be honest! Here’s the REALITY of living in Kalispell. We lived in Kalispell from 2016-2021. We exited due to 9 months of steel gray skies, (talk about the walking dead). Kalispell airport ... tourist tourist tourist, all at the locals expense. For groceries we shopped at Super1 in Columbia Falls, until meth head drives car in and around store. Have you ever shopped in Evergreen, carry your gun. Didn’t shop in Whitefish due to extra tax charges. Be careful where you eat ... who owns the place, maybe you don’t want to know. HOA of Glacier Ranch subdivision made us take down our standard Trump flag due to advertising. You and your kids will eat, shop and interact with meth heads, they are all around and living in the areas you called out. Granted the areas you mentioned are beautiful but look beyond the pines.Kalispell Regional now Logan ... changing the name will not correct the ineptitude. Majority of health clinics are tied to the hospital so the Dr’s tow the line for the hospital.Yes, we did sell our home $$$ to FOMO buyers ... ignorance is blind. Ask ... why is everyone moving out if it is a “wonderful place to live”.Revival, no that’s incorrect. Old downtown to remove RR tracks, create path to nowhere ... been in works since moving there, are they finally mobilizing? Best advice ... only visit ... if you can get a lottery entrance to the park!

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Lovely valley - 6/8/2021

I live in Kalispell and it's a wonderful place to call home. I have lived in Bozeman MT as well. Lots of revival is happening here and the climate is a bit milder than Bozeman which is nice. So many lakes, recreation, and scenery abound and are gorgeous. Blacktail ski mountain and Whitefish ski mountain are short drives away. Glacier National Park is right around the corner. I love that there are so many smaller communities around us, it feels less congested and more places to visit and things to do with our kids. Whitefish, Columbia Falls, Kalispell, Bigfork, Lakeside are all 15-30 min from eachother and they are all wonderful places to visit. Amazing coffee shops/drive-throughs here. Also, we have the only Chick fil a in the state ??

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Vacation, sure. Living here? No. - 9/11/2020

Lived here for a couple years now... If you aren't religious or believe in equal rights, I would look elsewhere. Education lacks here and it shows within the general population. Housing prices are just as crazy as the people and the area is being rapidly developed with no respect being shown to those who live here.

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Very nice, housing is a big issue - 3/17/2020

Retired & moved to Kalispell 3 years ago, just before housing prices really took off. The issue is inventory - a lot of people are moving here and the builders can’t keep up with demand because a lot of skilled tradesmen moved away during the Great Recession and didn’t come back. Buying, even renting an apartment is tight - anything under $300K sells in 1-2 days, prices are out of whack with wages for most people. Folks (like me) moving here from cities have a lot more money than locals so there is constant upward pressure on prices. Excellent hospital & medical professionals. It is true the long-time locals are getting unhappy, so would I under these same circumstances. Coming from 36 years in Seattle, the darkish winters don’t bother me; the snow is FUN and they handle the snow removal really well. A lovely place whose charm is being a bit overrun by retirees looking for Mayberry, but still a very nice place.

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Jason’s review is dead accurate, 20 yr resident. - 4/28/2019

Kalispell resident of 20 years with small children. We are finally getting the eff out of dodge aka Kalispell. RUN away, far far away and don’t look back! DO NOT bring your children to this frozen hell hole! LOOK at the statistics; meth, suicide, abuse, sex offenders at every corner, no jobs, no rentals. We are a couple days away from May and it SNOWED! It’s freezing and there’s no sun. Most residents here suffer from depression in the dark winters sunrise at 9am susnset at 5pm and you have to take vitamin D supplements even through the summer months....Yes, it’s beautiful, yes it’s free and wild. It’s a wonderful place to visit but I will never come back. If you watch the movie “the Grey” with Liam Neesen than you will get a good “comparison” of MT, it’s people, it’s unforgiving climate and the cloud of depression that hovers above. This is a small town and everyone knows everybody’s business therefore be forewarned, people you don’t know will claim to know you better than you know yourself. It’s all about who you know here not necessarily you’re skills. You could have more skills and knowledge than anyone in the company and just because Jane Doe knows the big boss even though she doesn’t know half of what you know she’ll end up getting the job. Education is lacking and you had better pray to God you never get any sort of serious illness because the doctors here won’t be able to figure it out until it’s too late... I strongly suggest you take my advice and become a tourist not a resident however if you do not heed my warning and become a resident anyways may the Lord have mercy on your soul .....GoT reference “winter is coming” has an all too real meaning in this northern Montana town. Quick fact: over 10 of my friends or acquaintances from elementary through high school have either killed themselves, killed their children or have been killed by drunk drivers. That’s a large number for such a small town. Don’t even get me started on all the abuse or partner/family member assault! If you don’t believe me check out Flathead county jail roster and see for yourself. All the crazies are here. There’s a joke that people here always say “must be somethin in the water”. They’re wrong though, it’s not the water...

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Growing mountain town with great people! - 1/29/2019

A great place investing in downtown, surrounded by the most scenic and vast wilderness imaginable. As a young progressive family, we find the community to be like minded, and excited about a lot of positive growth. The ground floor is taking off, get on board now. Mountain biking, trails, climbing, rivers, lakes, and awesome people! What more could you ask for?

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Updated Kalispell review and response to Sora - 9/13/2017

Sora has responded to my frank review of Kalispell from 6/2016 with all the denial and hyperbole of someone who sounds more like a local realtor than a new resident. If she isn't a realtor, then she must be buried in her honeymoon phase somewhere in a nice planned neighborhood. While my views of Kalispell residents have softened, I stand 100% behind my claim that Kalispell is not Mayberry and that there are many better small towns to raise a family especially if you are used to middle-class suburbia and seek a more positive and energetic social environment. Many of Sora's claims are absurd, such as Kalispell having cheap housing and good paying jobs. Check the Flathead County school website and see that a local elementary school prestigious office administrator job pays ~$13/hr with insurance costs starting at $300 per month. Surprisingly, you can also earn ~$13/hr cooking at Panda Express. Now take that wage and try to find a 3BR rental in Kalispell. Right now the average 3BR lease (when you can find one) is about $1400/m. If that is affordable to Sora then she probably is better suited to the crepes and art galleries of resort-taxed Whitefish. There are major social problems in Kalispell. There are 148 registered sex offenders living in town. We came from a middle-class town (we were renters, not rich uppers like Sora assumes) from another state that had FIVE sex offenders living in a city three times the size of Kalispell. Do the math and ask the questions, if you dare... Our child knows a network of homeless middle- and high-school students who occupy abandoned properties because they want to stay out of the foster care system. Sora will say I made that up. We finally realized that after having the last four fast food meal orders screwed up (including an epic 20 minute wait at Taco Bell) that the people working there are either retarded or high. I am sorry, but it really is that bad sometimes, and the reasons for it may be painful to admit. I could go on, but Sora is contradicting facts like the published suicide and alcohol statistics, simply based on her feelings as an "artist" who obviously refuses to see reality even when she runs into it. People like Sora who brush aside statistics should stick to their art and shut up about harsh realities as experienced by those of us who must live in them. For those who are interested in living in the real Kalispell, I say again this is a great place for a rugged self-starting individualists who adore nature and outdoor activities but are sick of government intrusion. Montana truly is one of the last best places, but just be prepared for months of crappy gray winters and smoky summers in this part of the state. While people can be friendly, they are not cosmopolitan, which is to expected in a town this size. There just aren't that many here, so it may take a lot of effort and luck to break into a friend group unless you grow up here. Again, society won't automagically prop you up here. You must be a strong individual who pulls his own bootstraps and finds his footing. What makes Kalispell (and Montana) special is largely about what it is not. If you can forgive its rough edges and carve your own niche, there is no place like it in this country. Nature dominates human culture here. If that appeals to you, then come learn what you are made of as you experience the pros and cons of that beautiful and harsh reality. But if you happen to be an hysterically optimistic artist who sees no evil, Kalispell truly is paradise. Either way, load up on Vitamin D and beware those drunk drivers.

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Why Jason is Wrong - 4/8/2017

As someone who recently moved to Kalispell six months ago specifically to raise my family here, I feel compelled to breakdown Jason's review and explain why he's just plain wrong. I don't want people looking to move here to be deterred by his skewed upper-middle-class view of this wonderful gem of a town. His worldview is clearly very small, narrow, and filled with ignorance. >Kalispell is an unhappy town... Its residents tend to behave like the deer: you see them everywhere, but they are skittish. You constantly ask yourself how people can be so unhappy...I moved here with my family 1+ year ago and only just met my neighbor... Kalispell is one of the happiest towns I've ever been in, so I believe that people are simply mirroring and matching Jason's sour attitude. I've had multiple people come up to me to say hello, and ask me how I'm doing just while I'm out and about running errands. Everyone is always smiling and waving at each other. I'm an artist, and sometimes while doodling in public, various people will stop just to tell me they love my drawings. I've already met two of my neighbors, and I just moved in to my new rental one week ago! Maybe instead of being weird and judgemental, you should try being more friendly, and people will match you with the same level of friendliness you're showing them. Montanans don't like fake or dishonest people. >We learned in the past year are that Kalispell has major social issues from multi-generational poverty and substance abuse. There are a lot of drug addicts and alcoholics and children of them. You get the feeling, from meeting the older natives, that it was a much nicer town a few decades ago... You're a fool if you believe wherever you came from, or wherever you're going, won't have these exact same issues. Meth, and other drugs, plague every single city in America, both big and small. There are alcoholics everywhere you go, there are drug addicts everywhere you go, and GASP, yes, there are poor people everywhere you go too. No city is perfect, and instead of judging others and turning a blind eye, perhaps you should try being a part of the solution instead. Anyone with a brain also knows that every "old native" of any city, all accross America, is going to look at the past with rose-colored glasses. They always go on and on about how the past was better, even if it wasn't, and personally I'm enjoying the newly-developed Kalispell. It has all the modern comforts of a big city while still being a friendly, one-road small town, and that's freakin' awesome. >...your children will be exposed to the sort of poverty and social issues that in bigger cities you might have been economically segregated from. While this may be more "real" it can be extremely unpleasant and traumatic for your children to participate in it. I'm talking homeless children, children in group homes, kids who have sex at age 10, etc. We were advised the only way to get around the good kids and parents was to put our kids into sports. I don't even know where to start with this, I was flabbergasted when I read this bit. First of all, unless you want your kids to completely fail at life the moment they move out on their own, they should probably be aware of the social and economical issues of our country. If it's traumatic for your kids to learn that there are poor children, or children with other issues, then what have you even been doing as a parent? Teaching them that everything in the world is rainbows, butterflies, love, and puppies? Are they those kids that get a trophy and a pat on the back when they do even the most minor things? I'm all for protecting children, but making them live a life of pure ignorance is not right, and teaching them to judge and hate others isn't right either. That is not the way to prepare them for adulthood. Yes, there are homeless children in the world, yes, there are kids that don't have parents and have to live in group homes, yes, there are kids that are doing things like drinking and having sex... and these kids exist EVERYWHERE! Do you REALLY think those hoity toity private school kids aren't also smoking herb after school and having sex too? And wow... God forbid your kids have to move their chubby butts and get into a sport or two. If they're lazy nerds, then let them be friends with the other lazy nerdy kids... or were those kids from families that were too "poor" for your tastes? By the way, you do know that as a parent you're allowed to sit in on classes, right? If you wanted SO badly to learn about your child's education, you could have simply done that instead of whining about how there aren't enough parent-teacher meetings. >Blahblahblah Kalispell isn't friendly and MUH STATISTICS I FOUND ONLINE Once again, this is just pure baloney. I haven't met one rude person yet in 6 months, I've never seen an openly wasted person in public, and no one I know has killed themselves yet. Just keep on reaching, man. >I'm not friendly and my kids are probably just as rude and judgemental as me, no one likes us here! Heh, I wonder why? The rest of his review is just talking about how deer walk around town and guns are cool here, so there's not much else worth commenting on. Kalispell is an amazing place, and if you grew up in a small town like me (2,000 pop. town in Kentucky), but you prefer the amenities a larger city may hold, then this is the place for you. Rent and housing is cheap, work is easy to find and pays pretty darn well too (for example, an entry-level job at the McDonalds here actually starts people at 9.50), and the air smells SO sweet and delicious. You can see all the stars at night even if you're in the middle of town. The library here is totally awesome. I could go on and on! My husband and I have totally fallen in love with this place, and we're never ever moving somewhere else. Don't let negative reviewers like this guy change your decision to come here. At the very least, I suggest going on a mini-vacation here and checking things out if you're interested in moving to the area... if you're hoity toity like Jason and his family, then perhaps Whitefish, 20 minutes north of Kalispell, would be more your style. Thanks for reading my little ramble/breakdown/review, and happy hunting, everyone!

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Kalispell USE TO be one of the best places to live - 9/29/2016

Kalispell has been a great place to grow up, however with the advancement of the city and everyone moving here that has changed. The crime is starting to get out of control. The jail is at full capacity 95% of the time. The amount of drugs that have been confiscated has doubled since last year alone. The price of housing is becoming outrageous because the growth that is happening cannot keep up with the amount of undesirable people moving here. Unfortunately the people who decide not work and would rather collect welfare seem to enjoy moving here because it is easy to collect benefits. The locals here are nice, however tired of the government leaches and crime happening here! Employers of restaurants cannot find enough help to stay open their normal hours. People receiving welfare should be required to help out the community or work part time!

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Good for single rugged individualists, but not fam - 6/6/2016

Kalispell is an unhappy town in a beautiful setting. Its residents tend to behave like the deer: you see them everywhere, but they are skittish. You constantly ask yourself how people can be so unhappy in such a beautiful, wide-open place far from the maddening crowd? I moved here with my family 1+ year ago and only just met my neighbor because he lost something on my property. We learned in the past year are that Kalispell has major social issues from multi-generational poverty and substance abuse. There are a lot of drug addicts and alcoholics and children of them. You get the feeling, from meeting the older natives, that it was a much nicer town a few decades ago but even they will admit that people here do keep to themselves. Kalispell is small enough that your children will be exposed to the sort of poverty and social issues that in bigger cities you might have been economically segregated from. While this may be more "real" it can be extremely unpleasant and traumatic for your children to participate in it. I'm talking homeless children, children in group homes, kids who have sex at age 10, etc. We were advised the only way to get around the good kids and parents was to put our kids into sports. The few private schools here are packed. That being said, the teachers seem to really care and the class sizes are small, but there are few open house type events and we really have no sense what our child is learning. One of the positives about Kalispell is the "live and let live" mentality where they tolerate and do not intrude on other people's business. For individualists this is very freeing, and it seems to extend even to children who can dress pretty much how they want and other kids do not bother them. But the dark side is they just seem to turn away and not face the problems head on. I think this mentality is why they are very defensive about the problems here. Kalispell is not conservative in the sense that Idaho or Texas is conservative. I would describe it as rugged libertarian with a naive veneer of liberalism. They haven't had their jobs taken by illegal aliens here so they assume anything negative against immigrants is "racist". Kalispell is one of the few cities left in America where the "jobs Americans won't do" are all done by Americans. Fast food, landscaping, construction--all Americans. A local teacher told us that seasonal affective disorder plays a major role in shaping people here, and I agree. The winters are brutal--not from cold or snow--but from the endless gray. Kalispell averages 151 sunny days a year, whereas Seattle averages 152! Seattle has tanning booths on every corner just for people to survive SAD but in Kalispell the tanning booth equivalent are the tiny casino bars on every corner. Keep in mind too that Montana is 4th in the nation for alcohol consumption and 3rd for suicide. I cannot speak for the rest of Montana, but on my last flight to Kalispell, the flight attendant who had 15-years of experience, told me the friendliest people she has met during her career were from Montana, EXCEPT for those from Kalispell. She told me that, and I agree with her. Another resident told us she commutes to Kalispell from nearby Big Fork because people are much friendlier there. I know I have painted a bleak picture, but it cost me a lot of money and time to discover this, and I wanted to share it with families who imagine Kalispell to be Mayberry because they are taken by the scenery and quaint downtown. Yes you can get a big house on a huge lot against a river. Yes deer roam through it and bald eagles fly overhead, but when your children are crying bored lamenting they can't find one friend to come over to play, and your neighbors won't even look at you, it doesn't amount to much. If I were a single person not looking for love, but a devoted lover of nature, Kalispell would be great. People do not mess with you. There is not an artificial, wealth-generated manufactured culture. You can have a loaded gun in your car when you get stopped for speeding and the cops won't blink an eye. Nature is everywhere in big, often scary, proportions. There aren't laws and regulations strangling you from every angle, and aside from housing it is cheap to live here with no sales tax. When we leave, I will surely miss the scenery, the "breathing room" that so much open space gives me. I also realize that Kalispell does have something most American towns do not. It is that sense of being more of an individual, of having more personal space and freedom to be who you are. I am sure over a decade or so, that would all seep into my bones, and perhaps balance out my need to for more human interaction and friendly banter. But our kids deserve a better educational and social environment than this, so we're off to find Mayberry 2.0.

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Advice? - 1/31/2016

My wife and I are actually looking to move to Montana and Kalispell looks absolutely incredible. I am a law student at Liberty University (which is very conservative) and comments like this have placed Kalispell on our radar. My wife and I come from a small town in East Tennessee called Knoxville and quite frankly Kalispell sounds a lot like home with more room to breath. All this being said, it is a tough legal market and I am not sure if the market is already flooded there. If you could give me some insight that would be wonderful.

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Kalispell Weather - 4/12/2015

I have lived here about 15 years I am single and moved here due to love of the outdoors. I live on the outskirts near Kila and am 40 miles from Glacier Park. Spend all summer RV'ing in the park and over the border in Canada and around Flathead Lake. I lived in Alaska 18 years and other places in the West and must say that the Kalispell area in NW Montana is one of the most beautiful of all places. The Flathead Lake is awesome being so clear and blue. If you ski, you have Whitefish resort only 15 miles N or Kalispell. The summer begins about end of May and goes through mid or late September. Fall is Sept of Oct through November. Winter months are usually Nov through February. Winters are not as harsh as some of our NE states. Windstorms and thunderstorms are infrequent here due to being protected by the mountains on all sides. Kalispell sits in the Upper Flathead Valley which is about 3000 ft elevation. There can be a few significant snowfalls each winter though. You would be wise to buy studded tires for your 4 wheel or front wheel drive since it gets icy a lot. The winter months can be very dreary. Very heavy overcast will last weeks at a time. There are few sunny days for the 4 winter months. Due to the elevation there is usually a 30-40 degree difference between day and night temps, which is nice when it is 90 degrees or so in the summer months. Shopping centers are being built steadily, housing growing and there will soon be a bypass at West Kalispell to the main shopping center. Very low crime and I feel safe everywhere. Lots of biking trails and cross country trails. People are really down to earth and caring for the most part. A very good wholesome climate to raise a family. Traffic is not bad and there are no freeways up here. I am retired so i don't know about jobs here. I would recommend Kalispell highly to outdoor enthusiasts, skiers, rv'ers hunters and fishers, cyclists and kayakers. Gorgeous place, except for the 4-5 months of long and dark winters. If you don't have seasonal affective disorder this is the place to be if you are an outdoors enthusiast.

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Unibomber NOT a Montanan - 2/16/2014

Actually politically correct individuals would be happier elsewhere. And the "Unibomber" was from Illinois and was only hiding out in Montana. He reflects nothing from Montana culture. Those politically correct individuals are not well equipped for the rugged mountain lifestyle of Kalispell. Kalispell is an incredible place to enjoy natural majesty of the outdoors. Schools are very good and housing is affordable. The difficult part of living there is the local economy. Most people living there are local low paying wage earners. If you have a decent job making good money, it can be the best possible place to raise a family. If not, it can be quite an economical challenge.

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Unibomber NOT from Montana - 2/16/2014

Actually politically correct individuals would be happier elsewhere. And the "Unibomber" was from Illinois and was only hiding out in Montana. He reflects nothing from Montana culture. Those politically correct individuals are not well equipped for the rugged mountain lifestyle of Kalispell. Kalispell is an incredible place to enjoy natural majesty of the outdoors. Schools are very good and housing is affordable. The difficult part of living there is the local economy. Most people living there are local low paying wage earners. If you have a decent job making good money, it can be the best possible place to raise a family. If not, it can be quite an economical challenge. Those looking to move here with entitlement mentality will not likely thrive socially or economically. Those like-minded self reliant individuals will find an amazing experience.

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Abhd's hate speech rant - 5/18/2013

This is basically a very good example of hate speech. Montana is still America and we are all still Americans no matter where we are from. I have friends and family in both Helena and Bigfork and they certainly do not share this idiots views.We have the Constitutional right to travel any where we care to, without papers like in other commie countries do and we should not have to worry about some backwoods crazy person like this fool telling us to stay away. I am also a conservative politically but I do not tolerate others talking down, even threatening my other fellow Americans by warning them to stay away from ANY part of this beautiful land we call America. I have lived in the Grand Island Nebraska for 30 years and have NEVER seen or heard anyone ever tell other American people to stay away. This is all of our country and we have the DUTY to share it with each other openly and peacefully. If we cannot get along with each other than how are we supposed to protect our country from an out of control government who seem hellbent on removing every right and freedom we have from us and replacing them with some Orwellian way of life. Please remove this idiots posting. It is irresponsible and asinine and it gives ALL of us a very bad name. Thanks Abhd, thanks for showing us the WORST that America has to offer. No wonder the Uni-bomber was from Montana. Please feel free NOT to add to humanity's gene pool !

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To funny - 4/27/2011

Your right, we dont like clubs, this is our state where we like things just the way they are. If you want diversity and that huggy happy crap keep your butt in LA. It makes me laugh when somebody complains about it being cold. Take a look around, you moved to the mountains for christ sakes. we do like our guns if that bothers you move to California or New York. PS take your electric car with you.

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