Reviews & Comments
Missoula, MT
You can't eat scenary -
12/27/2007People in Missoula will go on and on about how pretty the area is right around town and in western Montana. And they are right. I have travelled out of the country twice an all over the United States and would agree that the area from Darby, MT to the Canadian border is very beautiful. I would put it in the top 10 most beautiful places I have been. However, people also think that you should be grateful to live in western Montana, after all, they think eastern Montana is just sooo ugly that it is unlivable. I am a teacher and that is one of the worst jobs that you can have in Missoula and western Montana. There is little union protection, as Montana is so backwards conservative, even "liberal" Missoula and so they don't believe in unions. If you are in any type of union job be prepared to have it told (or implied) to you that you should be grateful to live in Montana. That is basically the mentality I got. So unless you think that living in western Montana is Shangri-la and you do have a wage similar to a teacher's wage, your best bet is to stay out, away from all the college students desperately trying to make a living there. Realistically, would you want your children growing up into being brainwashed into thinking that there is no other place besides Missoula and western Montana?
Bozeman, MT
For yuppies only -
12/27/2007This town is a poor choice for several reasons. The main one is the fact that if you are an average Joe, you will not be able to afford rent, let alone buy a home in hardly any of the areas around Bozeman, and especially not in town. The town is going to engulf most of the Gallatin Valley and it will not be a pretty little mountain town any more. The college is a good one but if you come be prepared to be harassed by every slum lord in town and every employer. It is coming to the point that now students can only live and work on campus. This town has done its best to ignore the university. As far as nightlife, it is fun, until you graduate from college and realize that the few bars where you are accepted are just a place for other students who just want to get drunk. And raising a family? Forget it unless you want to send your kids to extremely cliquey schools where they will be reminded by the "haves" that they are "have nots" and they will be taught by teachers who are there because they had to stay in Montana or they had to stay near the college. Most of them are bitter because Montana has the lowest average salary for teachers in the nation and they are trapped in town by the high living costs. Do some serious thinking before moving here. Unless you are very wealthy, I can guarantee you are better off somewhere else.
Bozeman, MT
For yuppies only -
12/27/2007This town is a poor choice for several reasons. The main one is the fact that if you are an average Joe, you will not be able to afford rent, let alone buy a home in hardly any of the areas around Bozeman, and especially not in town. The town is going to engulf most of the Gallatin Valley and it will not be a pretty little mountain town any more. The college is a good one but if you come be prepared to be harassed by every slum lord in town and every employer. It is coming to the point that now students can only live and work on campus. This town has done its best to ignore the university. As far as nightlife, it is fun, until you graduate from college and realize that the few bars where you are accepted are just a place for other students who just want to get drunk. And raising a family? Forget it unless you want to send your kids to extremely cliquey schools where they will be reminded by the "haves" that they are "have nots" and they will be taught by teachers who are there because they had to stay in Montana or they had to stay near the college. Most of them are bitter because Montana has the lowest average salary for teachers in the nation and they are trapped in town by the high living costs. Do some serious thinking before moving here. Unless you are very wealthy, I can guarantee you are better off somewhere else.