Reviews & Comments
Great Falls, MT
Not for us -
8/14/2011A few thoughts about Great Falls-
1. It re-defines the term "isolated". The nearest city is hours and hours away, unless you count Helena, which in many ways is just as backwards and isolated as Great Falls.
2. The locals don't much care for outsiders....Air Force or otherwise. If you weren't born and raised in GF, with a High School Diploma from either CMR or GFH, forget about having a say at work. People who have lived here for years tell me it took 8 - 10 years of living here before they were no longer treated as outsiders. GF redefines the concept of parochial.
3. Watch out for the realtors, even the ones who are acting as buyer agents will let the locals slap on a premium if the buyer is from out-of-state.
4. Rudeness is the order of the day. If you think you are coming to small town charm, think again. It may not be NYC-style rudeness, but it definitely gives small town New England a run for the money.
5. The educational level here is low, so Casinos, drugs, and alcohol are considered quality entertainment. There are plenty of all three to go around.
6. DANGEROUS. Geography, weather, high speeds, and low tax base means that the roads are incredibly dangerous, doubly so once winter hits.
7. Sure, Great Falls has an airport, but flights out are expensive.
8. The weather is basically 8 months of winter, 1 month of heavy spring rain, 1 month of something that vaguely resembles fall, and 2 months of summer. In all fairness, the summer months are awesome.
9. Big Sky, Big Mountains, Big Open Spaces - Enjoy them, because the geography is a nicer than the people are.
10. Altogether - if you were born and raised in Montana, have nothing more than a high school degree, and think of booze, drugs and casinos as quality entertainment, you might enjoy Great Falls. If you are from out-of-state and have a college degree - think twice. Great Falls is incredibly isolated, so if you don't fit in - and the default is, as an outsider, you won't - your time here will feel like an eternity. Beware!