"At the Murray Bar in Livingston, Montana, cowboys in sun-faded denim and leather boots sit shoulder-to-shoulder with out-of-towners tucking in to charred steak and fries. The town itself feels like an old Hollywood Western set, with the mountains framing a main street of weathered brick and neon motel signs. It's the kind of place where the air smells faintly of woodsmoke and beer. When I tell a local at Murray that I'm a travel writer, he leans back on his stool and says, "You better not be turning this place into the new Aspen.""
"Montana's luxury boom predated COVID-19, but the pandemic accelerated it. As international travel stalled, remote workers and second-home buyers poured in, drawn by wide-open spaces and the wild west aesthetic. Montana shifted from a place to visit, to a place to settle. In Bozeman, one of the fastest-growing cities in the US over the past decade, average home prices climbed roughly 63% in the last five years alone."
Luxury development and an influx of remote workers and second-home buyers have transformed Montana towns from Livingston to Whitefish. The boom predated COVID-19 but accelerated when international travel stalled, prompting newcomers to settle rather than visit. Bozeman has become one of the fastest-growing U.S. cities, with average home prices climbing roughly 63% in five years. Big Sky has seen major spikes in vacation demand and recognition from travel platforms. Daily life has changed: independent gear shops and local businesses are being replaced by high-end chains and luxury developments. Residents report communities scattering, beloved establishments closing or relocating, and a growing sense of commercialization that threatens traditional local culture.
Read at Conde Nast Traveler
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