Idaho, Montana, Wyoming

[bookslover]

Being a southern California city boy, I've long been intrigued by those states - wide open spaces, and all that.

Anyone on the PB live up in that general area or at least familiar with it? I think the summers would be OK, but the 40,000 feet of snow every winter might be a bit daunting.

Also, I think Wyoming is solidly conservative, politically, but that Montana is a swing state.

Any thoughts?

 

[SolaScriptura]

My family's favorite places to be! This summer we'll be back in all 3 states for vacation.

Idaho is a hidden gem, and while I haven't looked intensely, it appears prices for scenic land are a bit more reasonable than the other two states mentioned. The area around Kalispell, MT is sublime - I'd love to retire in that area. My daughter has been accepted to Montana State in Bozeman and she can't wait to get up there. Regarding WY, I'm familiar with the areas around Yellowstone down to Jackson... and the NE part from SD over to Devil's Tower. Beautiful!

Montana has no sales tax, so as my dad found out in 2017, its a great place to pick up a new set of tires for your vehicle!

 

[VictorBravo]

I grew up in Montana, now work in Idaho and Eastern Washington. I used to go to Wyoming numerous times a year.

Best places on earth, except most are wary of Californians coming in to mess things up.

Seriously, the region is as varied as anywhere. Sparce reformed presence. Idaho has a pretty heavy Mormon and Roman Catholic presence. Fishing and hunting is good. Climate ranges from wind-swept plains to very wet mountain areas.

Cities, such as they are, tend to be more liberal.

Same social problems as anywhere else--just fewer people.

 

[arapahoepark]

The wind in Cheyenne and surrounding areas in the east of the state is ridiculous, as are the snow drifts. Fun place to go though, especially Yellowstone and the Tetons.

 

[Username3000]

If there’s a church and a job, pack your bags yesterday.

 

[Jack K]

You would learn to get around in the snow. Driving is not that hard once you get used to how to do it and invest in a snow-friendly vehicle with the right tires. Walking is pretty easy with the right boots, provided you bundle up in the proper gear. You would adapt and manage those things, and probably even appreciate them.

Six months of snow clearing and bundling up sometimes starts to wear on us though, especially as you get older. Come spring break, we residents of the Western mountains tend to be ready to get away to somewhere snow-free for a week. And a lot of people go back to places like southern California when they retire, citing the constant snow clearing as a top reason to leave. The Western mountain country doesn't merely have a reputation for ruggedness; it actually requires a certain ruggedness to live here and enjoy the great outdoors.

Cost of living can be a bit high, but probably not when compared to southern California. What you spend on snow tires, snow blowers, and travel in and out of your remote location you will save in taxes and, hopefully, a shorter work commute. Reformed churches and big-city amenities will be fairly rare, so check things out in advance if you're particular. All the states you mentioned are politically conservative—more so than Colorado, where I live. Idaho does have a lot of Mormons, but they tend to make friendly neighbors and to build clean communities.

Best places on earth, except most are wary of Californians coming in to mess things up.

What Vic says about Californians coming in to mess things up is very true. Don't be one of those guys who moves here to get away from California and then sets about to try to change the schools, government, parks, homeowner regulations, land use, etc. to be more like California. We have enough of those people already.

 

[Grafted In]

I grew up in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho, when it was a quaint, undiscovered, timber town rather than the bustling tourist hot spot it is today. Things have changed A LOT with the steady stream of out-of-staters moving in.

The winters are snowy (~80" per snow season in town). But if you like skiing or snowboarding, you look forward to first snow and the accumulation of powder on the four ski resorts located within an hour of town. Summers are pleasant, and the many lakes, rivers, and mountains make the area an outdoorsman's paradise. In my opinion, Coeur 'd Alene is one of the most beautiful places in the US.

The OPC Presbytery of the Northwest has a church plant in Coeur d' Alene. I am on the overseeing session of that work, should you have any questions.

Warmly in Christ,
Jeff

 

[Goodcheer68]

I’m one of those Ca people moving to Coeur d Alene in July. I have friends who have been up there since the early 90’s so we got ok’d to live there even though we’re coming from Cali

 

[jwithnell]

I worked fires near McCall, Idaho, and up in the Sun River country of Montana and really loved the terrain. You'll find big differences in weather and politics depending upon the part of the region you visit. You can expect granola crunchers around college towns, but you'll also find folk grounded by practical industries like timber and cattle ranching.

 

[Andrew's Myth]

I grew up in Wyoming. I'm currently in California for school, but I'd like to get back to the general area at some point. There's not many Reformed churches in any of those states, so before you make a move, make sure there's one nearby.

 

[Jonathco]

Being that I am smack dab between Flint and Detroit, Michigan, a lot of people I know from my area leave the state and head West. A very good friend of mine moved from here to Boise, Idaho 5-6 years ago and he loves it. He has a good job and seems content to stay there. That being said, he has mentioned that even in the last 5 years, the culture has changed, as a huge influx of liberal "left-coast" folks continue to flood the area for jobs, more affordable living, and space to spread out. His original intention was to get a few acres of land and build a house when he moved West; now, with the housing costs skyrocketing in Boise because of the influx of people moving there, he was barely able to find/afford a house in a subdivision.

I also have a friend on the East side of Idaho and it sounds like it's much more conservative, affordable, and rustic. Boise may just be the outlier due to it's size.

 

[VictorBravo]

Boise may just be the outlier due to it's size.

For what it's worth, Boise is a major university town as well as the state capital. It has always been more liberal compared to the rest of Idaho.

As a rule in the west, (and probably elsewhere) if a college or university dominates the local economy, it means liberal city. State capitals are also usually more liberal.

 

[De Jager]

I grew up in Wyoming. I'm currently in California for school, but I'd like to get back to the general area at some point. There's not many Reformed churches in any of those states, so before you make a move, make sure there's one nearby.

There's a few URCs in Idaho for sure.