Looking at possible retirement locations - MT, ID

[Expert308]

I've been living in the Portland area ever since I finished college in 1978, but I was born in Montana and went to HS and college in Boise. In another 2 or 3 years I'm going to be ready to retire, and I want to get out of Oregon then. Or before then - the company I work for has had us all working from home since April 2020 and they've told us that will now be a permanent situation, so all I really need for work is a good internet connection. I have some work to do on my house to get it ready to sell, so I'm looking at moving about mid-2023. So now I'm trying to decide where to go. Someplace a lot smaller and calmer than Portland, a lot redder politically, and reasonably affordable.

One of the things I want to have available wherever I wind up going, is a good outdoor rifle range. So the purpose of this post is to ask people who live in a couple areas about what's available. I'm looking for at least 300 yards, and up to 500 or 600 (or beyond, though I haven't shot 1000 for a number of years now) is good. A private club or a public range are both fine. Someplace to shoot some trap would be nice too. The general areas I'm looking at currently are the NW corner of Montana (Kalispel/Whitefish/C-Falls) and the Idaho panhandle. So any NWFA members who live in those areas, please let me know what sort of shooting facilities are available near you, and what you think of them if you've used them.

Any insights on housing costs would be appreciated, too.

Thanks!

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[Camelfilter]

If your thinking you may enjoy living "out of town", you could probably find somewhere where you could shoot at distance on your property reasonably easy...

Out of town doesn't necessarily mean too far from services, just needs to be thought on a bit is all.

 

[Horatius]

If your thinking you may enjoy living "out of town", you could probably find somewhere where you could shoot at distance on your property reasonably easy...

Out of town doesn't necessarily mean too far from services, just needs to be thought on a bit is all.

And in those areas, you can have summer and winter ranges, winter range is gongs on 20' posts you can shoot out the 2nd floor window in the winter!

 

[Dungannon]

A useful site for demographic information on potential locations is

City-Data.com - Stats about all US cities - real estate, relocation info, crime, house prices, cost of living, races, home value estimator, recent sales, income, photos, schools, maps, weather, neighborhoods, and more

Once you are settled on what region that most closely matches your goals, you'll want to also tick the boxes on health care availability and taxes. In my case, remaining close to my kids and grandkids overrides all other considerations.

 

[solv3nt]

Unfortunately, you're not the only one with this plan. Idaho and the small towns of Montana have been getting flooded by Californians and NYC liberals and housing prices, when in tiny towns are sky rocketing.

 

[Expert308]

Unfortunately, you're not the only one with this plan. Idaho and the small towns of Montana have been getting flooded by Californians and NYC liberals and housing prices, when in tiny towns are sky rocketing.

Yeah, I know. That's another reason why I don't want to wait three more years.

 

[308]

I would avoid SW Idaho. We have been here for almost 4-years now and in that time I am convinced it will be completely Californicated within the next 10 years. Housing prices are stupid expensive and traffic has become pretty bad and is getting worse. My $0.02

 

[solv3nt]

I would avoid SW Idaho. We have been here for almost 4-years now and in that time I am convinced it will be completely Californicated within the next 10 years. Housing prices are stupid expensive and traffic has become pretty bad and is getting worse. My $0.02

Last I checked, the mayor of Boise is a democrat.

 

[308]

Last I checked, the mayor of Boise is a democrat.

And a Covidiot as well

 

[Expert308]

Yeah, Boise is off the list. I lived there for 5 years way back when and it was nice then, but it's not the same place at all now. I visited my brother in Nampa a year ago and could hardly believe how the whole area has changed.

 

[Nick Burkhardt]

I would avoid SW Idaho. We have been here for almost 4-years now and in that time I am convinced it will be completely Californicated within the next 10 years. Housing prices are stupid expensive and traffic has become pretty bad and is getting worse. My $0.02

What about Fruitland or Payette?

 

[joken]

If I could move, I'd look for a place adjacent to a national forest. I actually could move but I'd be alone and probably living in my camper.

 

[P7M13]

Tennessee, West Virginia, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana.
I'd look to TN first for tax reasons.

 

[40Garand]

I always dreamed of McCall but that place has sure blown up in the past 20 years.

 

[flashpan]

Maybe not in your desired location but I wish I lived close to Hellgate Rifle Club near Missoula. I don't know Missoula well but still 10x better than the I5 corridor.

HOME

Hellgate Civilian Shooting Club for practice and competition pistol and rifle for 11 different disciplines at 2 different ranges, Deep Creek and West Riverside.

www.hellgatecsa.org

 

[whiskeybill]

You really don't want to think of NW Montana. Kalispell, C-Falls and Whitefish are swamped with outta state libs and property prices are through the roof. Glacier Park nearby turns the whole area into a nut house in the summer. Ditto for Missoula and Bozeman. Bozeman natives are so fed up with COL increases they're even leaving for more affordable locales. I'm a Billings native and don't even want to move there anymore. I'm still planning and holding my cards close. I'm thinking eastern Montana, real cold winters, plenty of wind and rattlesnakes. That keeps the pilgrims at a distance.

 

[3MTA3]

Maybe not in your desired location but I wish I lived close to Hellgate Rifle Club near Missoula. I don't know Missoula well but still 10x better than the I5 corridor.

HOME

Hellgate Civilian Shooting Club for practice and competition pistol and rifle for 11 different disciplines at 2 different ranges, Deep Creek and West Riverside.

www.hellgatecsa.org

Missouls is Montana's Austin (Bozeman being it's other Austin). Just drive a stretch down the valley for actual Montana and let Missoula be your weekly shopping hub.

BTW that "shopping hub" concept is something I have used in my own searches. Identify a city that has all the stuff you want for shopping and entertainment, then live within an hour. You will never be bothered by city woes, but it's close enough for power shopping on the weekend, movies, etc.. Bonus points if it has an airport big enough for jets but small enough to easily navigate.

 

[308]

What about Fruitland or Payette?

Good question. There are properties, but we ended up buying out in BFE Oregon with no internets or mail delivery where Kate can't find us….lol

 

[Nick Burkhardt]

Good question. There are properties, but we ended up buying out in BFE Oregon with no internets or mail delivery where Kate can't find us….lol

Oregon is still Oregon. If you hold any professional license issued by the State, then the commies can make renewal subject to getting a Covid pass on your phone.

 

[308]

Oregon is still Oregon. If you hold any professional license issued by the State, then the commies can make renewal subject to getting a Covid pass on your phone.

I'm retired and my wife's sugar daddy…so not worried about the commies. But welcome their visit if they are so inclined