Opinions on places to move out west?

[MTGomer]

But hardly anybody I've run across does that (could just be the people I meet).

That’s the good part about living in a place with good outdoor opportunities that isn’t an outdoor destination. Hard to believe, but the monstrosity of Phoenix AZ is the same way.
I have literally seen ZERO people in the places I’ve been going in the desert, within 50 miles of the city. It’s mind blowing to this Missoulian

 

[publichunter1]

That’s the good part about living in a place with good outdoor opportunities that isn’t an outdoor destination. Hard to believe, but the monstrosity of Phoenix AZ is the same way.
I have literally seen ZERO people in the places I’ve been going in the desert, within 50 miles of the city. It’s mind blowing to this Missoulian

That's kind of the dream right? To have a place that everyone doesn't take advantage of all of the recreational activities nearby would be perfect. Only exception is not having like minded people to hang out with.

 

[ccc23454]

Billings is the last town to move to in MT, i live 2 hours from it and shop regulary there. Cheyenne is ok but wouldnt want to live there casper only slightly better and both way better than anything CO has to offer for me. I was in rexburg last week, ok town but better near it like west yellowstone. So on your list i cant pick one i would ever move to, off your list: good size town, shopping, good people, work, good hunting(got decent drive to great hunts) great fishing with taxes and tags advantages of wyoming...move to sheridan!

 

[Derek-307]

I live in Laramie and would chose Casper over Cheyenne. Casper is practically the middle of the state. You have the north platte river that runs through town. 20 minutes outside of town is some of the best fly fishing you will find on that river. You can chose to go towards the wind rivers, big horns, or snowys/Shirley basin for elk. Cheyenne is nice and convenient if you like big city opportunity. From Laramie to Cody (east Yellowstone) is just under 6 hours of some amazing country.

 

[publichunter1]

Billings is the last town to move to in MT, i live 2 hours from it and shop regulary there. Cheyenne is ok but wouldnt want to live there casper only slightly better and both way better than anything CO has to offer for me. I was in rexburg last week, ok town but better near it like west yellowstone. So on your list i cant pick one i would ever move to, off your list: good size town, shopping, good people, work, good hunting(got decent drive to great hunts) great fishing with taxes and tags advantages of wyoming...move to sheridan!

I agree that I would not pick any of those places if it was just a choice but I'm looking for a place with a bureau of Rec, Corps of Engineers, etc. that is a federal job for a hydraulic engineer. I'd much rather stay with the federal govt than go to private so that I still have time off to actually enjoy the outdoors.

 

[375H&H]

Billings is the last town to move to in MT, i live 2 hours from it and shop regulary there. Cheyenne is ok but wouldnt want to live there casper only slightly better and both way better than anything CO has to offer for me. I was in rexburg last week, ok town but better near it like west yellowstone. So on your list i cant pick one i would ever move to, off your list: good size town, shopping, good people, work, good hunting(got decent drive to great hunts) great fishing with taxes and tags advantages of wyoming...move to sheridan!

You spelled Sheridan wrong it’s CODY

 

[WyoDoug]

@Hilljackoutlaw: Yeah that's my biggest holdup on Rexburg. I've heard it is actually pretty harrassing there if you have different beliefs. I don't hold bad feelings toward anyone that believes different than I do but I also don't won't my family to be bothered all of the time.

I do still love hunting whitetails but I've killed more than most people will kill in their lifetime. I'm not bragging because I've never killed anything over 140" but I have killed a bunch of them. I'd love to do more elk, mule deer, moose, antelope, etc. Plus the kids and I still have lifetime license here in MS and can come back to hunt whenever.

@WyoDoug : I have seen a good many openings out that way but haven't looked into it enough to know what the transition is like from the Corps to Engineers. I have a buddy taking a job from here to the Bureau of Rec in Casper so that's why I was looking at those locations.

I know the State Engineer's office is looking for people if you are into working with water rights and that.

 

[JLDemo]

Every once in a while we'll have a few COE jobs open, lots of DOD jobs. With the new missile system coming in, there's going to be more and more Civil Service engineering jobs opening up. The Highway Administration hires engineers frequently here in Cheyenne as well. Good luck!

 

[3855WIN]

You are moving for the hunting, so I say Casper. I’ve hunted the area the past two years and like it. Also, world class fly fishing.
Rexburg would be second. Really nice area with world class fly fishing. Hunting not as good as Casper.

 

[coleslaw]

Billings seemed like one giant refinery when I drove through. Very industrial and didnt seem like the cleanest or friendliest. I suppose it wouldn't be bad if you were after Mule deer though.
Also, I am from the midwest and supposedly we are a friendly bunch, but I was blown away by the hospitality and good nature of most of the people in Wyoming.

 

[publichunter1]

From the sound of things, it looks like I will be waiting on the right position in either Casper or Cheyenne. I would be good with either. We have a good many friends between Fort Collins and Cheyenne so I guess that's the biggest draw there, but all the wildlife opportunity up near Casper sounds great too.

I should draw an antelope tag near Casper this year and will go through there to check it out a little more.

Thanks for all the input guys.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Billings seemed like one giant refinery when I drove through.

Everyone wants something a little different out of life, but do yourself a favor book AirBandBs in various towns, so you are staying in real homes in the community rather than hotels just off the highway and then go for a run and/or walk around the town.

The street level view can be a game changer, I have always had a negative opinion of Casper as I had only flown through on I-25, two weeks ago my wife took her boards up there and I did some exploring... pretty cool place all things considered.

 

[tzone]

No certainty whatsoever but there is potential for me move out West next year. I'm about to be 32, married, with a 6,4, and 2 year old. We lived in Fort Collins in 16-17 and absolutely loved being out that way. The possibilities are Lakewood, CO; Cheyenne, WY; Casper, WY; Boise, ID; Rexburg, ID; or Billings, Montana. Fort Collins was great but man is the front range crowded and expensive. Wyoming seems to have the most benefit for being a resident hunting wise with OTC general tags and open access to the Wilderness areas. Any thoughts as to pros or cons to each of those areas? Any future changes coming down the pipe that would affect resident hunting benefits in any of those?

Thanks for any input.

Hunting aside...WY is the cheapest for taxes and retirement of the group. How long do you plan to live there? How well do you handle cold?

 

[publichunter1]

Hunting aside...WY is the cheapest for taxes and retirement of the group. How long do you plan to live there? How well do you handle cold?

I would plan to be there permanently. We might still keep our place in MS if the financials work out. I love the cold and my family handles it fairly well. Like I said we lived in Fort Collins for a year so it was a good test and my wife absolutely loved the weather out there.

From all I've seen we are mainly looking at somewhere in WY. Kind of leaning toward Casper with all the info given. I would like to stay on the federal side so locations are fairly limited. I'm not in a big hurry but I've at least started watching to see what comes available.

 

[HowaHunter]

Born and raised in Boise and here currently. Have lived all over Idaho. I for one would never live in Rexburg unless I was LDS. Idaho Falls is close enough to Rexburg and is a bit better but we left partly because my 1st and 3rd grader at the time were already being uninvited from birthday parties as their parents found out we weren't LDS. Being a child there can be rough. Don't get me wrong, I loved Idaho Falls, step out your back door and you are fishing, hunting, camping, hiking. We had a camping spot half an hour from the house and would rarely see another person all weekend unless we ventured out with the atv's. I do miss Idaho Falls but did not want my children growing up with the rampant religious discrimination.
Boise is going gang busters. My home assessment has gone up 80,000 in 2 years. It is getting crazy and takes quite a bit longer to get away from any crowds. It is a great little city though but traffic is horrible according to us natives and home prices are at all time highs.

 

[publichunter1]

Born and raised in Boise and here currently. Have lived all over Idaho. I for one would never live in Rexburg unless I was LDS. Idaho Falls is close enough to Rexburg and is a bit better but we left partly because my 1st and 3rd grader at the time were already being uninvited from birthday parties as their parents found out we weren't LDS. Being a child there can be rough. Don't get me wrong, I loved Idaho Falls, step out your back door and you are fishing, hunting, camping, hiking. We had a camping spot half an hour from the house and would rarely see another person all weekend unless we ventured out with the atv's. I do miss Idaho Falls but did not want my children growing up with the rampant religious discrimination.
Boise is going gang busters. My home assessment has gone up 80,000 in 2 years. It is getting crazy and takes quite a bit longer to get away from any crowds. It is a great little city though but traffic is horrible according to us natives and home prices are at all time highs.

I love the sound of Boise all except for the home prices being at a all time high.

 

[magnum44270]

Depends what you do or want to do for work....Buffalo Wy 1st pick, followed by Sheridan Wy if you need more options and higher pay.

 

[MTGomer]

Billings seemed like one giant refinery when I drove through.

Why Billings, Montana, Is the Best Town Ever

In 2016, Billings, MT beat out the likes of famed mountain towns like Jackson, WY and Bend, OR to take home the top spot in Outside's annual Best Towns contest

www.outsideonline.com

Talking actually inside the cities, I’d live in Billings again before Bozeman and definitely before Missoula.
It’s not as good as Butte but there are very few jobs in Butte.
Billings is a great place for a high paying job and a decent house under 300k
I lived there 4 years and haven’t seen half of the good stuff within a 2 hr drive.
The piss poor mule deer hunting in the Custer is the least of the reasons to live there.

Don’t tell anybody, but people thinking Billings sucks is part of what makes it appealing. Less people out and about.

There are ticks this time of year in the Yellowstone River bottom like you’ve never seen. There’s a negative.

 

[cgarner]

7 craft breweries. I'm sold.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Billings seemed like one giant refinery when I drove through. Very industrial and didnt seem like the cleanest or friendliest.

Hear that people, their's ^ your bar for a nice town...

Yep... Denver sucks all you see is refineries from the highway, go back to home... nothing to see here...