Montana sits along the Canadian border and is part of the Western and Rocky Mountain regions of the U.S. It is a huge state, but not heavily populated. Many homes in the area are built in Craftsman, country, farmhouse, and cabin styles. New homes continue with those types of designs or tend to be more modern and traditional. New construction is centered around metropolitan areas, particularly Billings.
Life in Montana is a little slower than other places, and that's how they like it. Many people in the state enjoy the wide variety of opportunities for recreation and the ability to get away from it all in the state's massive wilderness and open plains. Billings is the largest city in the state and the only city within Montana to have a population of more than 100,000 people. It is an economically healthy city which avoided the recession and housing bubble that stagnated the rest US economy. The cost of living is affordable, crime is relatively low, and the population continues to increase. Helena is the state capital. Like all areas in Montana, the winters are long, but it is an excellent place to raise a family with great schools, various outdoor recreation activities and safe neighborhoods. Missoula is another one of Montana's larger cities, but it is still small enough to have a charming mix of city and country. It is close to some of the most beautiful public lands the west has to offer and while the cost of living is slightly higher than the rest of Montana, it is closely aligned with the national average.
Montana's economy and industries are mostly tied to the natural resources in the area. The top industries are agriculture, including livestock, sugar beets and wheat; mining for petroleum, minerals, and coal; and trade, transportation and utilities. Most of the top employers in the state are located in its largest city and include Billings Clinics Dermatology, Employee, Hospital and Lab. Aageson Farm and Malmstrom Air Force Base are also top employers for the state and are located in other cities.
