FREE Search for Montana Apartments and Homes

There's a lot to be learned about the state of Montana from the names that define it. The word Montana itself is a derivation of the Latin word montaanus, which means mountainous. This description aptly applies to the Rocky Mountains rising up in the western portion of the state. Montana has been nicknamed the Treasure State and the Bonanza State because of its rich.literally.history of gold and silver discovery. More recently, Montana has become known as Big Sky Country, in honor of the vast plains stretching over the eastern portion of the state, where the sky seems to go on forever. It's a land of great beauty and few inhabitants (less than one million), where there's plenty of room to explore, search for apartments for rent and make a home for yourself where you can marvel at the Rockies and the vast expanse of sky and embark on your own quest for riches.

What to Expect
Montana's economy may have once relied on the quick wealth of gold and silver, but today agriculture and industry are the major sources of income. The state is famous for its cattle, and other agricultural products include wheat, barley, sugar beets, hay and hogs. Major industries include mining, lumber and wood products, food processing and tourism.

Tourists and residents alike have plenty of natural wonders and recreational activities to choose from. The splendor of the Rocky Mountains, wondrous beauty of Glacier National Park (with its 60 glaciers and 200 lakes) and famous Yellowstone National Park are all major destinations. Favorite pastimes include hunting, fishing, skiing and dude ranching (here's your chance to find out what it's like to be a cowboy!).

Where to Explore
There are no huge cities in Montana, just a handful of small cities and a bunch of small towns, all with their unique local character and varied options of apartments for rent. One thing they all share is a strong sense of community spirit, love of their surroundings,and something that residents like to call a fundamental "sense of place." Here are two areas where you can search apartments for rent for a place—and your own sense of place!

Helena Apartments
The discovery of gold and silver here in the 1860s made Helena an overnight boomtown, giving it the nickname Queen City of the Rockies. Today this state capital is a picturesque town with a growing population and highly educated citizenry. Points of interest include gorgeous 19th-century mansions (homes of all those prospectors who made their fortunes here), historic Last Chance Gulch and the spectacular St. Helena Cathedral. Although Helena's overall cost of living is slightly higher than the national average, its housing costs are slightly lower, which should come in handy when for those looking for apartments for rent. Apartment rentals in the Helena area average $300 for one-bedroom apartments and $500 for two-bedroom apartments.

Missoula Apartments
With 85,000 residents, Missoula is a major city in Montana and a center for education, medicine, retail and the arts. It's known as the "Garden City" for its dense trees and beautiful landscape, which seems prettiest on the 200-acre campus of the University of Montana. Missoula's overall cost of living and housing costs are slightly higher than the national average. However, residents do get a break on other bills: The cost of utilities is 20% below the national average. The median price of homes is $153,500 while the average monthly rent for apartment rentals is $725.