Things to Know Before Moving To Montana
Are you thinking about moving to Montana? In this article, we will tell you everything you need to know about living in Montana and why you should move to Montana. We will break down the weather, the cost of living, transportation, the housing market, and the pros and cons of living in Montana! If you have ever wondered what it is like to live in Montana, we are here to tell you.
Montana is an amazing destination for all those who appreciate the beauty of the great outdoors. Primarily rural, Montana is home to national parks, miles of open country, an abundance of wildlife and spectacular scenery.
Living in Montana gives residents access to some of the best trout fishing in the country, massive mountains, and wide-open prairies. Some of the best places to live in Montana include Billings, Bozeman, and Missoula. These cities offer thriving economies, vibrant culture, and lots of things to do, including shopping, great restaurants, and museums. Downtown Bozeman draws many tourists while Missoula’s microbreweries, concert venues, and charm lure new residents.
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Pros and Cons of Living in Montana
Here are a few pros and cons to consider as you make your move to The Treasure State:
Pros.
- Probably the prettiest state in the United States. Every day walking outside feels like a scene out of a movie.
- If you love the outdoors this place is paradise and has world-class fishing and hunting
- Generally speaking, the cost of living is quite tolerable even on a low income if you live in the bigger towns and cities
- Related to cost of living, but no sales tax is super awesome, especially coming from a state where the sales tax can be as high as 9 to 10% on every store purchase.
Cons.
- Lack of Housing, If you are planning to move to Montana in the future, you will want to have a temporary rental set up for your family. The housing market isn’t very solid, and never really will.
- Gas is very expensive up here despite most everything else being relatively fair priced. This is a place where you literally need to fill up your gas tank to the brim because gas stations are far and few in between.
- Winters can be brutally cold. In East Helena and Helena, it got as low as -30 F in the morning and colder still in other places of Montana that are far more remote
Tax Rates
The Montana (MT) state sales tax rate is currently 0%. Montana is one of only five states without a general sales tax. Montana is moderately tax-friendly for retirees. It also has relatively low property taxes.
On the other hand, many retirees pay taxes on Social Security retirement benefits, which is fully exempt in most other states. Likewise, Montana provides no exemption for retirement income from pensions or retirement accounts.
Housing Market
The typical home value of homes in Montana went from $320,000 in 2020 to $390,000 in 2021. The amount of sales increased also, from 181 in that time period in 2020 to 231 in 2021.
What Should I Know In 2021?
Economy Outlook
Montana has the fifth-fastest wage growth among states for both the five and ten-year timeframes. Montana’s economy is healthy, posting above-average job growth and improvement in all economic indicators.
The Northwest and Southwest regions of Montana experienced strong growth leading up to the recession, but the concentration of construction and wood product manufacturing employment resulted in significant contraction during the national recession. Both the Northwest and Southwest regions lost over 8,000 jobs during the recession. While the Southwest region rebounded quickly, the Northwest suffered through an extended recession and still has elevated unemployment rates.
Montana’s economy is dominated by the primary sector—agriculture, forestry, mining, and energy production—and by services. About one-third of the state’s workforce is employed in the service sector. The outdoor recreation industry has become important, and some high-technology industries have come to the state.
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Traffic & Transportation
Public transportation in Montana is available in the form of passenger trains, planes, buses, and vans. These services allow people who don’t have access to private vehicles to shop, visit friends/relatives, get to medical appointments, go to work, and even take vacations.
Montana has many routes and modes of transport which comprise state highways, interstate highways, U.S routes, and railroads. Railroads have been the principal form of transport in Montana since the 1800s. The BNSF Railway is the largest in the state at present.
Montana has 16 airports functioning within it. The busiest airport is Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport. There are seven other major airports and eight minor ones providing commercial services. Bus transport is quite sparse in Montana and function between one and five times per day, transiting between 20 cities in the state.
Cost of living
Montana has no state or local sales taxes making it attractive for shoppers. If you currently live in a state with a sales tax and are sick of all the “extra” costs added to each purchase, you will immediately see the advantage Montana offers. Without a sales tax, the price of your purchase will be more straightforward. Montana is ranked number 33 out of all states in overall healthcare access and affordability.
Understanding the housing market and costs for a location can be complex. Renting can give you a chance to try out a location before making the major commitment of buying a home. In Montana renting a home can actually be more economical than buying.
Based on calculations by MIT, the living wage in Montana for a single adult with no children is $23,671. Of those wages, MIT estimates that $3,573 goes to food purchases.
Montana’s grocery prices are above average for a U.S. state. Compared to a national average indexed at 100, Montana’s groceries come in at 104.6, according to the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center.
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Moving is one of the most exciting and overwhelming events in our lives. While there are many moving companies and various different resources to choose from, there is only one Real Movers. If you are in the process of planning a long-distance move, and you are looking for a moving company you can trust, Real Movers is your perfect choice.
