re: If you had to choose between Idaho, Wyoming, or Montana

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Jackson Hole has great snow, but Grand Targhee’s may be better.

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I really think it does

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Do you go back much? Bozeman is swallowing up Belgrade, and as much as house prices have increased, there's been a crazy building boom too.

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No, not really. It's been a few years. I don't have family there anymore so when I do make it back up that way I split my time between my grandparents houses in Reed Point and Billings.

I graduated and moved in 2004 and even then Bozeman was creeping over to Belgrade and Four Corners. It's crazy how much its grown, but not shocking. Its gorgeous there.

Outside of Yellowstone/Jackson Hole, which is ridiculously expensive, the state of Wyoming leaves a whole lot to be desired. It's filled with a lot of drifters, drug abusers, and a whole lot of nothing. I'd assert that 75% of the state resembles Nebraska.

What about Colorado? It affords more opportunities, housing, schools, etc.

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What about Colorado? It affords more opportunities, housing, schools, etc.

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Outside of the Denver metro, and the affluent ski towns, CO really isn't that great. You can probably say the same about much of the West, though.

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Outside of the Denver metro, and the affluent ski towns, CO really isn't that great. You can probably say the same about much of the West, though.

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How do you define great?

I spent my summers in Montana growing up, and I miss the way it used to be.

I think Colorado is more interesting, the further you get from Denver and the rich ski towns. That’s where you see real local culture, and something thats truly unique.

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Outside of the Denver metro, and the affluent ski towns, CO really isn't that great. You can probably say the same about much of the West, though.

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Real estate is really expensive in the Denver metro too. OP said he wanted to spend $300-400k. I really like Fort Collins which is somewhat more affordable.

California has more Republicans than any other state. They may be more moderate, but I don’t get the hate for them. Generally speaking the west is not full of libs outside of the ski areas because that’s where the money is and the libs from Cali go to ski.

Given that, everything here is summer activities. If you are going to live in Montana or Wyoming you need to go during the winter. Winters can be hell, you can easily get snow in June and October.

Personally, I don’t think I’d ever move west permanently. I’d look hard into buying a small summer home. Then you don’t need everything. Downsize in the south to a condo or something smaller that’s easy to maintain during the summer, go out west all summer long.

If I was retired living in the west I wouldn’t be spending a lot of time at home anyway.

The biggest concern really is schools. If you don’t need a school, that changes things. As said though, I’d travel for a year and really look hard before moving to buy somewhere you could live with the growth of the next 5-15 years.

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That being said Pinedale, WY is where the millionaires went when the billionaires took over Jackson, WY

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This thread is full of posts about towns that are booming. Well frick, I don't want a town that's booming. The reason I'd want to move somewhere is to get away from people. There are places like that, you just have to search a little. I know of a few. The scenery may not be quite as spectacular as an A-list destination, you may have to get creative in finding a way to make it financially, but you won't have a 200 unit condo development going up next door to you.

Idaho...i have been researching this state more and more.

Then Montana
Then Wyoming

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I think Colorado is more interesting, the further you get from Denver and the rich ski towns. That’s where you see real local culture, and something thats truly unique.

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This is the issue with having a wife who likes to shop, which is why she would got stuck on Boise. Last 2 times I went out to CO in 2018/2019 for trials one was in Estes Park and the other was Montrose. I was there 5-6 days each and really liked both of them. There is zero chance my wife would live in either, especially Montrose, so we would end up in CO Springs which is now crowded, and who knows CO's water situation in 10-20 years. You could not pay me to live in Aurora, which I did not care for at all and has really bad BSL dog laws, and Denver is too damned crowded. Have had enough of metro ATL congestion and non-stop building after 30 years + other chronic issues, so that would be a non-starter to me. Relative to metro ATL Bozeman seemed great to me. She just told me she wants to move to CO Springs due to ID politics, the wind will blow in a different direction tomorrow.