2020 was a wild ride! We had the COVID-19 pandemic, which upended most of our lives, and now housing prices have gone through the roof. According to the Wall Street Journal, Billings, Coeur d’Alene and Spokane are in the top five hottest home markets in the United States. In Montana, there have been concerns about a housing shortage and the inability of working families to find reasonably priced homes, as well as concerns about homelessness. Are these concerns related to COVID-19 migration?

Recent media stories suggest a connection. For example, a Wall Street Journal series paints a scenario where the pandemic has changed the migration patterns of young affluent workers away from crowded urban centers and toward less populated areas. Could this contribute to rising demand for housing here in Montana?

by Paul Polzin