Why Do So Many Montanans Dislike Bozeman?

I wanted to try a little experiment.

I typed into Google: “What Montana town is the most popular?”

The answer?

Bozeman.

Then I typed: “What Montana town is the most disliked?”

The answer?

Bozeman.

Well, that's interesting.

In all fairness, I live in Bozeman and have for years. Sure, we have our issues. Housing is outrageously expensive, and traffic can be a bit of a nightmare.

But for the most part, I like Bozeman.

The schools are good, there are plenty of places to eat, drink and socialize, there are tons of outdoor activities, and, of course, the scenery is pretty tough to beat.

So what's not to like?

Why Do People Have a Problem With Bozeman?

To continue my little experiment, I decided to ask people around Montana a simple question:

What's the big problem with Bozeman?

Why do so many Montanans seem to have an issue with the city? The good news? I got A LOT of answers. The bad news? If you live in Bozeman, you might not like some of them.

Here are some of the most common answers I heard:

• Traffic
• Cost of living
• Outsiders have taken over
• It's not the same town it used to be
• It doesn't feel like "Montana" anymore
• Rude people

I can certainly understand the first two.

Traffic? Yep.

Cost of living? Absolutely.

But some of the others have me scratching my head.

"Outsiders Have Taken Over"

I'm going to take a little issue with this one because, well...

I'm one of those "outsiders."

And I certainly don't feel like I've taken over. I'm just doing what most people are doing—working, paying bills and trying to make ends meet.

"Bozeman Doesn't Feel Like Montana Anymore"

This one is interesting. What exactly is “Montana” supposed to feel like? That's one of the things I've always loved about Montana. You do your thing, I do mine, and for the most part, we stay out of each other's business.

Bozeman has certainly changed. But what town hasn't? Everything changes. The real question is whether all change is necessarily bad.

Change can be difficult to embrace, especially when you remember what a place was like 10, 20 or 30 years ago. But that doesn't necessarily mean the town can't still be a great place to live.

And Then There's "Rude People"

I'm not sure I buy this one either. I've found most people who live in Bozeman to be pretty friendly. That's not to say I haven't run into a bad apple or two. Of course I have. But here's the thing: chances are they're having a bad day, they're dealing with their own problems, or maybe they're just not very nice.

There's not much you or I can do about that.

So, Is Bozeman Actually a Bad Place to Live?

That's the question.

Bozeman has changed. It's expensive. Traffic can be frustrating. And there's no question that rapid growth has created some challenges.

But it's also a beautiful place with plenty to do and a lot of people who genuinely love living here.

Maybe that's why Bozeman can somehow be both one of Montana's most popular towns AND one of its most disliked.

So what do you think?

Is Bozeman still a great place to live?

Or are there things about Bozeman you would change? Send us a message through the app and let us know what you think.