Why Billings, Montana, Is the Best Town of 2016 [video] • Hacker News Board

Re: Why Billings, Montana, Is the Best Town of 2016 [video]

#21

Post by ghaff » Thu, Sep 08, 2016, 1:52 PM UTC

mstade wrote: post #13

That video didn't have a single person that wasn't white and young adult/middle aged. Maybe the hat guy is older, but still – diversity didn't seem a priority in the list of features. Maybe that's entirely representative of the demographics, just found it striking.

I'm not sure about age. My anecdata is that I know a reasonable number of people who have moved to, more or less, "the mountains" when they've retired--for at least part of the year.

But based on my observations hiking, skiing, etc., the participants in those activities in much of the US are pretty overwhelmingly white, as are the long-time population of cities in the Mountain West.

Re: Why Billings, Montana, Is the Best Town of 2016 [video]

#22

Post by scapecast » Thu, Sep 08, 2016, 1:53 PM UTC

seanmcdirmid wrote: post #18

JustSomeNobody wrote: post #3

How's the tech industry?

If you want mountain views, your best bet might be more urban Salt Lake City or Boise.

And you could actually add Tahoe/Reno, Portland and Bend, OR to that list as well. And of course Boulder, CO

Re: Why Billings, Montana, Is the Best Town of 2016 [video]

#23

Post by rb808 » Thu, Sep 08, 2016, 1:56 PM UTC

ianleeclark wrote: post #14

It always seems like I'm one of the few in my age cohort (~24), but I'd rather work in Montana than SV/NYC any day. It feels like everyone just wants to be downtown to some major city, but I just want a respectable house on 1/2 acres with mountain views and snow every winter.

You can easily commute to NYC from Jersey. :)

Re: Why Billings, Montana, Is the Best Town of 2016 [video]

#24

Post by bryanlarsen » Thu, Sep 08, 2016, 2:06 PM UTC

ianleeclark wrote: post #14

It always seems like I'm one of the few in my age cohort (~24), but I'd rather work in Montana than SV/NYC any day. It feels like everyone just wants to be downtown to some major city, but I just want a respectable house on 1/2 acres with mountain views and snow every winter.

Sunshine every day is the reason by a couple of my friends for moving back home.

Re: Why Billings, Montana, Is the Best Town of 2016 [video]

#25

Post by cossatot » Thu, Sep 08, 2016, 2:11 PM UTC

agentgt wrote: post #7

I can't properly describe the cultural phenomenon but there is a sort of intelligent/privileged/rich get-out-there demographic that has been on a steady incline for some time causing gentrification of many rural areas. Sort of a cross between totally-stoked-Mountain-Dew-guys + farm-to-table-vegan-tatooed-hipster + do-not-really-have-to-worry-about-money + love-ridiculously-over-hoppy-ipas + own-four-bikes + sustainab…

Rural America is, on the whole, losing population [1], and having the sorts of groups you're lumping move in (for either "hipster farming" or outdoor recreation reasons) provides socioeconomic diversification and robustness to many rural areas that would otherwise be in decline as family farms and natural resource extraction become less profitable.

[1]: http://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2016-june/five-years-of-...

Re: Why Billings, Montana, Is the Best Town of 2016 [video]

#26

Post by timmaah » Thu, Sep 08, 2016, 2:13 PM UTC

ghaff wrote: post #19

timmaah wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure about the not having to worry about money portion, but I agree with the rest. It seems to be the 90's adventure sports crowd "settling" down and enjoying family life.

I'm not sure it's so much the adventure sports crowd who, as you say, probably don't overlap so much with the not worrying about money crowd. Though maybe that's part of it. Instead, I think it's more the outdoor lifestyle, decent restaurants, at least a modicum of culture, maybe not retired-at-40 but comfortable financially. Especially if they're willing to trade the offerings of larger urban centers for a more laid…

I concur. I guess I mean "adventure sports crowd" in terms of kids of baby boomers who grew up with the opportunity to hike, mountain bike, ski, etc.. often.

Re: Why Billings, Montana, Is the Best Town of 2016 [video]

#27

Post by _nullandnull_ » Thu, Sep 08, 2016, 2:14 PM UTC

scapecast wrote: post #22

seanmcdirmid wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you want mountain views, your best bet might be more urban Salt Lake City or Boise.

And you could actually add Tahoe/Reno, Portland and Bend, OR to that list as well. And of course Boulder, CO

Boulder, Co is no longer affordable. Most likely the reason it is no longer on this list. The average house price is $668,000 and the average rent $2,600. I used to pay the same in rent while living on Wall Street in NYC for a one bedroom corner unit apartment.

Re: Why Billings, Montana, Is the Best Town of 2016 [video]

#28

Post by nmcfarl » Thu, Sep 08, 2016, 2:15 PM UTC

dboreham wrote: post #6

Every time I drive through Billings I wish they didn't have several oil refineries in town. Given the choice, I'd always pick a town that did not host major industrial sites. Source: https://www.google.com/maps/search/billings+oil+refineries/@... (this query doesn't pick up the refinery in Laurel, just to the West of Billings).

This was also my first thought as well. A truly beautiful place ruined, visually, by the refineries.

Of course jobs are nice to have as well, and certainly more important than views to the locals.

Re: Why Billings, Montana, Is the Best Town of 2016 [video]

#29

Post by timmaah » Thu, Sep 08, 2016, 2:17 PM UTC

cossatot wrote: post #25

agentgt wrote: post #7

I can't properly describe the cultural phenomenon but there is a sort of intelligent/privileged/rich get-out-there demographic that has been on a steady incline for some time causing gentrification of many rural areas. Sort of a cross between totally-stoked-Mountain-Dew-guys + farm-to-table-vegan-tatooed-hipster + do-not-really-have-to-worry-about-money + love-ridiculously-over-hoppy-ipas + own-four-bikes + sustainab…

Rural America is, on the whole, losing population [1], and having the sorts of groups you're lumping move in (for either "hipster farming" or outdoor recreation reasons) provides socioeconomic diversification and robustness to many rural areas that would otherwise be in decline as family farms and natural resource extraction become less profitable. [1]: http://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2016-june/five-years-of-...

Any area of rural america that I have observed as doing ok/well for themselves seems to have a strong outdoor recreation/beautiful scenery in or right near town. Mountains; bodies of water; national parks.. I think these areas are going to keep growing but plenty of other towns that don't have much of this draw are dead/dying.

Re: Why Billings, Montana, Is the Best Town of 2016 [video]

#30

Post by Xcelerate » Thu, Sep 08, 2016, 2:18 PM UTC

ianleeclark wrote: post #14

It always seems like I'm one of the few in my age cohort (~24), but I'd rather work in Montana than SV/NYC any day. It feels like everyone just wants to be downtown to some major city, but I just want a respectable house on 1/2 acres with mountain views and snow every winter.

I think downtown in a major city would be fun for a few years while building up the start of a career, then switch to somewhere like Chattanooga or Asheville and get a comfy house somewhere in the mountains (small cities but not rural). I think my problem is that I like constant novelty. I'm not sure any location is "best" for me — I seem to want different scenery every few years.