Bozeman, Montana is consistently named one of the best places in the US to call home. Located in southwest Montana, Bozeman is wrapped in the cloak of the Bridger Mountains and Gallatin Range, with endless opportunities for outdoor recreation and all the wide-open space you could ask for. There are many great reasons to move to this mountain town, so if you’re thinking about moving to Bozeman, here’s some helpful information about your soon-to-be home.

1. Community

The population of Bozeman, Montana, is now around 49,000 residents, and it’s the fastest growing city of its size in the United States. Yet with all this growth, people still wave to each other as they pass by, a hometown salute that is very important to the locals. Bozeman is a modern-day melting pot where one can see vintage pickup trucks and Audis ride side by side. Patagonia and little black dresses pass each other downtown. Farms and fitness centers are property neighbors.

Bozeman has held onto its small-town sense of community as it has grown, and it has a huge number of nonprofits for its population size. A great way to get involved and shape the community in Bozeman is through volunteering at an organization that does local work, such as: the Gallatin Valley Food Bank, Heart of the Valley Animal Shelter, Thrive, Cancer Support Community Montana, and more. Bozeman cares for its people, and people care for their Bozeman.

2. Real Estate and Job Market

With the population growth, Bozeman real estate has gotten quite competitive. From 2019 to 2020, the median cost for buying a home within city limits has gone up by around $35,000. Bozeman housing has always been in demand, especially because university housing limits housing flexibility for employees and students. The median price for a family home in Bozeman is around $500,000, but if the price is too high in the city you can always look at renting or buying a place in surrounding cities and towns, such as Three Forks, Manhattan, Belgrade, or Livingston. It’s a short commute and traffic is always light.

For many, the Bozeman job market balances out the housing market. There are many job options in Bozeman, ranging from medicine to ranching and everything in between. Bozeman is also home to big tech companies— such as Schedulicity and Quiq— that have brought in millions in investment capital and have created many jobs in the local economy.

3. Schools

Montana State University (MSU) is among the top colleges in Montana. With almost 17,000 students and growing, MSU offers a high-quality education at a good price. In-state tuition as of the 2018-2019 school year was a little over $7,000 while out-of-state tuition was about $25,000. Come fall, Bozeman turns into a college town that rallies around their gold and blue Bobcats, especially in football, where MSU has been crowned the state champs over state rivals the University of Montana in the Brawl of the Wild for the past four years.

Bozeman, Montana is not lacking as far as education goes for the K-12 grades either. Teaching spots in Bozeman schools are competitive because of the high demand to live in the Bozeman area. This in turn leads to top-notch teachers being hired and providing top-notch education and opportunities in both public schools, like Bozeman High School, and private schools, like Highland Montessori School.

4. Weather

Bozeman, MT weather; where to begin? Spring in Montana brings a promise of something new with rain and longer days; it also brings the opening of parts of Glacier National Park, in northwest Montana, and Yellowstone National Park. Summer is prime time to enjoy outdoor activities, such as fishing and hiking, because with temperatures averaging around 70 degrees, you can enjoy the outdoors all day. Falls are crisp and picturesque, and they bring with them opening day for hunting season, another activity many Montanans enjoy. Falls can be cut short because winter in Montana can range from a few months to over half a year with temperatures averaging around freezing, but winter brings new adventures such as skiing and snowshoeing. With the right clothes, snow tires, and a warm fireplace, the Montana winter is bearable and even enjoyable.

5. Travel Plans

The Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport is easily Montana’s busiest airport with over a million passengers coming through each year, and that might not seem like a lot, but keep in mind the entire state of Montana has a population of around a million people. Much of this traffic is tourism because of Bozeman’s geographic location by Yellowstone National Park, the Yellowstone Club, and Big Sky Resort. The Bozeman airport is affordable, convenient, comfortable, and a definite first choice when flying into or out of Montana. It provides non-stop flights to 21 cities in the United States, such as Denver, Seattle, Dallas, Boston, and more, and has worldwide direct connections.

Here at GoPrime Mortgage, we wish you a safe move. Welcome to Bozeman, Montana. Welcome home.