Miles City Apartment Renter's Guide
Miles City Apartment Renter's Guide
Overview
Now this is Cowboy Country -- Miles City, Montana, is home to the annual Bucking Horse Sale, taking place every May for over 64 years running. It features horse races on Mother's Day, bronc riding, sheep shearing contests, a rodeo, big-name country music concerts and parades in events spread out over a week.
Yes, the traditions of the Old West are alive and well in Miles City
Now this is Cowboy Country -- Miles City, Montana, is home to the annual Bucking Horse Sale, taking place every May for over 64 years running. It features horse races on Mother's Day, bronc riding, sheep shearing contests, a rodeo, big-name country music concerts and parades in events spread out over a week.
Yes, the traditions of the Old West are alive and well in Miles City. Set alongside the Yellowstone River In a farming valley surrounded by the dry high plains of Big Sky Country. The town here came into existence near the site of a fort that was named for a soldier that died in the historic battle that came to be called Custer's Last Stand. The western lore only continued to grow. Calamity Jane spent some time here and the old town reportedly had 23 saloons before it got its first church. With some regret, we must report those days are over. Still, it's a community holding strong to the past and the heritage that made it the virtual epitome of a western town. The pioneer spirit is alive and well in this outpost, partner!
Moving to Miles City
The Ups and Downs of a Boom The number of vacant units here has decreased a lot because of recent energy exploration and extraction in the region Getting all of that dead dinosaur juice out of the ground is drawing people from all over. Like any boom, there are people making money and there are jobs, but there are problems as well. The Baaken Oil Fields to the east of here are seeing more fracking workers surge into the area, driving up housing costs and reducing availability. Although this boom looks to be one that's going to last for awhile, they do eventually end, and that means a rapid downturn for former boom towns. Miles City is about 50 miles from Sidney, Montana, which is at the oil areas. It's close enough that workers commute from here and some people driven out of towns in the zone by higher rents have moved here.
Finding Rental Apartments There are special challenges that come when looking for a place to live in an area that is seeing boom times. Start looking as soon as you think you might be moving here. Research and preparation can mean the difference between finding a place or something challenging like paying for a motel when you get here and are waiting for a place to move into. Typically, you would want to make a list of available properties and methodically work through it until what you wanted and your price range meet up. In this case, especially if looking near the busy summer season, you also want to get information on short term housing on a month to month basis. You may need something temporary before you can bunk down in a more permanent pad. Of course a great credit report will help the odds you get a place you really like. Have enough cash on hand to pony up first last, and security deposit. Try to find what you want, but don't wait too long to pull the proverbial trigger on an open property--and that's even more important when looking for something specific like pet friendly apartments or condo rentals.
Miles City Neighborhoods
The Yellowstone River forms the northern town boundary and Interstate 94 essentially is the south and east -- well, it used to be anyway. There is new construction spreading past the freeway that is extending into the farms, ranches and homes with large lots that follow the Tongue River southward.
Bender Park: The northeast part of town is made up mostly of blocks of single family homes with an occasional building constructed as a duplex.
Downtown City Center: The downtown area did suffer a fire in 2009 that destroyed a few of the historic buildings but many still remain. The Olive Hotel is a slice out of the past and the 600 Cafe is a local favorite with great breakfasts. Look for furnished apartments in restored buildings.
Riverside: Set alongside the Tongue River is the multi-use Riverside Park. It has tennis courts, ball fields and a small lake. The homes near here and on up to the banks of the Yellowstone River are a mix of residential that includes mobile homes, small apartment complexes and single family homes.
Southeast: The most densely populated part of the community is to the south and east of downtown. Miles City Town and Country Club and Holy Rosary Healthcare roughly form the southern edge of town.
Living in Miles City
The times are changing somewhat because of the oil boom less than an hour to the east, but the quintessential western character remains. The outdoor recreation opportunities Montana is famous for are nearby, from hiking in the mountains to fishing, hunting and skiing.
The Custer County Art Museum in Miles City has a nice batch of Western themed exhibits and the Range Riders Museum preserves the frontier West through photos, artwork, and exhibits. It's a pretty good drive to a big city, so you'll have to do most of your shopping and town recreating here. That can be an adjustment for someone moving from a large metro area. For example, if you want to catch a movie, there's only one place in town and it's not a multiplex! Still, once you adjust to the small town life it can be very rewarding.