| Bozeman Montana Real Estate Report |
| The Gallatin and Park County region represents one of the fastest growing economic areas in the northern Rocky Mountains. |
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| SE Bozeman, MT |
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| The region, with its Big Sky vistas, extensive mountain ranges and wilderness areas, blue-ribbon trout streams and rivers, world-class downhill skiing, and Yellowstone National Park, is a recreational paradise.
The population in the city of Bozeman grew 18% between 2000 and 2004. Other cities in Gallatin and Park Counties have grown at a similar rate. In spite of this growth, Bozeman has retained its “small town character” and has a thriving historic downtown shopping and dining district. In 2005, American Cities Business Journals, a national publisher of business newspapers in 41 major American cities, ranked Bozeman first among the nation’s top sixteen small-sized markets (cities with fewer than 100,000 people). The ranking cited Bozeman’s high ratio of small businesses per 100,000 people and a two-year growth rate of 10.7 percent.
As home to Montana State University, together with a highly educated and qualified workforce (43.2 percent have a bachelor’s degree or higher5), Gallatin County consistently ranks as one of the nation’s most livable areas. In fact, Gallatin County was given “A’s” in both “vibrancy and vitality” and “civic capacity and engagement” and was named as the best place in the Rockies for “healthy living and small business creation” in the recent “The State of the Rockies Report Card” by researchers at Colorado College.
Bozeman is just one of the communities located in Gallatin County. In 2001, the city was among 10 communities nationwide that won the All-America City Award. This is the longest-running and most prestigious civic award in the nation. Sponsored by the American Civic League, in cooperation with Allstate Insurance Company, the honor recognizes communities in which government, businesses, schools, non-profit agencies, churches, and clubs collaborate to resolve critical community issues. Bozeman's application and presentation featured more than 50 cooperative public-private programs including the
Downtown Revitalization Project and the Skate Park
At least 15 of these creative programs are regional or national models, an extraordinary number for a community of our size. Just to the east of Gallatin County, and on the northern border of Yellowstone National Park, Park County includes the beautiful Paradise and Shields Valleys. Park County is Montana's 12th most populous county with 16,084 residents. Because of its proximity to Yellowstone National Park and abundance of outdoor recreation, Park County continues to grow steadily. Park County’s diverse economy includes agriculture, logging, mining, recreation, services, and technology businesses. Park County has a rich ranching and railroad heritage, and is a hot spot for anglers and floaters of the Yellowstone River, which flows through the county. According to the Montana Almanac, the county was established in 1887 and named after Yellowstone National Park because of its proximity to the area. With nearly all of Yellowstone National Park residing in Wyoming, and more job opportunities in Bozeman, about one-fifth of Park County's residents commute out of the county for employment.
Climate
This part of southwest Montana has an almost ideal climate, with four seasons and mild temperatures. The area does not tend to experience the extremes of heat or cold that are found in other parts of the state. With an average of 320 days of sunshine each year, Bozeman has more annual days of sun than Houston, Texas.7 Yes; it is even sunny in the winter!
Climate here reflects the mountain location. Summers are pleasant, characterized by warm days, cool nights, and an abundance of sunshine. Hot weather and humid conditions are infrequent. The area is among one of the few regions in the country where the average summer climate is comfortable due to the moderate combined heat and humidity. Most summers have seven or fewer days with temperatures exceeding 90°F. In the early autumn season, daily temperatures average a high of 70 degrees and can linger until the middle of October. Shortly thereafter, temperatures generally drop to highs in the 40s and 50s and lows in the 20s or 30s.
Fluctuating temperatures characterize winters in the region. Mild winter weather is not unusual and a week or more of consistently cold weather is rare. For winter sports enthusiasts, the relative low humidity (averages around 58.9°) and light winds provide an ideal climate for outdoor activities. Ski and snowboarding seasons usually extend from mid-December to mid-April. Spring tends to come late for the area with a third of the precipitation falling during April, May and June. The average growing season is 107 days with the first significant frost occurring around the 12th of September.
This information is from 2007 Prospera Business Network |
Cost of Living
Area cost of living can be measured by two distinct indexes, the ACCRA Cost of Living Index and the Consumer Price Index. The former is specific to the city of Bozeman, while the latter represents the western region of the United States. Livingston-specific data is not yet available.
Cost of Living Index
The Cost of Living Index (COLI) is a comparison study among over 300 urban areas around the nation. Each quarter, participating organizations collect data within their respective cities on consumer goods, services, housing, transportation, utilities, and health care. Compiled and published by ACCRA9, a national organization of community and economic development research professionals, the study measures regional differences for a mid-management standard of living. The national average composite index is set at 100. Prospera Business Network gathers and records this data for the city of Bozeman. Adjacent urban areas have not yet been included, but with continued growth they may be added in the near future.
Consumer Price Index
The Consumer Price Index10 (CPI) is a measure of the average change over time in the prices paid by urban consumers for a market range of goods and services. The CPI differs from the Cost of Living Index in that it is derived from detailed expenditure information provided by families and individuals on items they actually purchased, whereas the COLI is based on current available prices to consumers. Also, the CPI encompasses regions, and only details information on some major metro areas. The charts below indicate the CPI for urban areas in the western region of the US. This area includes Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, California, Alaska and Hawaii. The average index is set at 100.
Quality of Life
Since both Gallatin and Paradise Valleys are surrounded by several mountain ranges and thousands of acres of national forest land, where trail systems and wilderness areas abound, the area’s quality of life is undoubtedly exceptional. Two of the entrances to Yellowstone National Park, America’s oldest and best known protected area, are a scenic 90-mile drive south from Bozeman and only 55 miles south from Livingston; enabling residents to enjoy the park year round. Furthermore, Glacier National Park, another of the country’s most beautiful areas, is only a short day’s drive to the northwest. Not only is the landscape attractive, but so are some of the other elements the Valleys have to offer.
The Economy
As a whole, Gallatin and Park Counties have a diverse economy comprising such industries as manufacturing, construction, government, technology, retail, service, agriculture, and tourism. Some communities within the county include most or all of these industries, and others are more dependent on just a few. The town of West Yellowstone, for example, thrives almost entirely on tourism. The largest single employer in the area is Montana State University, providing work for approximately 3,500 people. In addition, the more than 11,000 students at MSU have a significant impact on the local economy. (Please note: Montana State University students who have established residency are included in U.S. Census data which is referenced throughout this document).
According to recent estimates, Gallatin County currently has a population of 80,921 and its county seat, Bozeman, has 35,061 residents. Park County’s population is at 16,084 and its county seat, Livingston, currently has 7,279 residents. |
| According to a University of Montana professor, Steve Running, who is also a climate scientist, and who has used weather records for the past half century to prove abnormal warming: “In Montana, average annual air temperature has increased about 1 degree, the frost-free growing season length is about 12 days longer than in 1950, annual snowfall has decreased by 6 to 22 inches across the state, snowmelt is occurring two to three weeks earlier than in 1950 and wildfires greater than 1,000 acres have increased six-fold in the last 40 years.” From Montanans for a Healthy Climate |
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