13 Things You Quickly Learn When You Move To Montana
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Jessica Wick
Author
Not everyone is lucky enough to be born in Montana. Sadly, some people have to discover its splendor later in life. But Montana life doesn’t come with a manual, so there are some things our transplants have to learn pretty quickly about the Treasure State. These are a few of them.
Montanans are, for the most part, a very kind-hearted bunch. As long as you’re a polite, friendly person, you can expect to be treated with respect.
A lot of people are unprepared for the frigid winters we experience here, especially if they come from warmer climates. You’d better learn to love snowy landscapes and dressing in layers if you want to be happy in Montana.
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Other than a very small tax in our resort towns and tourist areas, Montana is sales tax-free. It doesn’t take you long to learn (and love) that.
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If you move here and decide to try and explore the state in a single weekend, you’ll realize how big it really is.
This doesn’t mean you have to be an avid skier or hiker, but if you don’t enjoy some sort of outdoor activity (or at least camping), living in the Treasure State seems kind of pointless.
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Montanans love their home, and for good reason. So if you’re new, don’t imply that your old home was better or that you’d like to change anything about Montana. Trust us.
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This is Missoula, population 70,000. Billings has a population of around 109,000. Our biggest cities would be considered mid-sized anywhere else, but they still have all the amenities you'd expect in a populated area (and they're beautiful).
We have electricity, WiFi, cars, and other modern conveniences. Montanans do tend to drive fast, however. We can’t help it—we live in a giant state and we have places to be.
Summer weather may arrive a little later than you’re used to, but it’s definitely worth the wait. Montana summers are gorgeous.
If you see a friendly wave when you’re driving down the road, smile and wave back. This is a Montanan politely acknowledging your existence.
Montana isn’t for everyone. But more often than not, whether it’s their parents, a job, a relationship or curiosity that brings them here, people tend to end up loving it. It just has that effect on people.
One thing most Montanans old and new can agree on: The state is highly underrated.
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