A new project taps into how rural Montana is grappling with its uncertain future.
The Montana Gap
Look at statewide numbers and Montana’s economy seems to be doing well. Between 2000 and 2015, the number of jobs in the state of Montana grew 20 percent, according to a report released last year by Headwaters Economics. Personal income grew, as did statewide employment.
If you live outside a city, though, there’s a good chance you won’t see much evidence of that growth. In small towns, contracting economies, shrinking population and social issues including a lack of mental health services offer mounting challenges. For a year, a group of journalists from western Montana, supported by High Country News and the Solutions Journalism Network, have investigated what Montana communities are doing to be resilient to change, from economic shifts to mental health. This project is funded by the LOR Foundation.
Small towns under the Big Sky address challenges to secure their future, as centers boom.
Long seen as a way to fuel local economies, summer festivals are getting harder for some to justify.
To jolt its economy, a town explores the many uses of the byproduct of its smelting history.
Rebranding could help the town distance itself from past asbestos pollution.
A Montana town is using an obscure program to help clean up contaminated areas.
Montana has a shortage of nurses, teachers and other workers.
Issues of affordable housing and transportation impede rural families from getting out of poverty.
Frenchtown is waiting on a Superfund designation to clean up toxic remnants.
After a mill closure, a town is offseting losses by allowing out-of-district students.
Lack of zoning laws allow entrepreneurs to thrive in East Missoula.
An influx of new people to nearby communities has strained town systems.
Can lessons from Vermont keep local agriculture alive?
In 2010, Challis, Idaho, created a trail for ATV riders. Now, it’s enjoying an economic boost.
Cycling tourism contributes nearly $377 million annually to Montana’s economy.
In Montana, the town of Ronan hops on the brewery bandwagon.
Small-town Choteau, Montana, is working to find answers to the question that is plaguing 23 of the state’s counties.
The gap in health care access is particularly acute in rural areas.
Tourism has given Philipsburg new life — but it’s brought few permanent families.
In the final part of a series on Boulder, Montana, a pathway for solutions for affordable housing woes.
In the second story of the series, the town of Boulder’s aging population is likely to put more pressure on housing.
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