Private jets flock to Montana - but locals can't afford the trailer park
Montana's Bozeman has seen a population boom since the pandemic, driven by wealthy newcomers, causing housing prices to skyrocket and locals to struggle. A recent rent strike at two mobile home parks highlights the growing tension.
Since the pandemic, the population of Bozeman, Montana, has grown by about 20%. In 2019, the town had fewer than 50,000 residents. The influx is largely from conservatives from the East and West Coasts, attracted by the state's lack of sales, luxury, and inheritance taxes.
Soaring housing costs
Home values jumped 40% in two years, according to local realtors. Rents for one-bedroom apartments now exceed $2,000 a month, unaffordable for many locals.
One factor driving interest is the "Yellowstone Effect"—the hit TV show starring Kevin Costner. Jeff Michael of the University of Montana says the show's depiction of Montana's beauty has impacted the housing market.
Private jets and the wealthy
Bozeman's airport sees 80 to 100 private jets daily, mostly serving the exclusive Yellowstone Club in Big Sky, where celebrities like Justin Timberlake and Tom Brady own homes.
Local struggles
Sara Folger, 73, has lived in her mobile home park for 17 years. Her lot rent has nearly doubled. She says many residents have nowhere else to go.
In May, residents of two mobile home parks staged Montana's first rent strike in 50 years, protesting a nearly $100 monthly lot rent increase. The park was soon sold to a California company, leaving residents' futures uncertain.
A new generation of politicians
Bozeman elected Mayor Joey Morrison at age 28 on a platform of affordable housing. He lives with two roommates. Katie Fire Thunder, 25, was appointed to the Montana House of Representatives. Sam Forstag, 31, won the Democratic primary for a congressional district. They represent a wave of young progressives fighting for the working class.
