# Can you tell me about relocating to Montana? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 22, 2009, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-tell-me-about-relocating-to-montana/482516 "2009-01-22T20:47:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-tell-me-about-relocating-to-montana/482516/21 "2009-01-23T02:56:15Z")
Ahem… California is larger than Montana, but remarkably there are more people living in greater San Jose (about 1 million) than the entire state of Montana… > **[US States By Size](https://www.worldatlas.com/geography/us-states-by-size.html)** ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-tell-me-about-relocating-to-montana/482516/22 "2009-01-23T02:58:36Z")
No kids living at home, although my 22 year old stepson is moving to Montana the same time we are. I hope he can find a job somewhere above minimum wage… ---
**Author:** ![MadPansy64](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@MadPansy64](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadPansy64)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-tell-me-about-relocating-to-montana/482516/23 "2009-01-23T03:13:10Z")
> [@dolphinboy](#): > > Ahem… California is larger than Montana, but remarkably there are more people living in greater San Jose (about 1 million) than the entire state of Montana… > [US States By Size](http://www.worldatlas.com/aatlas/infopage/usabysiz.htm) Huh? Oops. You’re right, dammit. I mouthed off without checking the facts. Still, the difference – although larger than the entire state of Ohio – is negligible, so my point stands. Montana is really big, with not very many people. Yeah, that’s it. Really big, few people, that was my point. Yeah.😉 ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-tell-me-about-relocating-to-montana/482516/24 "2009-01-23T03:22:54Z")
Will you raise yourself a crop of dental floss? ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-tell-me-about-relocating-to-montana/482516/25 "2009-01-23T03:58:07Z")
> [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](#): > > Will you raise yourself a crop of dental floss? Eh? ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-tell-me-about-relocating-to-montana/482516/26 "2009-01-23T04:31:46Z")
I have friends who moved to Montana (25 m southwest of Bozeman) a good while back and love it. I visit them most summers, and understand why. I’m pretty sure they would nominate the winters as requiring some getting used to. They are both serious skiers, which helps a lot. But they note that they are good and ready for spring by late March, when (most years) they have another four or five weeks to go. ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-tell-me-about-relocating-to-montana/482516/27 "2009-01-23T04:56:43Z")
I lived there (Helena) before the Californication started, so I don’t have a lot of first-hand knowledge; but I do have relatives scattered throughout the state, and from what I’ve gathered the problem is not so much people who come from California as those who want to bring California with them. The sort who go on and on about how they moved to Montana “to get away from it all,” then in the next breath complain about the lack of major malls. Since you don’t seem to be exhibiting that attitude, you shouldn’t have a a problem in that regard. Just remember to bundle up, and have lots of firewood — the power system in rural Montana is not the most robust in the world. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-tell-me-about-relocating-to-montana/482516/28 "2009-01-23T05:01:52Z")
> [@dolphinboy](#): > > [QUOTE=Le Ministre de l’au-delà] > Will you raise yourself a crop of dental floss? Eh? [/QUOTE] [Yippy-Ty-O-Ty-Ay](http://globalia.net/donlope/fz/lyrics/Over-Nite_Sensation.html#Montana) ---
**Author:** ![seodoa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@seodoa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seodoa)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-tell-me-about-relocating-to-montana/482516/29 "2009-01-23T06:50:51Z")
> [@MadPansy64](#): > > Still, the difference – although larger than the entire state of Ohio – is negligible I’m confused. The difference is one of about 10,000 sq mi. Ohio is almost 41,000 sq mi. I think you moved a decimal place somewhere. The difference is only about as large as the state of Maryland. Which makes it even more negligible. I mean, come on, Maryland? ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-tell-me-about-relocating-to-montana/482516/30 "2009-01-23T16:59:09Z")
> [@dolphinboy](#): > > Eh? Sorry, Askance got there before me. I may be one of the few people left on the planet who quotes Frank Zappa every chance he gets; still, if there are any more of us out there, I reckoned the SMDB would be the place to encounter them… You won’t be that far from Canada, either - if you find you’re missing big city amenities, Calgary will only be 462 km away. Closer than, say, Denver at 1007 km. I rode the Greyhound from Calgary to Denver once, and I was struck by the natural beauty of everything around me. I was also struck that it would have been so much faster to have rented a car, as we went I-15 to Salt Lake City, I-80 to Cheyenne and then down to Denver. ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-tell-me-about-relocating-to-montana/482516/31 "2009-01-23T17:08:48Z")
Wow…this thread is really, um, creepy. Redneck bars and rabbit skinning? Montana isn’t quite the middle of nowhere. Really, you will be able to find people that enjoy the same type of entertainment that’s in California. It sounds like people in this thread are trying to compare Montana to the most backwater, deserted redneck shack town they’ve ever seen… Sorry, I’m a little bitter. ---
**Author:** ![trupa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aeb1de/32.png) [@trupa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trupa)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-tell-me-about-relocating-to-montana/482516/32 "2009-01-23T17:23:16Z")
And if you get a bit homesick, or want to visit a large-ish city, Calgary isn’t too far to the North. Plus, if you let us know a bit in advance, your visit would make a swell excuse for a little dope-fest. BTW, that goes for any other Montanan too. drat-the **Minister of Beyond** has beaten me to it… ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-tell-me-about-relocating-to-montana/482516/33 "2009-01-23T17:41:10Z")
> [@trupa](#): > > And if you get a bit homesick, or want to visit a large-ish city, Calgary isn’t too far to the North. Plus, if you let us know a bit in advance, your visit would make a swell excuse for a little dope-fest. Meet halfway for any such Dopefest…in Lethbridge! Makes it easy on me! 😃 (Had to say something, but this seems to be the best I can do. Unfortunately, I was beaten to the Frank Zappa lyric.) ---
**Author:** ![MadPansy64](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@MadPansy64](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadPansy64)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-tell-me-about-relocating-to-montana/482516/34 "2009-01-23T18:07:49Z")
> [@seodoa](#): > > I’m confused. The difference is one of about 10,000 sq mi. Ohio is almost 41,000 sq mi. I think you moved a decimal place somewhere. > > The difference is only about as large as the state of Maryland. Which makes it even more negligible. I mean, come on, Maryland? When I have “large” as my text default, [US States By Size](http://www.worldatlas.com/aatlas/infopage/usabysiz.htm) shows all wonky – \*\*35 Ohio 9775. \*\* “Smaller” text shows **40 South Carolina 24,087 \ 9,775 41 West Virginia 9,249** I think I need to look at something besides that list before running my mouth again.:smack: But, as long as I’m making a fool of myself, I thought someone semi-official estimated we had a million people now. I wonder if that was wild speculation on their part, or bad memory on mine. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-tell-me-about-relocating-to-montana/482516/35 "2009-01-23T18:40:53Z")
My only advice is don’t come to the area complaining about things. If there’s a junk car sitting next door, is it really a huge deal? If there’s no grocery store for 25 miles, maybe that’s the way people that live in the area like it. I wouldn’t advertise that you’re from CA, but don’t lie about it either. Just express how much you like the area and the locals will get it. The reason you want a gun is because any law enforcement is likely to be many miles away and won’t be around to help you at 3AM when somebody is breaking into your house. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-tell-me-about-relocating-to-montana/482516/36 "2009-01-23T20:47:13Z")
I plan on buying a shotgun… but that’s another thread. I’m really not all that nervous about this move but I wanted to get some feedback from people who had done it before. As I said, I have met some people who live there and everyone has been helpful and I haven’t noticed any real bias against people from California. I have learned how not to rub people the wrong way and I don’t spend that much time in red neck bars. 😉 When I was going to college in northwest California, not far from the Oregon border, we used to head into Oregon (no sales tax!) now and then and hear the locals complain about Californication. I’ve heard the same thing from people in Washington state too, so there is certainly some bias against certain people from California. It’s not like I plan to buy up 10,000 acres and open a Disney park… I just want to build my house by the lake and enjoy nature… of course I just read how Yellowstone is going to blow up so I think I just traded a major earthquake for a supervolcano! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Altair33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@Altair33](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Altair33)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2009, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-tell-me-about-relocating-to-montana/482516/37 "2009-01-23T22:39:57Z")
> [@dolphinboy](#): > > of course I just read how Yellowstone is going to blow up so I think I just traded a major earthquake for a supervolcano! :smack: Hey- any super-eruption at Yellowstone is likely to be preceded by earthquakes, so you may get both! No need to settle for just one or the other. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-tell-me-about-relocating-to-montana/482516/38 "2009-01-24T00:55:47Z")
Don’t forget to get some zircon-encrusted tweezers. ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-tell-me-about-relocating-to-montana/482516/39 "2009-01-24T01:31:16Z")
> [@MadPansy64](#): > > Hell, no! Pickups are light assed, and harder to drive in the snow (and on ice) if you don’t know what you’re doing. > > Bunnies are no more difficult to cook than chickens, and I’m sure Montana state law has a provision that allows boys to enter a kitchen without any penis-removal penalty. Perhaps the OP could get a recreational vehicle, but may want to spend winters in Arizona. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-tell-me-about-relocating-to-montana/482516/40 "2009-01-24T02:14:58Z")
We have thought about becoming snow birds for at least part of the winter, but I actually want to experience winter since it’s one reason for moving to that part of the country. I would love to be able to afford a condo in Hawaii that we could live in for 3-4 months out of the year, but as far as I can tell money doesn’t grow on trees in Montana either. ☹ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-tell-me-about-relocating-to-montana/482516.md?page=1)