and Pocatello is the nearest city that has any major services. I wouldn't want to live there as I think it has some really strange dynamics between the union railroad blue collar folks, the wacky University crowd and the mormons. I think it is a hole, to be honest. But for my purposes it has a Costco, an Indian Restaurant and a place to rent ski equipment and get my mountain bike tuned up. We even got a Mckenzie River so now we have pizza better than Little Ceasars and Costco. So we got that going for us - which is nice! EDIT: Buddy's has good italian food although its pizza is not its strongpoint but after I posted I felt the need to give the best eatery (Even in Afghanastan somebody HAS to be the best golfer) in P-Town/The Gate City a shout-out.

My honest opinion is if you are moving to the region and if you can afford it commute from one of the smaller and rural communities. Some of the small towns up here can be really great places to live and raise a family if you are comfortable with the commute and you/your wife can be organized enough to live in the middle of nowhere. Not everyone is comfortable or wants to live rural, but for us it is like a little piece of heaven - although I don't have to commute.