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Bozeman Real Estate Group
Relocating to Bozeman: Here's What You Need to Know
On Jan 31, 2025
Thinking of relocating to Bozeman, Montana? You're not the only one! Bozeman has become a top choice for people relocating to Montana. We get it, Bozeman is beautiful, has an amazing community, and the quality of life is tough to beat. However, it's not always big blue skies. Here are things to consider if you are planning on relocating to Bozeman.
The Weather
You shouldn’t relocate to Bozeman unless you like the cold weather. Yes, our summers are undeniably beautiful but you have to get through the long, cold winter months first. The first snow usually flies in October and ends somewhere around May (and an occasional summer snowstorm is not unheard of). People in Montana need to be winter-tough because things don’t shut down for cold or snow. If you are new to Bozeman, be sure to check out how to survive your first winter. Luckily there’s plenty to keep you busy during the winter months, and on those blue bird winter days, it sure is beautiful!
It's Expensive
Montana has become an expensive place to live, with Bozeman being the most expensive in the state. After a rapid increase in home prices during the Pandemic, they have remained largely unchanged for the last 3 years hovering around $750,000. It’s not just housing that is expensive in Bozeman. When housing prices started to rise other goods and services followed suit. Businesses have to pay higher wages so employees can afford to live here and that gets passed to consumers. The cost of living in Bozeman is 20% higher than the national average. If relocating to Montana is your dream, but the expense of Bozeman is too much, consider these more affordable places in the state. To see what homes cost in Bozeman currently, click here.
It's No Longer a Secret
Fifteen years ago most people had never heard of Bozeman, Montana. A fairly sleepy ski town that emptied in the summers when the MSU students left. Fast forward to 2025 and it’s a different story. The population of Bozeman has increased by nearly 20% in the last five years. That’s a lot for a town of its size! Several factors have contributed to this including people leaving urban areas during Covid, the rise in tech companies in the area, and the growing enrollment at MSU. This has caused some growing pains in the area. If you are looking for a quiet, unknown town, Bozeman is not the place! We do not anticipate the growth to slow down anytime soon.
Safety Concerns
Bozeman used to be a place where you could leave your car unlocked and feel safe walking around alone. As our population has grown there has naturally been an increase in crime. According to the Bozeman Police Annual Report, there are 67.98 crimes/1,000 people. This is something we see increasing each year. However, it’s important to note Bozeman remains the safest of all Montana cities.
Employers in Bozeman
There are several large employers in Bozeman including Montana State University and Bozeman Health. The tech industry has become a large section of Bozeman’s employers with Oracle, Schedulicity, and OnX. Many people live in Bozeman and work remotely as well. Even with the growth, Bozeman remains a place where people love to support local businesses, so there are lots of entrepreneurs. Plus, as a tourist destination, service jobs are always readily available.
Education in Bozeman
The Bozeman Public School District is one of the best. There are 8 elementary schools, 2 middle schools and 2 high schools. They have impressive athletic departments, amazing music and art programs, and bring in top-notch teachers. There are also several private school options in Bozeman including Petra Academy and Heritage Christian. Click here to learn more about Bozeman's education opportunities.
Healthcare in Bozeman
There are several options in Bozeman when it comes to healthcare. Bozeman Health is the largest provider in Bozeman and includes two hospitals, specialty treatment centers, urgent care clinics, outpatient treatment facilities, and retirement/assisted living facilities. Bozeman Health Deaconess Hospital is an 86-bed facility with 200 health professionals. Billings Clinic is the newest medical facility in Bozeman with a 58-acre campus and over 50 health care professionals. In Bozeman people work hard and play hard so we are lucky to have top-of-the-line health care providers to keep the community healthy!
Photo credit Bozeman Health Deaconess
Recreation in Bozeman
One of the main reasons to relocate to Bozeman is for the endless outdoor recreation opportunities. During the winter we have skiing, sledding, hockey, ice fishing, ice climbing, hiking, to name a few of the favorite activities. When it comes to summer the list gets even longer with fishing, boating, hiking, rock climbing, golfing, camping. ATV-ing, we could go on. No one relocates to Bozeman to stay indoors!
Transportation in Bozeman
Bozeman is the type of place where having a car is ideal for getting around. During the summer lots of people bike, but that’s a little tough in the winter (although some do it!) The Streamline Bus System is Bozeman's free public transportation with service throughout Bozeman, Belgrade, Four Corners, Livingston, and Big Sky. We are lucky that while there are times you can get stuck in traffic it's nothing like big city traffic! The Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport is a short drive from Bozeman and is the largest in the state. All of the major airlines fly into the airport and there are several direct flights each day.
Surrounding Communities of Bozeman
With the growth Bozeman has seen over the past several years, many look to the surrounding towns as options. Within 30 minutes of Bozeman you'll find several, great small towns. Belgrade is the closest, just 8 miles away. It is often considered a bedroom community of Bozeman, but truly is a town all of its own. Past that are Manhattan and Three Forks. Both of these small towns offer a ton of charm and are a commutable distance to Bozeman. East of Bozeman is Livingston which has been gaining a lot of popularity over the years. It has a thriving downtown scene and the breathtaking Paradise Valley and Yellowstone River as the backdrop.
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