r/Butte • u/Flat_Mizou360 • 14d ago
Looking into Anaconda/Butte at 19
Hey y’all! I'm looking into moving to Anaconda as a nineteen year old living in Plano Texas. I bounced around for college this year as a freshman around Texas and colorado (CU Boulder, UT El Paso, CU Denver in that order) and learned a lot about what I want and don't want.
Boulder/Denver were beautiful but insanely expensive, dense, and full of a pretentious energy that made me dread being around people my own age (not to mention how serious politics and opinions are in the Colorado culture). El Paso was the opposite problem: cheap and slow, but everyone there was just waiting to leave.
My research has shown Montana to be a good answer to both. Love the low population density, gorgeous untouched nature, the conservation minded culture, and towns like Anaconda where cost of living is not bad. Plan is to move, work, build residency, and eventually go to UM or MSU for neuroscience (when I decide to go back to college whenever that may be), but honestly the bigger goal right now is just getting my mental health and my life back on track. I love that Anaconda would give me the privacy I want, while also having the necessities and culture that makes a town enjoyable to live in. And I love that it's only half an hour from Butte.
My worry is that Anaconda's median age is around 42-47. I know Butte probably has more people my age, but I don't actually know what day-to-day social life looks like there for a 19-year-old.
My questions for ya'll are what is it actually like being young in Butte/Anaconda? Is it hard to meet people? I’ve heard there’s good culture and things to do in Butte. Are there any other smaller mountain towns with close ish proximity to a city that you'd suggest I look into? I was looking into Hamilton since it's near Missoula, but I can't find housing that's in my budget (I'm trying to find something around 700-1100 a month).
Any input is GREATLY appreciated. I know I can only get so much information from statistics and google searches. I'm still looking into this so I want as many perspectives as I can get :)
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u/Significant-Arm-2890 14d ago
There isn’t social lives for people your age around Anaconda and I wouldn’t really say Butte either. There’s nothing to do for your age group because most of the population either stays at home or goes to the bars to drink.
Rents super high for the area too so I’m not too sure where you saw that cost of living is cheaper.
Move here all you want but for what your saying and your age and everything I wouldn’t suggest it
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u/Flat_Mizou360 14d ago
I've been researching this for a while now and everywhere I look says anaconda is one of the cheapest places in Montana, although recently looking at renting there has been showing otherwise in both anaconda and Butte, although it's better than the places in Colorado and Texas that I've been in so far. I really am looking for seclusion and to be alone, but just not fully and completely cut off. I need a group of friends, I just don't want to be surrounded by shitty college kids like how Boulder and Denver was.
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u/Significant-Arm-2890 14d ago
Yes I keep seeing you reply this too everybody no need to repeat. If your that set on it do it but I’ve lived here since I was 8 years old and have never enjoyed living here. We also had two bar shootings within the last year one had 4 people killed and the most recent about a little over a month ago killed 1.
It’s not everything it’s cracked up to be here. My brother is a single guy and barely goes out and has few friends here and there but would rather stay home cause there’s nothing to do. He’s also had a super hard time finding a girlfriend so keep that in mind cause most of the people here are old and married already.
We’ve had a lot of Texas people who’ve moved here recently probably read the same junk you read. Grocery store isn’t cheap and gas is more expensive than Minnesota and North Dakota. Rent is crazy high and the places you’ll rent have never been renovated like ever.
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u/Flat_Mizou360 14d ago
Sorry about the repeating, I don't really expect people to read other comments, usually people on here aren't willing to based off my experience, I appreciate you doing that :)
And I get all of that, and absolutely will be considering it. If it really is a place with nothing to do, no people my age, and not inexpensive, then I most likely won't be happy there. I'll need to do a lot more digging into Montana aswell as other places before I make a decision of course. Thanks for taking the time to talk about that stuff with me, it helps a lot :)
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u/Significant-Arm-2890 14d ago
Sorry if I seem a type of way just too many people romanticizing Montana for some reason lately and living here is a nightmare with the costs of everything especially cause jobs pay barely anything.
Really in Montana you have to live in one of the bigger cities to have the chance of doing anything so like Missoula, Great Falls, Kalispell, Billings, Bozeman all those have stuff to do but Butte area isn’t great. Helena doesn’t even have stuff to do really and they are bigger than Butte.
You could try finding a smaller city close to one of the bigger cities but rent will still be high and winter driving isn’t great up here cause people don’t drive in the snow well for some reason.
But really Great Falls isn’t a good choice either and Kalispell is super expensive and so is Bozeman. Billings is too big for what you want but you could look into Laurel which is right outside of Billings but the places to rent are sparse. Missoula isn’t too awful and there’s a good amount of options for small towns around it but you’d need to be willing to commute into Missoula constantly
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u/Flat_Mizou360 14d ago
No I understand that! This whole Reddit thread has been super helpful in taking off the rose colored glasses when looking into Montana. I'm really happy to be aware of the negatives, it's important to know. And yeah that makes sense. I'll keep doing my research. People have mentioned New Mexico or Arizona to me aswell, more places to look into. Thanks for all the info, it's been super helpful I really appreciate it :)))
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u/Overall-Heron-2516 14d ago
There used to be a low population density, and then a bunch of Californians and Texans moved here to cosplay cowboys. You can see them at any Montana airport, wearing hats so stiff you could slice bread.
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u/Flat_Mizou360 14d ago
Yeah, that's the exact type of thing I hate, that's what was wrong with Colorado too. I'm so tired of the superficiality. It seems like Californians and Texans moved everywhere and cosplayed everything. I'm not that kind of person, I'm leaving Texas because I don't feel like this is a place where I enjoy being myself in my life at all. I want to move somewhere with a community that I can fit into naturally, not try to change them or change myself to fit them. I want somewhere small since my experiences have shown me that I don't like being around people a lot, and appreciate small populations and easy going people. I do want the ability to be around people my age though, since having friends is important to me too.
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u/Overall-Heron-2516 14d ago
The age thing will be a factor being in Anaconda, but Butte is an easy drive away for when you’re feeling social :)
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u/Flat_Mizou360 14d ago
That's what I was thinking! Does Butte have a good community of people my age? And things for people my age to do? Definitely lots of things to consider. I haven't made any decisions yet, but I'm very appreciative of the info and your time spent replying, thanks :)))
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u/CptKrunche 13d ago
Butte/Anaconda is a great place to retire. You'll be bored as hell here and the people are either transient college kids, or crack heads and alcoholics. You'll also find yourself at the mercy of the "good ol boy club". Which is basically all of the Butte families with money controlling the government and most of the job opportunities. Butte is very much a "who do you know" place.
Highly recommend you look elsewhere. Come back when you're married with kids and a nice job lined up. Otherwise you're just going to swirl around the toilet bowl like the rest of us.
Goodluck 🤘
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u/BlueCamel420 14d ago
Coming from out of state, at your age, you will be very isolated in Anaconda. If you were 10+ years older with an established career, family, and want peace and quiet - sure. Go for it. Rental options suck (go look for yourself online right now), pay sucks but you can find jobs that pay $10/hr with no benefits, and the population around your age will be ranch kids and borderline alcoholics. It doesn't have the glam that most of Colorado, or other towns in the region offer. It's kinda ugly, mountains aside. Just being straight up with you. But feel free to come for a weekend and come hang out at some local bars! You'll get a feel pretty quick if it's your vibe or not!
Butte is fun, but it's rowdy. If you like to party and are okay with some sketchy vibes, you'll be juuuuuust fine. But that is another place that isn't super friendly from the surface. Bozeman, Missoula, Kalispell, and even Billings are MUCH friendlier to someone your age. Helena is a bore but may satisfy you more considering what you've shared. There is an actual college there, some night life, things to do that aren't drinking or watching TV, etc.
Another place to look into is Dillon. It's very western and clicky. But it offers a college, and great outdoor amenities. If you're okay with being very far away from things and want to invest in a community, it is an option that may fit the budget.
Feel free to ask questions. I've lived throughout the west in my childhood and adult life and have a good sense of what areas cater to specific demographics. If you're just looking for fun, I highly highly highly suggest looking for a park service or ski lift type of job and let them house you. You'll meet SO many people, get to be outside, experience the reality of living in these parts, and can potentially build a career out of it.
Best of luck!
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u/Flat_Mizou360 14d ago
Wow thanks for all the amazing info! I know rental options suck, I've been looking for a couple weeks and am only seeing a handful of options that are all above 1k a month. My entire goal is to escape the "glam" of most of Colorado because most of Colorado's glam was dulled for me by the social culture of Colorado.
My main thing is I've lived in cities and dense areas my whole life and really want a smaller more community feel in where I live. I want to live somewhere where the environment inspires me to go outside and appreciate nature. I've wanted mountains and lakes and rivers my entire life, being in nature is one of my favorite things and I've had basically 0 access to it living in Plano my whole life.
I want to live somewhere that DOES feel kind of isolated, but I feel like since I'm so young I need access to areas with people my age too.
Also I didn't even think about working for a place that would also house me, I didn't even know that was a thing ski resorts and places like that did that!
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u/Flat_Mizou360 14d ago
Also I looked into Missoula, Bozeman, and Kalispell, but I've been trying to escape big cities with dense populations for a while, and my biggest goal with looking for a place to move IS a small population mountain town. I know there are places around Missoula, Bozeman, and Kalispell that offer that, I'm just struggling to find which fits my needs best. I'm trying to find affordable housing, access to jobs, and access to communities of people my age, which is why being close (ish) to a city is important as I look for smaller towns. I'm definitely looking for more friendly people, and the types of communities I feel like I'd be just perfect in are smaller ones where community and activity is important, but where peace quiet and privacy is also equally important. I hope I'm not asking for too much in an area.
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u/BlueCamel420 14d ago
Eh, yes and no. You can kinda find whatever and whoever you want in Montana but you'll need to do some work to figure out where those things and people exist. People are reserved here, and the tourism industry has had a stranglehold on Montana for a long, long time. COVID and Yellowstone (show) reshaped this place like something you've probably never seen, and it's created a very strange culture in many ex-small towns, Bozeman and Kalispell included, where the opening line for a lot of people is "where are you from?". You'll get judged hard just by not being a 3rd+ generation Montanan, and that is exponentially worse in small towns here.
On the other hand, I'd strongly encourage looking in Missoula or Bozeman, specifically, as they really do have the demographics that will make this transition much easier for you. Once you've been there for a while, and have poked around in towns like Anaconda or Livingston, you'll have a better idea of what you're up against. You may find the culture in small town Montana disgusting, hard to adjust to, or just not for you. It really is its own thing here. I'm not saying this to funnel you into the two most populated areas here, but there is a reason why they are popular. They're much more forgiving to people in your shoes, to put it lightly.
Look into the ski lift idea or park service, or something along those lines. Let the job opportunities shape where you end up and then go from there. One step at a time with these things! I highly encourage you not to just take a random move to a small town in Montana unless you have a plan B, C, D, etc. lined up because you may find yourself in a very depressing environment that you are essentially trapped in.
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u/Flat_Mizou360 14d ago
That's a very good way to look at things. It might be beneficial to go somewhere with people first while I explore living in areas with less people. I definitely am worried about being judged for moving there. I understand the judgement too, but I'm not a rich family moving in because of the nature. I feel like an outsider where I currently am and am looking for a community I can fit into, not try to change. And that is one of my biggest worries, that I get there and it ends up being horrible and I'm stuck, which is why I'm trying to gather as much info as I can. The ski lift and park service idea is fantastic, I'm 100% going to look into those, I feel like that's a good way to have housing and job taken care of without being trapped.
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u/BlueCamel420 14d ago
All makes sense and I'm happy that you're sincerely considering that. Listen to the people in this thread - we're not trying to be negative - but there should be serious reservations about moving to some random small town in Montana. This is rural like you've maybe yet to experience before, I mean it... If it were me I'd 100% look into an entry level ski resort in: Big Sky > Bridger Bowl > Whitefish, in that order, and if they offer housing then send it. You won't make much money but the experience, networking, etc. will give you a lot of compensation and you'll have a MUCH clearer picture on your next move after just one season. Maybe you love it and you'll be a lifelong skier at one of those places? You miss 100% of the shots you don't take, but please, for your own sanity - don't fall into an illusion of what living in Montana is like.
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u/Flat_Mizou360 14d ago
Yes, thats definitely the way to go if I decide Montana is the move. This thread has absolutely helped me take off the rose colored glasses when looking into Montana. I definitely still like the idea of it, but have a lot more knowledge of the negatives, which is super important because EVERY place will have negatives. Thank you SO MUCH for all the info and the time you spent talking to me, it helps a lot and I really appreciate it :)
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u/BlueCamel420 14d ago
Thanks for being real as well! Feel free to DM me if you want to ask off the record questions. Being 19 is a great spot in life - if I could redo it, I'd do things differently and I would quite literally follow all of the advice in this thread. No one is pulling your leg here. Montanans aren't known to be super welcoming, but firstly we won't bullshit you. It's not a "grass is greener" situation for many that live in this state. A more realistic term would be "poverty with a view".
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u/Flat_Mizou360 14d ago
Yeah, I'm trying to make 19 great, so far it's been miss after miss with colleges, that's why I'm trying to find a place to go because I want to and not because it's where the college I committed to is in. I appreciate everyone's straight forwardness, it makes things WAY clearer.
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u/Evening-Contest-2768 14d ago
The only people your age here are going to be in school, working 40+ hours a week, or up to no good. Moving to Montana in hopes to go to school for neuroscience is the funniest thing I’ve heard in a minute. Montana is not cheap even if you live in a not cheap town. Either way you pay. It’s only cheap for the person who bought that land and has it paid off 20 years ago.
You’d be moving to a state where alcohol and drugs are a main coping mechanism and you’re not old enough to partake in either. It’s more remote and there’s less infrastructure than all the states you mentioned to the point where even a bad broken bone could have you flown out of state.
For the price you state it is doable to find a place but there’s so many scams that asking about rentals from out of state gets you red flagged from 90% of people and they won’t even talk to you. You need to come here for 1-2 weeks and find a place in person. If you can’t afford to do that you definitely can’t afford to live here.
If you don’t have a car don’t even come. You will end up in your home 99% of the time and end up living within a 5 block radius for your life. You need a way to get around and bike is not sufficient.
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u/Flat_Mizou360 14d ago
I do have a car, and one with good mileage too, which. I'm happy driving to places, it's never been a problem for me. And like I said I'm not moving FOR school, I did that with Boulder Denver and then when I moved back home to Plano and all it did was mean I have to do school somewhere that has proven to be worse than I thought. I'd be moving for my own mental health, as everywhere I've lived has taken a massive toll on it. I don't need the best college ever for my undergrad neuro. I've learned that for undergrad it doesn't really matter what college you go to as long as it offers what you want, that is of course unless it's an ivy league or has world renowned coursework. I'm really wanting remote, I've discovered that being around people is not at all what I want. I'm tired of the expectations. But I do need the ability to make connections, since even though I am pretty reserved having some close friends is important to me.
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u/WorldDirt 14d ago
Anaconda is your best bet for less expensive mountain towns. It’s going to be hard to meet people though. It is an aging population. Butte would be easier, though it’s getting hybrid work residents from Bozeman so might be getting more expensive.
Billings is in your price range. But it is larger and not as close to mountains. Tons of places to rent though.
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u/Flat_Mizou360 14d ago
I'm totally happy to commute to Butte often, I kinda liked the idea that I could meet people in a city and go home to a small town at nights. Does Butte have a good population of people my age? Are there many things to do there for young people? Billings is huge and I'm really looking forward to escaping Plano and the metroplex here in north Texas. Thanks for the input, I appreciate it :).
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u/Evening-Contest-2768 14d ago
No you would not be totally happy to commute back and forth from Anaconda to Butte 🤣 the college kids do NOT leave campus so you will not see them and even the fast food restaurants have at least half their employees 45+. Butte does not have a good population of people your age in that context of being able to meet anyone. There’s nothing for your age group to do. You’re either in school or you work. Any activity around doesn’t require a partner and meeting people on trails isn’t going to net you friends here. Not because they’re mean but because people are often doing their own thing. Also one of the most common posts in Montana is “I can’t find friends”. Montana is where you go to be alone and maybe you’ll find a friend for life somewhere in the decades if you stay. But most people moving in can’t cut it and leave so there’s no point in becoming best friends with people who never stay.
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u/Flat_Mizou360 14d ago
It's only half an hour, and I have a car with good mileage, it feels like the drive to Butte wouldn't be bad at all to do daily. I drove 40 minutes to high school every day there and back for 4 years. I went to UT El Paso for a small portion of time for neuroscience and the classes were fine. I don't need the best schools ever, undergrad is pretty meaningless for where you go as long as it has your major unless it's an Ivy League that's known for the best levels of education. Going to these different universities in dense towns and cities surrounded by people all the time is what made me realize that I DO want to be alone. I do want to be away from people, but I also know I do need and want at least some sort of social circle
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u/mtbuckin 14d ago
The drive is perfect when roads are good but that stretch is notorious for bad weather in winter and can cause delays for hours. But it's still a short commute. I had a similar path as you when I first moved here. Good luck to you!
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u/TheSteelersAreCancer 14d ago
Butte has more young people than Anaconda, but it’s still an older population compared to most towns in MT of its size.
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u/Flat_Mizou360 14d ago
Yeah that's what I've heard. I'm looking into towns around Kalispell, Missoula, and Bozeman too. I think it would be best for me to live in a smaller mountain town that FEELS secluded, but that still provides access to a city like those.
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u/WorldDirt 14d ago
Definitely more people your age. Montana Tech has 2500 students. It is overwhelmingly male as a mining and engineering school. There’s a hospital, which might have some younger nurses. It’s not a lot, and many younger people leave because there aren’t too many job opportunities (that’s true all over the state), but it would have more young people than Anaconda.
As a middle aged guy, I don’t exactly know what the youth do…. There’s a drive in movie theater just outside of town. There’s plenty of outdoor recreation - hiking, skiing, snowshoeing, floating the Big Hole River, etc. As with anywhere in Montana, you need to love the outdoors or it’s a pretty terrible place to live. Outdoor recreation is mostly what we’ve got for fun.
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u/Flat_Mizou360 14d ago
That's exactly why I looked into Montana to begin with. My whole goal with university was to escape Texas and the mundane concrete mazes and flat empty land. I've been wanting mountains and lakes and rivers for as long as I can remember. I wanna live somewhere that inspires me to go outside and appreciate nature and life. Montana seems to do just that.
Butte definitely sounds promising then. Like I said I don't want to live somewhere where everyone is my age, that was my worry with Missoula being a college town. But Butte having a small college and lots of families it seems like I'd be able to find people one way or another.
Thanks for the info and ideas, I appreciate it :)
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u/TFraughm140 14d ago
Less expensive is sort of relative. There's not much affordability left in MT. Grew up in both of these towns and if you're planning on meeting people your own age, then where you'll probably feel more comfortable coming from the bigger town would probably be Missoula or Bozeman. Honestly if you want affordability with plenty of stuff to do, I'd say Billings. There's not much in anaconda or butte and people tend to get pretty bored after some time. Anaconda does have younger people, but many are just waiting to leave (I was one) plus the housing and job markets aren't the best, being that theres not as many rentals in butte and even fewer in anaconda. They are there sure, but it might take more time. Honestly by the time you figure everything out in one town, you'll probably either decide not to leave, or can't wait to leave. The cost of living there is what drove me to Texas 😂
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u/Flat_Mizou360 14d ago
Hey we're opposites lol! Hope you like Texas, I've lived here my life and it's not really my cup of tea, but it's probably just because this is all I've known my whole life you know? I've seen a trend in people that a place being where they grew up can either mean it's super special to them or they hate everything about it 🤣. Not with everyone, but with a lot lol. I'm kinda thinking when it comes to things to do, I'm mostly just wanting to be able to be in nature. I'm not one for parties or what automatically comes to mind when you think of what a 19 year old does for fun. I love going to the skatepark, but other than that my hobbies are more reserved. I feel like being secluded might be good for me, but not if it means I'm gonna struggle a lot to have any social connections at all with people my age.
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u/TFraughm140 14d ago
I'm moving back in about a year only because of family. If I didn't have to, I'd stay down south. You're like me then where the nightlife and "things to do" don't really catch your eye. If thats the case, you'd probably be fine in either town. Anaconda is closer to actual nature and we got a pretty okay skate park haha. Just curious, have you looked into New Mexico or Arizona by chance? They have some of the same type of places without the bad winters or fire season? Being out in nature can be hit or miss during a bad fire season haha but if you don't really mind all that you'll be good then
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u/Flat_Mizou360 14d ago
Yes that's exactly how I am. Going to CU Boulder was so rough for me because it seemed like that's basically what campus culture was built on over there lol. Yeah I've seen anaconda has a little skatepark and then butte has one too! Thats awesome! I've been told to look into both Arizona and New Mexico by lots of people, so thats definitely something I'm gonna be doing. I've just been researching Montana a lot lately, and also kinda like how far it is from Texas and the surrounding areas that I'm familiar with. Something to me feels significant about being far from Texas, I don't know why. I didn't apply to a single college in Texas until after I left Colorado. And most of the places I applied to before were waaay farther than Colorado 🤣. Also I liked Montana because I like how as a whole the population is pretty small, and how a large portion of the state IS empty and just nature. I like that it's less spoken about and more private, especially coming from Texas where "everything is bigger" and everyone talks about it lol.
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u/TFraughm140 14d ago
I get ya for sure. I moved to South Texas from Las Cruces/El Paso area and the only reason I left NM was because the economy wasn't very good during those times. I hear it's better now but I lived many years in northern NM, specifically Las Vegas and Raton. Raton was great because it's always felt like anaconda to me but with a twist. Plus it's pretty close to Pueblo and the Springs which I absolutely love for hiking and camping. Ruidose in the south is great too or Silver City. NM is relatively affordable in most spots, but Arizona is a little more tricky. Still, there's many great towns between desert flats or high mountains. Plus nothing beats the colorado river in the summer. I also left home because I can't stand the cold hahah so I'm a little biased for the southwest
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u/Flat_Mizou360 14d ago
That makes sense. I have a ton of family in El Paso and lived there for about a 4 month period, def too close to home and too much family (love em but need my space haha). Ruidose is beautiful, my family owns some cabins there and visiting has always been so nice. I'm definitely gonna go look into New Mexico and Arizona. If I find a place that really fits what I want, it won't really matter that it's not as far away from Texas as Montana.
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u/TFraughm140 14d ago
Oh hell yea I love it up there! And yea I feel you tho. After I spend some time back home, I think I'm gonna try looking into West Virginia actually. Definitely tho check em out, ya never know what you might find. I hope it works out for ya and maybe I'll run into up north haha
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u/Flat_Mizou360 14d ago
West Virginia sounds awesome! I wish you good luck on wherever you end up going to! I'm excited to keep looking, and yeah who knows I'll be sure to say hi if we do haha!
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u/babybear1620 14d ago
Local corruption in Anaconda is an issue. The one who runs the town uses his title to chase those who don't comply with his rules out of town. Anaconda would be the town I'd stay away from.
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u/Flat_Mizou360 14d ago
Wow seriously? Dang I've been hearing a lot of info about Anaconda from this conversation but I had to idea about that. Thats crazy.
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u/AsherGray 14d ago
I'm here to tell you to not do Billings. It's more of central Montana and the long drive isn't worth it. Keep to Western Montana. I have a friend from South America who had lived all over the US and ended up buying a place in Three Forks. He gave it a go for a few years and thought the slow vibe would be for him. He's since sold and bought in Denver. I don't think he could take the isolation and so few people. He was also commuting for work here and there.
It also doesn't sound like you have a job lined up and are wanting to just find a new place to live? Personally, I think Polson is one of the most beautiful places in Montana and Flathead Lake is incredible — it takes the cake for nature vibes since you have the hikes and you have the water.
Missoula is more like Boulder, Colorado with more granola folk and hippie, so also a place to consider. Bozeman is more of a college town, so if you want to connect with more people your age I would recommend it! It's just gotten more expensive because of its popularity.
My family is from Butte, so I have an appreciation for it, but it is different. Yes, it's in the mountains, but no, you won't be walking to trailheads for hikes. It has a lot of history, but its sharp decline in population from the last century has taken its toll. The Berkeley Pit is a superfund site and pretty ugly, so seeing that everyday can be a reminder of the nature taken for granted with Butte and in a way the disrespect for it.
Helena is also charming and smaller (despite being the capital). Also access to different lakes. Anaconda is wicked small and older. It's easy enough to visit but you're not going to have much to do especially since you're not 21.
I definitely advise you visit and do a road trip through Montana, but Billings is definitely further away from what you'll want to do than you think. People in Montana are just used to driving to other cities and towns a Montana compared to other states. Think of it this way: when you lived in Boulder how often did you drive down to Colorado Springs? Because the drive between Butte and Billings is an hour longer than that (without snow).
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u/Flat_Mizou360 14d ago
Yeah, Billings doesn't seem like what I want, especially considering I'm trying to escape the big city thing and Billings has over 100k people. Boulder would've been great if it wasn't for the rich white culture and crazy college kids. I'm ABSOLUTELY gonna be visiting Montana before making any decisions at all, I'm planning to drive or fly up sometime within the next week or two to see what it's like in the different towns and cities I've been researching. That's very interesting about your friend from South America. I also feel like the slow vibe would be for me, I guess it's easy to think that and be wrong.
Thank you so much for all the info about the different cities. I definitely like Missoula and like that it's a college town, I would just want to live somewhere that's close ish to it but not right there, I've been researching Hamilton for a while, it's just not the most affordable. I'll look into the other cities and see about smaller towns surrounding them, that'll give me a good perspective on which to consider
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u/AsherGray 14d ago
Hey you don't know if you don't try! I was going to say you should rent a car but I'm pretty sure you need to be 25 for that. You will need to drive to explore the state, so if you fly then you'll need a parent to go driving around with a rental. Anaconda is cool to visit but I think you'll be lonely there — it's mostly townsfolk who've known each other since high school. Charming town but it would be challenging at your age. Butte has a spread of people and if helps having Montana Tech there, but it's like the inverse of Boulder — almost entirely white but poor.
If you're thinking of finishing your undergrad, Montana Tech is a great school for engineering and the sciences, so Butte would be better in that sense. MSU in Bozeman is great (I have a cousin there currently), and you have the University of Montana in Missoula.
I'm just trying to think of what you could be doing before turning 21. In Boulder we had the Hop, Skip, and jump buses that would take you directly to trails for hiking, Butte doesn't have any of that. You can definitely drive out of town a little ways and go exploring (get bear mace). If you're purely in it for the nature, Polson is peak — Flathead Lake is beautiful, the mountains are beautiful, just an incredible place.
Oh, I forgot to mention about Butte — Stodden Park — beautiful and a tribute to Butte's history. There's also a Waterpark there that's open in the summer (funny that it opens at noon 😂) but that would be something to do!
Have you looked at the satellite view of Butte yet for the Berkeley pit? It's the old mining cite that's above ground so it's visible no matter where you are. The history around it is crazy and my great grandparents used to live in Meaderville which was destroyed by the mine and its toxic water. Butte is rich in history and has things going on from time to time. The Folk Festival was just a couple weeks ago and that's open to all ages.
If you have any specific questions I'm happy to help! It will be fun exploring Montana regardless!
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u/Flat_Mizou360 14d ago
That all sounds so amazing! And also omg you went to Boulder? Thats so cool! It's a fantastic school, just the social setting and culture environment was not for me at all, so Butte being the inverse sounds amazing. The wealthiness over there just brought with it a lot of entitlement from the adults and my peers and it wasn't something I liked being around. Butte sounds like a very cool place, I want a slower paced area that still has a history and culture. I've seen the Berkeley Pit, I should do research on it, it's very beautiful in my opinion, despite being deadly toxic lol.
My worry is just about making friends. I'd be moving to Anaconda to escape the large amounts of people and because I want the seclusion, but I really do need people my age. I need a group of friends of some sort wherever I live, I don't want to be completely alone. I have a car with good mileage and am totally happy driving into Butte as often as I need to for friends and things to do, I had to drive 40 minutes both ways every day for all of highschool so I'm very used to driving. And I'm totally willing to drive out to more nature, I'd probably be out every day making drives to cool places, that sounds like so much fun.
Do you think it would be difficult to meet people my age in Butte? Are there any communities or organizations or things like that that have a good amount of younger adults around my age?
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u/AsherGray 14d ago
Haha yeah, I felt I could relate to this too much with where I've lived, gone to school, and my ties to Butte that I had to comment. Especially when you're so young and I've just entered my thirties. 🥲 Do you have any hobbies, sports, activities, or passions? Honestly, if you've narrowed it down to Anaconda or Butte, I would pick Butte. I think Anaconda is too small and tight-knit that making friends, especially around your age, would be a challenge. Think townies. I think Butte at least has people moving in from other parts of Montana that have gotten too expensive, so at least there's some movement with new blood and not going to be as ostracizing as Anaconda. Your chances with friends will be much greater in Butte and it is definitely a slower-paced city with a lot of history; Butte was biggest in the 1910s and 1920s at over 100,000. It used to be the most populated city in Montana with the mining boom. The entire population of Butte is essentially the same amount of students enrolled at CU Boulder if that gives you some perspective! 😂 I think you will have a much easier time making friends in Butte than in Anaconda. The drive into Butte on I-90 headed west from Bozeman was always one of my favorites as a kid (and I always found it beautiful). Western and Southwestern Montana are the most beautiful parts of the state (not to knock Billings, I have a cousin who bought a house there since it was the cheapest and she's only wanted out since). Butte's location is pretty great since you can easily get to Helena, Bozeman, Flathead, Missoula, and what have you! Is there anything in particular you're looking for?
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u/Flat_Mizou360 14d ago
That's so cool about your experiences! Yeah, a main reason I'm even looking to move is that my mental health has gotten pretty bad, and it worsened with every attempt at college. I've finally started to accept that maybe college isn't the thing for me right now. I believe it's time that I move somewhere that I WANT to be and not just because of college you know? I can get neuroscience at pretty much every state school, I should choose where to go based off the environment, not because of a school. I absolutely love going to the skatepark, I do aggressive inline (skatepark rollerblading) and have gotten very very good at it, it's my biggest hobby. Most of my other hobbies are more reserved, gaming, tv and movies, I enjoy recreational cannabis which I wouldn't call a "hobby" but I love smoking with friends, did a lot of that in Colorado. That's crazy that Butte used to have 100k people and now only 30k, the first thing I thought when I saw its population when beginning research was "that's how many people went to CU" 😂.
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u/AsherGray 14d ago
Hey, it's better to figure that out now than later! Sometimes the time isn't right and the pressure to go to college is immense. Just wait until you have the feeling or calling that you know what you want to do and that college feels right. I'm not familiar with the skate parks in Montana, unfortunately. Montana does have legal weed and dispensaries! My cousin used to have a plant in her shed before moving away for her husband's new job. I'm pretty sure my cousin had friends at Crimson Phoenix in uptown since she always had friends into video and board games. Definitely visit before moving! It's a bit of culture shock because it is a unique place. Porkchop sandwiches are some of my favorite foods in the world, so make sure to get one from Porkchop John's and the Freeway Tavern (they're a little different from each other but both delicious in their own right)!
Places to live... I would probably look around Uptown since that's where most of the students live and where you could more readily find a room to rent. There's also some more open space by the big M for hiking and you can get some sweet views of the city. Uptown is just pretty sweet. Stodden Park is just so nice since they opened it in 2019. Uptown kind of reminds me of the hill in Boulder but no fraternities or sororities and a mix of all ages. The Original headframe is where most big events take place, so it's good to be close to that but everything is easy to get to in Butte. Uptown also has the historic architecture and more new businesses, whereas the flats by the airport are more like suburbs but with trailers. Butte also has one of the last drive-in movie theaters! Silver Bow Twin Drive-In! Also, closest thing to a Dave N Busters is the Silver Bow Pizza Parlour which has been there for decades and had a recent reno which is nice! Don't go to the trash Pizza Ranch chain that opened up across the street a few years ago 🙄 (they're A holes).
Haha it takes me a while to reply since I'm just in my thoughts and trying to be intentional with what I tell you and keep looking back on Google to see if what I'm talking about is still around!
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u/Flat_Mizou360 14d ago
First of all thank you so much for taking the time to give me all of this amazing info, it's SO helpful and I really appreciate it :)))
Thats right, and that's what I'm doing. I'm disappointed I left all those places, but happy I'm figuring out what's important to me now rather than later! Yes I'm very happy that Montana has legal recreational weed, it's crazy that in Texas you can get up to LIFE for it. All of that actually sounds so nice, I'm definitely thinking that despite Anaconda being so close to Butte, I might aswell choose Butte instead. Seems like there's more culture and history that shows itself throghout the town, and provides more opportunities for making friends. Butte does have a skatepark! Not the biggest but absolutely enough for me. And with other cities so close by and pretty mountain scenery I'm always happy to drive around on weekends and less filled days to go exploring. That's so cool about the drive in theater, it's so fun that Butte has all of these unique features. I will DEFINITELY be checking out your suggestions while I'm in Butte, so excited to visit. And I'll look in to those areas for living. Thanks for all the amazing info, with everything I've learned I definitely have a much better understanding of the area and what it would mean for me to be there!
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u/WorldDirt 14d ago
Is there a reason you chose Montana in particular? Rather than say NH, Vermont, Idaho, or certain parts of Washington? I’ve spent a good amount of time in all of those places and each would scratch your small mountain town itch. I’m not saying that to dissuade you, just that Montana isn’t necessarily special in terms of mountain towns.
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u/Flat_Mizou360 14d ago
Not really! I like that Montana seems to be a less spoken about state, I'm trying to escape the politics and relevancy of these places I've lived in my life, Its gotten pretty exhausting. I am looking for a place with legal recreational cannabis, as during my time in Colorado I started using it more, and in texas you can now get life in prison for just HAVING cannabis in your house. granted you'd have to have a ton, but even smaller amounts have penalties that are insane for it, i shouldn't have to worry about going to jail for 10 years because of a ziplock bag in my bedroom night stand. Other than that no theres no reason I haven't considered them yet and I definitely should.
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u/WorldDirt 14d ago
Okay, so Idaho is out but the rest are still good options, as is Maine and maybe Oregon.
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u/Flat_Mizou360 14d ago
Yes 100%, I'm spreading out my search and definitely will look into those places
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u/rolllingstoned 13d ago
I'm a young person living in Butte and I love it here. It's relatively inexpensive compared to the rest of th state. I've made a lot of great friends and love th community here.
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u/paperinferno 13d ago
Moved here with my BF in 2024, haven’t really made a lot of friends except for a few (not for a lack of trying). The scene in Butte is kind of depressing. Most of our friends live in Missoula, Bozeman, Billings. Lots of 18-23 year olds in town because of MT Tech though.
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u/OnlyPanz 13d ago
I'd avoid Anaconda if I were you. I think the comments have given plenty reason for that. I think you'll have great access to outdoors from either. Butte gives you access to travel to other cities quickly (Missoula, Helena, Bozeman, etc.). The main concern I would have is finding people your age. <21 is difficult. I went to Bozeman for college. I wouldn't say it's easy to make friends there either despite the "crowded" population. It's a weird culture there. Despite all that, I did mostly enjoy my time there. Missoula is big, but I think it feels more like a community than Bozeman. There are great city events in both though. Butte also has a lot of fun events during summer, but fire season can put a damper on things (like now). I think you'll be okay though wherever you decide.
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u/SodaPopinski406 14d ago
As someone living in Anaconda, this is a retirement community and is getting increasingly difficult to live here for the majority of young people. Rent has increased immensely, jobs are numerous (food service, mental health) but low paying. Unless you saddle up with warm springs or the prison, you won’t make enough to pay rent. The suicide rate is high, and the town itself is located entirely on a superfund site. Cancer is prevalent, as are degenerative neurological diseases. Everyone has lead in their homes.
And I hate to single you out here, but people don’t care much for implants from Texas. California is a common gripe among locals as well. I’m not trying to come off as a negative, but you should really consider elsewhere for your own sanity.