Montana is a number one destination for anglers, hunters, tourists, skiers, campers, boaters, and so much more. You would think that that the Big Sky population would be bursting at the seams. Our state is safe, comfortable, and diverse but is 43rd when it comes to population. You would think that one of the top 10 largest states would have more citizens living there.
The latest federal population census from this past July, estimates Big Sky Country to have 1,137,223 residents. This is an increase of just 5,931 in a year. At the height of the pandemic, Montana ‘s population increased by over 200,000 people escaping urban areas. They were moving here for safety and health. Montana had become the second fastest growing population in America.
A couple cold Winters will thin the population herd. Things start to look bleak when we get just about 8 hours of sunlight in December. The below -40’s of January, the extended Winter season eliminates most of Spring. Ice fishing into the end of April is common. Newcomers have second thoughts after shoveling a few tons of snow.
These new arrivals either dig in their roots or escape to warmer climates. Visiting Montana can be a more seasonal partnership. Strong people that move to Big Sky Country wear Big Boy Pants. Conestoga Wagons have been replaced by U Haul trucks. Pioneer life is well and alive in this beautiful place. It’s just way more expensive than it once was.
Montana’s population is currently decreasing, again. Housing has become expensive and scarcer. Not everyone has the skills, will, wealth, and wherewith all to make it in this challenging place.
Big Sky Country has become more of a tourists and rich persons playground than a place to live. These people come here to sightsee, fish, hunt, tour national parks, and just play. There is a growing infrastructure to support the needs of these people but not the residents. Many Montanans must move since rent, fuel, and expenses have gone up, but jobs and opportunities have declined.
There are few international pioneers coming to Montana, unless they are wealthy. Last year just 506 legal internationals moved to Montana. There are many more homeless, illegal, and seasonal migrants as well. With new politics and laws, this population will also change.
The population of Montana grows and decreases in cycles. This state is rich in minerals and fossil fuels. As more wealth and energy is needed, more workers will be needed, and the population will grow again.
It sure seems that Montana is becoming more crowded. National Park visits are at record highs, Big Game Tags are harder to get than in the past, trout streams are full of guides and more anglers than ever. Happiness is a wonderful resolution for all of us. Montana is a place where many find it but only in season.
We appreciate the landowners that allow the privilege to access to or through their property. THANK YOU! We also appreciate the State agencies that foster access programs for hunting and fishing.
Life in states like Montana, Wyoming, and other rural areas is hard. That’s why our population stays around just one million hardy souls. Wyoming hangs out at around half that. If you are not tough in mind, body, and spirit, you will not like it here. It can snow at any time of the year, grizzly bears and lions are a threat. Survival is a full-time job.
So why move to Montana? A few hours in a crowded city will make that decision easy for some. Others just have that Pioneer spirit and Montana still is an inviting destination. Honest, hardworking, helpful, happy, and honorable people live in Montana. If you can’t check off these boxes, you are in the “Last Wrong Place”.
Montana Grant
