Bozeman has been rated the best place to live in the West for skiing, and it frequently tops the lists as the best small city in the country for those seeking an outdoor lifestyle. Simply put, if you want to live in the great outdoors, and flyfish, ski, hike, mountain climb, snowshoe, mountain bike, trail run, camp, or anything else you can think of, you would be hard-pressed to find a city more perfectly suited to your tastes. It’s so outdoorsy they filmed chunks of the movie A River Runs Through It here. 

One local's note about the outdoorsy stuff in Bozeman: *When it comes to outdoorsy stuff, Bozeman is an excellent choice. Close to Bridger bowl for easy ski access, close to various mountain ranges for hiking, and close to many bodies of water for your choice of enjoyment (fishing, kayaking, etc.). I have been here for a year now and have only hiked one trail twice (I hike nearly every weekend).*

The Big Sky

The Best Thing About Bozeman?

They don’t call it Boz Angeles because they’re surfing here. They call it that because in 2018 it was rated the fastest growing city of its size in the country and a lot of that and more recent growth seems to be fancier than the rest of the state and filled with Californians and celebs. You can spot them at the cafes on Main Street all day long (anyone working here?). What’s truly problematic with the new blood is how it creates a mismatch between costs and local wages. Costs are above national average and incomes are below. That’s not completely unique to Bozeman but the problem is growing faster here (like everything else). 

Question from a local about trying to move back: *Good god, I’m looking at housing prices and I have no idea how I’d even afford to move back. I’d prefer to buy a home, but everything is so expensive. I’d be willing to rent if the prices were more reasonable.*

*I know the obvious answer is to find a good paying job and roommates, to which I say, “Got it, working on that as we speak.” But I know not everyone in Bozeman makes over $60-70k a year. So how do you it (again, besides roommates)? What things do you do to supplement your income and live comfortably?*

Boz Angeles 

The Worst Thing About Bozeman?

Downtown Bozeman is where a lot of the newcomers are moving. It has beautiful historic homes but also tons of new “high rises”. You have to pack those Californians in somewhere, am I right? There’s lots to be said for being within walking distance of the booming commercial district and multiple city parks of downtown but if you’re here something different there are options. 

Northeast Bozeman is a thriving funkier area of town with coffee shops, breweries and tons of cool new housing options. West Bozeman and South Side are two wonderful options for families looking for room to spread your wings, let the kids run wild-ish, and be much closer to the mountains and trails outside the city. 

If you want to see all there is to do in Bozeman check out the calendar of events: https://bozemanmagazine.com/events/calendar

With Growth

Lifestyle of Bozeman

We know that lots of people are bailing on their cities to go to places like Bozeman which offer a covid/post-covid respite from their old lives. They plan to work remotely and that all sounds perfect. If however, you ever choose to leave your old gig you could hardly be in a better smaller city than Bozeman for finding a new job. This place is jumping with tech and aerospace and creative enterprises. 

Also, as long as you’re living here, you might as well enjoy the 300 days of sunshine. After largely being shut in for 15+ months it is really nice to go out and get some rays. 


Jobs & Vitamin D

Why You Should Move Here Now?

Downtown Bozeman is where both young and older live if they crave being able to walk to restaurants, shopping in the local boutiques and enjoying community events in their own backyard. Plenty of new high-rises have gone up (too many for some locals taste) that are housing young professionals and some empty nesters looking for a more active lifestyle. The area also has historic homes if you have the “cheddar” to pay for them. And some of the most beautiful parks and earliest and reputable elementary schools are here for families who also crave the experience. 
- Downtown
- Northeast Bozeman


Young Professionals

Downtown

The south side of Bozeman has always pulled in plenty of families. This location means you’re between downtown and the mountains so that is a popular location for those craving the outdoors and the commercial experiences. The area has both older family-centered  neighborhoods with big historic homes, as well as brand new subdivisions that younger families embrace for the reasonably priced homes and new amenities. 
- South Bozeman
- West Bozeman


Families

South Bozeman

Bozeman

**What's it like to live in Bozeman?**

When it comes to outdoorsy stuff, Bozeman is an excellent choice. Close to Bridger bowl for easy ski access, close to various mountain ranges for hiking, and close to many bodies of water for your choice of enjoyment (fishing, kayaking, etc.). I have been here for a year now and have only hiked one trail twice (I hike nearly every weekend).

When it comes to working in Bozeman, where you come from plays a big part. I came from a big city so I find Bozeman to be really great in terms of traffic/commuting. The townies bitch about traffic but they have no idea what real traffic is. Downtown is fun, and you can usually find parking near your destination.

Food is... well not very diverse. Burgers and Pizza are the norm. There is a half decent sushi place (Dave's sushi), decent fried chicken (Roost), and semi decent chinese (Hong Kong City). Don't expect a good mexican restaurant.

MSU is great as well. Similar to Bozeman - the campus is not diverse at all. However, the faculty and staff are very welcoming and students do well. Parking is abysmal at the university.

Cost of living in Bozeman is high considering the inordinate amount of money required for rent. Additionally, if you have pets then you are screwed in the affordable housing market. Very few apartments allow pets and if they do, they'll charge you a ridiculous sum for "pet rent". I opted out of living in Bozeman and I chose to commute from Belgrade (10 miles down the highway). Totally worth it since I could find affordable living and the commute isn't bad at all (20 minutes to get to MSU).

Winter driving is precarious given the fact that Bozeman doesn't plow very much at all. Expect Icy roads and white out conditions some days. However, a good pair of snow tires can fix all of this (or not driving like an ass hat).

**What's it like to live in Bozeman?**

Jeez, there sure seems to be a bunch of negativity in this thread. I suppose it’s all relative— I’m from a tiny town in the Midwest and have been in Bozeman for about a year and half, and I find this place to be a rad place to live. As many before me stated, most folks seem very friendly, the outdoor activities/opportunities are nearly overwhelming, and I find it to be a great halfway point between a town and a city. Yeah, rent’s going up, but that’s to be expected. Before I moved here I was told Bozeman would blow up, and it has, I think some people are just so hesitant to accept that.

**Moving to Bozeman, what to Expect [MOD MEGATHREAD]**

Yeah so cost of living vs wage has a huge gap; if you work in town, you'd be lucky to make enough to live on your own or with a partner. I'm not sure the average, but I see starting wages for places like fast food and grocery stores at a measly $12-14/hr. Some places offer less but try to offer other incentives. The average cost of a single room is often $600-$700/month, sometimes more, and that's with 2-4 other people. Pet rent is more and more common, with an average of $50-$100/month per pet! If you're moving here from out of state and work from home (so don't need a local job) you seem to be better off (but unfortunately are unintentionally contributing to the housing crisis we're experiencing). Also, it's more and more common for home-owners to want to sell thier rentals right now, to make lots of profit in the booming market, which means as a renter, you could be scrambling to find a new place within as little as a month (though hopefully you would get more time).

If you want to buy (please don't, unless you plan to rent out to locals long term), the new median cost for a single family home is over 600k. And they're still being sold way over asking price, site unseen, regardless of repairs/issues.

And if you're from somewhere warm, and haven't experienced a real winter, then you're in for a treat. Bozeman gets a lot of snow, but it also gets a lot of sun, which I find makes for lovely winters. Lots of snow also means cold. You need warm and dry clothes, and you'll need to wear them all season. As for driving, if you do any traveling, even day-to-day cross town, you absolutely need winter tires. This is a separate set from your bald summer ones, and they need to be put on every winter and taken off every summer. All season is fine if you mostly plan to drive in town or on highway, but good luck getting up into say, Hyalite without lots of fishtailing and maybe a trip to the ditch. Good tires, coupled with an All-wheel or 4-wheel drive vehicle, is your ticket to success. You WILL slide out dangerously at least once if you try to drive in slippery snow in rear wheel drive and/or summer tires. Choose wisely.

You'll almost certainly end up in Belgrade if you're not one of them "problem makers" who can afford 700k for a house here in town, because they are marginally more affordable over there. But then you have to live in Belgrade. Which is booming with overflow from people who can't afford to live directly in Bozeman, but still drive 15-30 minutes one way to work each day, and is very quickly becoming just as popular and expensive.

**What is it like to live in Bozeman, MT?**

Truth being told it all matters what you are looking for. I moved to Bozeman over 4 years ago. I had a contract that ended and took off. I wanted the beauty Bozeman had to offer. I had never been here (or anywhere west of Indiana) and decided to see what it was like. It is a town with amazing views. I have lived in Buffalo NY, Michigan and Ohio before this. I wanted to slow down. Less stress that places like Detroit bring. It is a great atmosphere. People here go out of their way to help you when needed and they never ask for anything in return. Trust me being in Detroit, people always want something in return. I guess my advice is if you are looking to slow down from the big city environment come here. People who love places like Chicago or San Francisco probably won’t like it. I love it here. I moved here about 10 years after I got divorced and never had truly found a home (moved about 20 times in 10 years) and I finally have. I would definitely recommend moving here but my past is different then yours so it is a decision only you can decide.

**Pros & Cons of Living in Bozeman Montana | Moving to Bozeman MT**

Are you thinking about moving to Bozeman Montana? Let’s explore Bozeman Montana today!
In today's video I am going to be telling you about all the pros & cons of living in Bozeman Montana, so you can decide for yourself if Bozeman Montana is the right place for you! Bozeman MT Homes are one of a kind so don't miss today's video!
There are plenty of reasons to move to Bozeman Montana. The scenery is stunning, the people are friendly and there are plenty of things to do. However, there are also a few things to consider before making the move. Here are some pros and cons of living in Bozeman Montana.
Pro: The scenery is absolutely stunning. Bozeman Montana is nestled in the Rocky Mountains, so you’ll have access to some of the most beautiful scenery in the country.
Con: The winters can be very cold and long. Bozeman Montana gets an average of six feet of snow each winter, so be prepared for some frigid temperatures.

Bozeman, Montana

A River Runs Through It.

Looklyloo Score: 87

We're on it!