As the third-least populated state, Montana has plenty of cheap housing, but not everywhere. In some places, homes are less than $100,000. In others, they are about $600,000. Nevertheless, property taxes are quite low.

The cost of living, however, is still lower than the national average, and the state has plenty of natural resources like coal, oil, gas and water.

There are 11 colleges and universities in Montana, among them Montana State University, which is consistently ranked as one of the top schools in the nation.