I have no doubt the move from Madison, WI to Havre, MT will be interesting. Yes, I have lived in many different places around the country (and one place outside of the country), but every change of scenery for me is still met with some fear and consternation.

I know the differences between Madison and Havre are stark. I have already visited Havre and I have done some research online. There are some very real advantages to living in Havre (otherwise I wouldn’t be going there in the first place), but there are some disadvantages, too. Such as:

Plus: There is no sales tax in Havre. In Madison’s it is 5.5%

Minus: State, county, and local sales taxes are 10% in Havre and only 6.93% in Madison.

Plus: The speed limit is 70 to 75 mph, depending on the highway.

Minus: You will burn more fuel doing so, and there are fewer gas stations in between.

Plus: There is a better ratio of women in Havre than Madison.

Minus: There are fewer single women.

Plus: Housing, utilities, and health care are much cheaper.

Minus: Groceries, clothing, and gasoline are more expensive.

Plus: Air quality is much better in Havre.

Minus: Water quality is much lower.

Plus: I will be surrounded by many national, state, and county parks.

Minus: I will not be surrounded by plush, green farm fields and red barns.

Plus: Havre’s crime rate is much lower than Madison’s.

Minus: Havre’s temperature is much higher than Madison’s.

Plus: It is a dry heat.

Minus: It also gets colder in the winter.

Plus: Havre is near the mountains.

Minus: Havre has no lakes.

Plus: There is no traffic in Havre.

Minus: It will take two hours to drive to the closest big city, Great Falls, MT (pop. 58,827).

Plus: There are few Democrats in Havre.

Minus: There are few Democrats in Havre.

Plus: They play more poker in Montana.

Minus: They don’t play euchre or sheepshead.

Plus: I won’t have to worry about road construction delays in Havre.

Minus: I will have to worry about grizzly bears, mountain lions, and rattle snakes.

Plus: Havre is close to the people, places and things I want to photograph the most.

Minus: Havre is furthest from the people, places and things I cherish the most.