Idaho and Montana Compared

Mr. Beat compares and contrasts two sparsely-populated northwestern states.
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Idaho and Montana. Both states are in the northwestern part of the country. Both border Canada to the north, but Idaho barely. Apparently its Canadian border is less than 800 football fields long? Montana, meanwhile, is the only state to border three Canadian provinces. A lot longer.

Looking at a map, Idaho looks like a seat that Montana is sitting on but way too big for.

Both are two of the fastest growing states in the country, although Idaho more so. In fact, last year Idaho was the number one fastest growing state.

That said, both are sparsely populated. Montana is the third least densely populated state after Wyoming and Alaska. I mean, if you see a gas station in Montana, you probably better just go ahead and fill up your tank just to be safe, and cell service can still be spotty in many isolated areas there.

It’s easy to understand why so many people are moving to both Montana and Idaho. Both are beautiful places where you really still can get away from it all, and have some of the largest areas of wilderness left in the contiguous United States. And yeah, I predict more and more people will discover this in the coming years.

#idaho #montana #geography

[iammrbeat]

Which is better? Montana or Idaho?
Which states should I compare next?

[UselessProDuck]

Fun fact, in northern Idaho, our potatoes come from Washington. It’s too much of a hassle to deliver them from the south due to the mountains.
Source: I live in Northern Idaho

[scottyclayton]

I’m from Idaho and I never thought I would ever see anything related to this

[jacobluna]

Mr Beat saying, "I promise, I'm not going to kill you..." is very reassuring to me.

[alittlerain]

Fun fact about idaho, people living here absolutely HATE its growing population. I'm sure it's true for Montana as well

[flyshacker]

I visited Montana in 1970 when there was NO SPEED LIMIT!! That was amazing! I’ll never forget it. I was 18.

[readmoremaryoliver]

it’s so fun and refreshing to hear someone talk plainly about my home state of Idaho! From my experience, it seems everyone thinks we’re Iowa...

[Snoborder]

One fact about idaho, is that everyone in idaho is always surprised to find something about idaho!

[mintzpuppy]

Montanan here, you did a surprisingly good job at the pronunciations! Montana has interesting facts about rivers, the Roe River in Great Falls was in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's shortest. Montana also has Triple Divide Peak, the only point in the world from which water flows into three different oceans (Pacific, Atlantic, and Arctic/Hudson Bay).

[PureChaos]

Lived in Idaho my whole life. Everything said was pretty accurate. I really appreciated how you made sure to differentiate Northern and Southern Idaho, as they are wildly different places. Awesome research.

Note: It is an unspoken Idaho law to tell everyone that Idaho is absolutely awful. We're a small population state and we like it that way. Idaho sucks, you shouldn't move here. It's totally not pretty and you will hate every second of being here.

[MonkeyPooFlingers]

Montana has a great bumper sticker, simply says "Get Lost!" It really encapsulate the attitude of native residents. Either telling those who want to come here and change what makes the state great, to go away or if you fit in get out and explore off the map in the beautiful wilderness. At least it's the way i take it!

[anttibjorklund]

"800 Football Fields"

Ah yes, that famous US term of length, the football field... XD

[ndlieutenantbenroebuckben]

Why don't you compare greece and italy? Those historic and full of government debt.

[sasha]

Montana of course Hospitality is still number one, but sadly its changing with the influx of newcomers who always try to change Montana into the reason they left the last state they came from

[xscrecrowx]

The state of idaho will forever be my home. Was born in nampa idaho 1995 and lived my whole life here. The outdoors and the very nice people are what makes this state so wonderful. Camping, fishing, hunting, hiking, are all just a rock skip away.

[evanrubel]

I'm from Idaho. Some random interesting facts are that Idaho's seal was the only one designed by a woman. Also the reason Idaho is called the gem state is because it has the Star Garnet, one of 2 places that you can find that gem.

[CodenameRockerika]

I teach State and Local Government in MT and use comparing these two states as a central theme of the class. Semester starts Monday, so I'll be using this! Perfect timing.

[liam-man]

I would have never expected Idaho to have more wine drinking than any other U.S. state. New for me.

[andyshirtliff]

“I am in love with Montana. For other states I have admiration, respect, recognition, even some effection, but with Montana it is love.”
- John Steinbeck

[mtplainsman]

I am a third generation Montanan, and though there are many good things about state, it isn't all postcards and movie screens either. It can be tough to make a living here as well as the state's massive drug problem...