Why Is Bozeman, Montana Growing So Fast?

Bozeman, Montana is not only the fastest growing city in Montana, it is one of the fastest-growing cities of its size in the nation. Bozeman’s population has increased more than 40% in the last decade and it has been named as the #1 strongest micropolitan economy in the United States for several years in a row. So, why is Bozeman growing so quickly? Here are a few reasons:

1) Montana State University

Montana State University has been named one of the top universities in the nation many times and is well known for its undergraduate programs as well as being the largest research entity in Montana. Enrollment at Montana State University has been increasing quickly over the past decade, hitting record enrollment numbers nearly every year. It is also one of the largest employers in Bozeman, employing nearly 4,500 people. Nearly 40% of students are out-of-state and over 70% of Montana-based students are from outside Gallatin County.

2) Bozeman’s Quality of Life

The quality of life that Bozeman offers is one of the top reasons so many people are choosing to relocate here. The endless opportunities for outdoor recreation, low crime rates, a sense of community, great schools, beautiful parks, trails, and neighborhoods all come together to make Bozeman a great place to live. Since the pandemic, rural areas and mountain towns have exploded in popularity and Bozeman is one of them. To see how Bozeman compares to other mountain towns, click here.

3) Tech Companies and Startups

In the late 1990s RightNow technology, now known as Oracle was founded in Bozeman, setting the stage for Bozeman’s future as a tech-town. Since then, powerful tech companies and start-ups have chosen Bozeman as a base camp for their operations. Companies like Oracle, Schedulicity, Printing for Less, RightNow Technologies, Perficient, and many more have created thousands of job opportunities for those who likely would have never considered living in Montana before.

4) Tourism

It wasn’t long ago that Bozeman was considered nothing more than a stopover on the way to Yellowstone National Park. It wasn’t the final destination for many travelers and it surely wasn’t on any “top places to visit” lists. But over the past 20 years or so, Bozeman has become a destination of its own and its tourism industry is exploding. A record number of 1,940,101 passengers flew through the Bozeman airport last year and as the number of people visiting Bozeman increases, so does the number of people moving here. Many people fall in love with Bozeman as they visit and eventually either relocate or purchase second homes in the area. Read more about why so many people are moving to Bozeman here.

While many things are drawing people to Bozeman, there are several factors that are causing people to leave. Click here for 5 reasons people are leaving Bozeman.

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