Settle the West Blog

Dispatches from the New Frontier

Relocation guides, town profiles, and stories from people who traded overpriced metros for wide-open spaces.

Relocation7 min read

Why Remote Workers Are Choosing the Black Hills Over Austin and Denver

The Black Hills offer what overpriced metros cannot — affordable land, zero state income tax, world-class outdoor access, and a growing tech-forward community. Here is why the migration is accelerating.

Luke AlvarezFeb 15, 2026
Towns6 min read

A Complete Guide to Custer, South Dakota: The Town That Punches Above Its Weight

Population 2,100. Zero traffic lights. One of the fastest-growing small towns in the Northern Plains. Custer is proof that small does not mean limited.

Luke AlvarezFeb 10, 2026
Lifestyle6 min read

What Settling the West Actually Means in 2026

Settling the West is not nostalgia. It is the most practical economic strategy available to remote workers, young families, and entrepreneurs who refuse to accept that a good life requires a six-figure housing payment.

Luke AlvarezFeb 5, 2026