It wasn’t long ago that Bozeman was a sleepy little mountain town. Where the exit of the college students each summer left Bozeman with a certain sense of quiet & calm that has now been replaced by a steady flow of tourism, culture and activity.
8 years ago the average price of a home in Bozeman was well under $300,000 and bidding wars were certainly few and far between. Lot sizes were bigger and established homes were much more affordable. 8 years ago the number of homes listed for sale in Bozeman was nearly 87% lower than it is today. Since then, the average sold price of a single family home in Bozeman has increased 45% over the last 5 years going from $313,504 in 2011 to $453,713 in 2015.
SO WHAT HAPPENED?
Well, for one, Bozeman started getting a lot of attention. Our beautiful little town’s name started popping up on all sorts of Best Places to live, travel, retire, raise kids – you get the picture - lists. After the recession, the number of visitors began to increase significantly year over year. A record number of tourists visited Montana in 2015 – with approximately 11.7 million non-resident visitors. The total number of passengers at the Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport increased 52% between 2008 and 2015 reaching a record 1,021,155 passengers by the end of 2015.
It’s no secret that many people who visit Bozeman eventually come to stay. The quality of life here is exceptional and for many, it is reason enough to pack up and make the move to Big Sky Country. Gallatin County has been ranked one of the fastest growing counties in the nation by the U.S Census Bureau. As of July 2015 the population was 100,739 people – 3,500 more than the previous year. The counties growth rate went from 2.8 percent during 2013-2014 to 3.6% in 2014-2015 and there are no signs of a slowdown.
SO WHERE IS ALL THIS GROWTH GOING?
While all of Bozeman, and the areas surrounding it have certainly felt the effects of the growing population, the Northwest side of town is undoubtedly one of Bozeman’s fastest growing areas. With the 100-Acre Regional Park acting as the center of the area, many residents are drawn to the trails, ponds, playgrounds and sledding hills. The area offers direct access to N. 19th Avenue which serves as a “straight shot” to shopping, restaurants and the mountains. Click here for more on Bozeman's Northwest subdivisions.
Along Huffine Lane, the Southwest area has also seen significant growth over the past few years. New subdivisions like Falcon Hollow and Loyal Gardens are pushing the growth west towards Four Corners – another area with a significant amount of new construction. With Huffine Lane connecting Bozeman to 4 Corners and 4 Corners to Belgrade & Big Sky this area is a top choice for those who commute outside of Bozeman.
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