Close to 4 million visitors a year pass through West Yellowstone, hoping they won’t need an ambulance service supported by barely a thousand local taxpayers.

Places like Whitefish and Bozeman have booming ski resorts, but no place where resort workers can afford to live. Those tourist-driven challenges might have tourist-paid solutions, according to a new report by Headwaters Economics that examines the double-edged sword of benefits and burdens for communities known for their outdoor recreation amenities.