Montana to Virginia Moving Guide
Updated June 13, 2025

Planning a 2,064 mile interstate move from Montana to Virginia? This moving guide will help you compare living in Montana vs Virginia across 7 important categories. Compare the pros & cons (like long, harsh winters vs milder, four-season climate), food & health (like Bison Steak vs Virginia Ham), real estate & housing (ranch, cabin vs colonial, craftsman), weather & wardrobe, cost of living & taxes (it's more expensive in Virginia), politics & religion, and education.
Key Takeaways:
- Say goodbye to Bison Steak and Elk Burger, but get your taste buds ready for Virginia Ham & Fried Chicken
- Virginia housing costs are 15% less expensive than they are in Montana
- Rent in Virginia is 29.87% more expensive than in Montana
- Moving from Montana to Virginia will cost on average between $2,500 - $8,500
- Our top recommended Montana to Virginia movers is ARS Movers
Top Montana to Virginia Movers
Read our in-depth analysis of the best Montana to Virginia movers with detailed rankings, cost breakdowns, and reviews.

ARS Movers
Best moving company overall for Montana to Virginia
A Change of Place Movers
Moving On Up
Montana to Virginia Moving Guide
Pros and Cons of Moving from Montana to Virginia
- Long, harsh winters
- Rural isolation
- Limited job market
- High elevation
- Milder, four-season climate
- Proximity to major cities
- Diverse employment opportunities
- Lower altitudes
- Dense traffic
- Higher expenses
- Faster pace of life
- Fewer outdoor venues
- Stunning landscapes
- Low cost of living
- Laid-back lifestyle
- Outdoor recreation
Pros of moving from Montana to Virginia
- Say goodbye to long, harsh winters and hello to a milder, four-season climate
- Look forward to moving away from rural isolation and moving to Virginia with proximity to major cities
- Swap the limited job market of Montana for diverse employment opportunities in Virginia
- Get ready for lower altitudes in Virginia
Cons of moving from Montana to Virginia
- Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from stunning landscapes in Montana to live with dense traffic in Virginia
- You'll lose out on the pro of a low cost of living and have to settle for the con of higher expenses
- Time to bid farewell to a laid-back lifestyle and get used to a faster pace of life in Virginia
- Swap outdoor recreation for fewer outdoor venues
Montana vs. Virginia: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene
Comparison | Montana | Virginia |
---|---|---|
Most iconic local food item | Bison Steak | Virginia Ham |
Most popular meat dish | Elk Burger | Fried Chicken |
Most popular street food item | Taco Trucks | Oysters |
Most popular vegan food | Quinoa Salad | Peanut Soup |
Top 3 iconic restaurants that summarize the state |
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Fitness/Health Conscientiousness | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ |
Abundance of Food Trucks | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Foodie Scene | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ |
Vegan Friendly | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± |
If you're moving from Montana to Virginia, you will be trading the iconic Bison Steak of Montana for the equally delicious Virginia Ham of Virginia. And while the locals in Montana rave about their flavorful Elk Burger and sumptuous Taco Trucks, Virginia residents know they have tasty Fried Chicken and Oysters to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the Quinoa Salad they've grown to love, they can get ready for the Peanut Soup of Virginia. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic Montana eateries like The Last Best Place Cafe, Montana Ale Works, and Loula's Cafe. After the boxes are unpacked in Virginia, don't wait too long before making your way to Virginia's acclaimed eateries like The Inn at Little Washington, Lemaire, and Eventide.
When comparing lifestyles, Virginia shows a greater emphasis on fitness and health consciousness than Montana. Food truck fans will discover a greater selection in Virginia compared to what you are used to in Montana. Also, the overall foodie scene is more bustling in Virginia.
Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between Montana and Virginia
Comparison | Montana | Virginia |
---|---|---|
Typical Architecture Style | Ranch, Cabin | Colonial, Craftsman |
Walkability | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Bikeability | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² |
Urban Lifestyle | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ |
Most popular items mentioned in real estate listing | Scenic views, Privacy | Historic neighborhoods, Proximity to amenities |
- The Ranch and Cabin architecture that Montana is known for will be replaced with the Colonial and Craftsman architecture typical of Virginia.
- Compared to Montana's real estate listings that commonly reference scenic views and privacy, Virginia real estate listings often highlight features like historic neighborhoods and proximity to amenities.
- Make sure you unpack those walking shoes. Virginia is more walkable than Montana.
- Make sure the movers take care of your bike. Virginia is more bike-friendly than Montana.
- Virginia has more of an urban feel than Montana.
- Virginia housing costs are 15% less expensive than they are in Montana with a median home price of $385,780 compared to Montanaβs $456,199.
- Over the prior 5 years, home prices in Virginia have increased by 42% compared to a 71% increase in Montana.
- Rent in Virginia is 29.87% more expensive than in Montana.
Your Move, Your Forecast: Key Weather Differences between Montana and Virginia
Comparison | Montana | Virginia |
---|---|---|
Days of Sunshine per Year | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ |
Avg. Annual Humidity | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ |
Avg. UV Index | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ |
Natural Disasters | Wildfires, Flooding | Hurricanes, Flooding |
Air Quality | Good | Variable |
Average Summer High/Low (Β°F) | 80Β°F / 45Β°F | 87Β°F / 67Β°F |
Average Winter High/Low (Β°F) | 28Β°F / 12Β°F | 48Β°F / 29Β°F |
Annual Rainfall (Inches) | 15" | 44" |
Annual Snowfall (Inches) | 55" | 14" |
- Virginia gets an equal number of sunshine days as Montana.
- Virginia has higher humidity and a higher average UV index compared to Montana.
- Say goodbye to the possible wildfires and flooding in Montana, but be on the lookout for potential hurricanes and flooding in Virginia.
- Get ready for warmer summers; the average summer high temperature in Virginia is 7 degrees warmer than in Montana.
- The average winter lows in Virginia are 17 degrees warmer than they are in Montana.
- Your umbrella might be more overworked in Virginia; Virginia receives 29 more inches of rain compared to Montana.
Financial & Community Snapshot: Montana and Virginia
Comparison | Montana | Virginia |
---|---|---|
Avg. Household Income | $67,631 | $85,873 |
Cost of Living Index | 99.4 | 96.6 |
State Income Tax | 6.75% | 5.75% |
Avg. Property Tax | 0.83% | 0.80% |
Avg. Sales Tax | 0% | 5.3% |
Top 3 Industries | Agriculture, Tourism, Mining | Defense, Tech, Agriculture |
Affluence | Moderate | High |
Poverty | Moderate | Low |
Homelessness | Minimal | Moderate |
- When it comes to your monthly paycheck, residents in Virginia tend to earn about 27% more than those in Montana
- The COLI in Virginia is 3% lower than what you are used to living in Montana
- The state income tax in VA is 5.75% compared to 6.75% in MT
- The affluence in Virginia is high compared to moderate affluence in Montana
- The poverty level is low in Virginia compared to moderate poverty in Montana
- In terms of homelessness, it is minimal in Montana and moderate in Virginia
Political and Religious Climate in Montana vs. Virginia
Comparison | Montana | Virginia |
---|---|---|
Political Make-up | Lean Conservative | Lean Liberal |
Local Politics | Focus on rural and agricultural policies | Diverse, with a strong emphasis on technology and defense industries |
Religion | Protestant, Catholic | Protestant, with a significant Catholic and diverse religious communities presence |
- Montana tends to lean Conservative in its political climate
- Virginia, on the other hand, is often described as lean Liberal
- Virginia's religious environment can be described as Protestant, with a significant presence of Catholic and diverse religious communities
- Montana's residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as Protestant and Catholic
Education Guide When Moving from Montana to Virginia
Comparison | Montana | Virginia |
---|---|---|
Where most Seniors go to college (top 3) | Montana State University University of Montana MSU Billings | University of Virginia Virginia Tech James Madison University |
Top 3 Elementary Schools | Hawthorne Elementary (Bozeman) Chief Joseph Elementary (Great Falls) Morning Star Elementary (Bozeman) | Larchmont Elementary (Norfolk) Arlington Science Focus School (Arlington) Westbriar Elementary School (Vienna) |
Top 3 Middle Schools | Sacajawea Middle School (Bozeman) East Middle School (Great Falls) Lewis and Clark Middle School (Billings) | Longfellow Middle School (Falls Church) Frost Middle School (Fairfax) Henley Middle School (Crozet) |
Top 3 High School Schools | Bozeman High School (Bozeman) Hellgate High School (Missoula) Sentinel High School (Missoula) | Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (Alexandria) McLean High School (McLean) Langley High School (McLean) |
Top 3 private high schools | Missoula International School (Missoula) Bozeman Field School (Bozeman) Yellowstone Christian Academy (Billings) | The Potomac School (McLean) Norfolk Academy (Norfolk) St. Christopherβs School (Richmond) |
Top 3 private K-12 schools | Mount Ellis Academy (Bozeman) Stillwater Christian School (Kalispell) Valley Christian School (Missoula) | The Madeira School (McLean) Flint Hill School (Oakton) The Langley School (McLean) |
Top 3 School Districts | Bozeman School District Billings School District Missoula County Public Schools | Fairfax County Public Schools Loudoun County Public Schools Arlington Public Schools |
How Much Do Montana to Virginia Movers Cost?
Moving 2,064 miles from Montana to Virginia will typically cost between $3,500 and $8,500 to hire full service movers. See the chart below for a detailed breakdown by home size.
- Expected Range: $3,500 - $8,500
- Expected Time To Complete: 2-2 days
- Most Affordable Recommended Movers: Estes SureMove
HOME SIZE | MOVING COST | VOLUME OF PACKED ITEMS (FT3) | $/FT3 |
---|---|---|---|
Studio | $2,373 | 300 ft3 | $7.91 |
1 Bedroom | $3,536 | 450 ft3 | $7.86 |
2 Bedrooms | $5,857 | 750 ft3 | $7.81 |
3 Bedrooms | $8,535 | 1100 ft3 | $7.76 |
4 Bedrooms | $12,334 | 1600 ft3 | $7.71 |
5+ Bedrooms | $13,786 | 1800 ft3 | $7.66 |