Kalispell Named Montana’s Fastest Growing Small City

Even though Montana has seen a slight slowdown in people moving to the state overall, there are still some areas that continue to grow rapidly.

If you watch TV shows set in Montana, you might assume the fastest-growing areas would be around Missoula or the Bitterroot Valley. After all, parts of the hit series Yellowstone were filmed in Western Montana, and the show has brought a lot of attention to the region.

More recently, creator Taylor Sheridan has also shone a spotlight on the Bozeman area through the new series The Madison. With shows like these highlighting places such as Bozeman and the resort community of Big Sky, it’s easy to assume those areas would top the list for growth.

But according to a Business Insider report, the fastest-growing small city in Montana is somewhere else.

The report examined growth trends in smaller cities across all states, using the latest population estimates from the United States Census Bureau for 2020-2024. Based on that data, the city seeing the fastest growth in Montana is Kalispell.

Why Kalispell Is Growing So Quickly

Located in the Flathead Valley near Glacier National Park and Flathead Lake, Kalispell has become an increasingly attractive place for people looking to move to Montana. Its access to outdoor recreation, growing job market, and proximity to some of the state’s most iconic scenery have helped drive population growth over the past few years.

Could Montana’s Fastest-Growing City Change Again?

The next full national census won’t take place until 2030, which means Montana’s fastest-growing areas could shift as the decade continues.

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For now, the data shows that while places like Bozeman and Big Sky get a lot of national attention, Kalispell is quietly becoming the fastest-growing small city in Montana.