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

It seems Outside magazine propelled itself from obscurity by driving traffic to its site with population contests through Facebook. People tend to vote familiarity, so the larger metro area of the two tends to win. The exceptions are the tourist towns that have regional pull. I'm impressed this method continues to work.

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

#5

Post by dboreham » Thu, Sep 08, 2016, 12:23 PM UTC

JustSomeNobody wrote: post #3

How's the tech industry?

The tech industry is in Bozeman (140 miles to the West).

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

#6

Post by dboreham » Thu, Sep 08, 2016, 12:30 PM UTC

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).

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

#7

Post by agentgt » Thu, Sep 08, 2016, 12:57 PM UTC

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 + sustainable-forever + into-outdoor-shaming-others [1].

I'm not that knowledgeable on demographic groupings but I think you know the type. Yes stereotypes are dangerous and I hope I don't offend anyone.

EDIT: btw to be clear I don't have any problem with above mentioned traits (as I'm not far from it myself). IMO I prefer it to the rural stereotypes I grew up with which is toting guns and killing animals for sport (which again sadly I don't actually have strong feeling against either). However I do hate IPA beers. The over hoppy beers have to stop (I'm stout, porter guy).

Also if you are looking for a similar city to Billings I just recently visited Flagstaff Arizona. Flagstaff is pretty darn cool.

[1]: https://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2008/01/20/9-making-you-fee...

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

#8

Post by ratacat » Thu, Sep 08, 2016, 1:05 PM UTC

It's tricky stuff. Other people often appear more two dimensional on the surface. it takes spending time with someone to see their depth.

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

#9

Post by falcolas » Thu, Sep 08, 2016, 1:09 PM UTC

dboreham wrote: post #5

JustSomeNobody wrote: post #3

How's the tech industry?

The tech industry is in Bozeman (140 miles to the West).

Yup. Though Missoula (another 180 miles west) is getting big pretty quickly (including a Y-Combinator company), as is Helena (about 90 miles north-west of Bozeman).

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

#10

Post by andrewvijay » Thu, Sep 08, 2016, 1:12 PM UTC

What about crime rate and stuff like that. For some reason I feel that the town is almost 100% white.