Raising a Child in the U.S. Will Cost Over $300,000 in 2026

Why is Montana 50th for the Best—And Worst—States for Working From Home In 2026?

Missoula, Montana Chamber of Commerce

• Missoula Launches Bold Policy to Boost Workforce Housing Supply Allowing TIF funds to be Used for Infrastructure Improvements

  Average rents near $1,400 contrast with a median household income around $76,000, underscoring the affordability gap.

Great Falls Development Alliance

• US Air Force breaks ground on next-gen nuclear missile silo

  According to the Air Force, the 450 new silos will be built on the same land as the existing ones in Wyoming, North Dakota, and Montana.

Prospera

• Lattice Materials Launches $18.5M Expansion in Bozeman, Montana

  Lattice Materials is breaking ground on an 80,000-square-foot facility backed by government investment. This expansion highlights the company’s deep roots and ongoing commitment to Montana’s high-tech manufacturing sector.

Montana Business

• Blue-Collar Work Has Plateaued, Narrowing Options for Young Workers

  The parts of the blue-collar labor market occupied primarily by men have been slowing for over a year. Jobs in sectors that include the trades, such as manufacturing and construction, have racked up roughly 150,000 net losses on an annual basis as of March

• Deere Settles $99 Million Lawsuit Over Repair Service Monopoly

  Deere & Company will pay $99 million to compensate farmers and expand access to repair tools. The settlement challenges Deere’s control over agricultural equipment repairs and could impact Montana’s farming community.

• Billings, Montana Residents Help Shape City Growth Plan Through 2045

  A recent community meeting invited Billings residents to share their views on the city’s long-term development strategy. This collaborative approach highlights the importance of local input in guiding future urban planning efforts.

• Raising a Child in the U.S. Will Cost Over $300,000 in 2026

  LendingTree’s analysis shows the total expense of raising a child for 18 years has reached $303,418, highlighting growing financial pressures on families. Montana faces steep cost increases that could impact local budgets and workforce participation.

• Fort Benton, Montana’s IND HEMP Announces Strategic Partnership to Export US-Grown Hemp Fiber To Vietnam’s Textile Supply Chain

  A new partnership integrates Montana-grown hemp fiber into Vietnam’s textile manufacturing, highlighting a shift toward sustainable natural fibers. This development opens promising export opportunities for Montana hemp producers in the global market.

• The State of Tourism in Montana – 4/13 – (VIRTUAL)

  REAL Co-Lab at the University of Montana is hosting a Rural Business Roundtable on Tourism in Montana and Summer 2026 Projections to discuss business concerns and the current business climate. The event will be held online via Zoom on April 13, 2026, from 11:30am to 1:00pm.

• The Salary a Single Person Needs To Afford a Home in Each State

  That’s according to a new MoneyLion analysis of data from Zillow. In 11 states, singles will have a tough time owning a home and getting by on less than $100,000 a year. Coming up with a 20% down payment as opposed to 10% certainly helps, but only so much. You can blame rising home prices and interest rates still averaging more than 6%, despite ticking down recently.

• Why is Montana 50th for the Best—And Worst—States for Working From Home In 2026?

  The study analyzed factors per state such as the percentage of remote workers, internet costs, home size, house crowding, and more, to determine the ranking—including Washington, D.C.

• Seeley Swan Community Book Project Seeks $7,000 to Preserve Local History

  Community members are collaborating on a book documenting Seeley Lake’s history, with all proceeds benefiting the Senior Center. Fundraising continues to cover printing costs, aiming for a fall launch.

• Federal Cuts Devastate Greater Yellowstone Conservation Workforce – “The Valentine’s Day Massacre”

  Since January 2025, federal land agencies have lost up to 32% of their staff, crippling key programs and maintenance efforts. Montana faces canceled grants and growing uncertainty as tribal groups and volunteers strive to fill the gaps.

• Women Leaders Reject Outdated Traditional Leadership Norms In Favor of Intuition and Connection

  Six in ten senior women report frequent burnout under old leadership models. Many are shifting to authentic, empathetic styles that better fit modern workplaces.

• Free and public panel to bring Tester, Racicot to Montana State campus April 10 Bozeman and Online

  “Public Things: Money, Transparent Elections and the Montana Experience,” will be held on Friday, April 10, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in Gaines Hall 101. The event is hosted by MSU’s Public Things Project.

• Trump Budget Proposes Major Cuts to Science Funding in 2027

  The 2027 budget request slashes funding for NSF, NASA, and NIH while boosting defense spending nearly 40%. Montana’s research and business sectors could face significant challenges if these cuts take effect.

Montana Housing

• “The only way out of this is to die” California (and maybe Montana as well) made them rich on paper and now they’re stuck in place.

  If the tax code changed there’d be “an enormous amount of homes that would come on the market that people otherwise are not going to sell until they die.”

Funding and Building your Montana Business

• Seeley Swan Book Project Seeks $7,000 to Preserve Local History

  Community members are collaborating on a book documenting Seeley Lake’s history, with all proceeds benefiting the Senior Center. Fundraising continues to cover printing costs, aiming for a fall launch.

Montana’s American Prairie

• Battle Over Bison: How the Icon of the American Prairie Became a Political Lightning Rod

  A dispute over the national mammal that reaches far beyond one herd and into the future of grazing law, tribal restoration, and the tension between ranching and conservation in the West.

YOUR MONTANA CAREER

• This detox may erase 10 years of social media brain damage, researchers say

  Science also suggests we have more control than we realize when it comes to reversing this damage, and the solution is surprisingly simple…

• What No One Tells You About Life After Work (and Why Your Old Playbook Won’t Save You)

  Whether you want to admit it or not, for millions of us, retirement—whether voluntary or otherwise—is much closer than we imagine and now’s the time to start thinking about it.

• Missoula Villages helps seniors stay independent – Neighbors Helping Neighbors

  Missoula Aging Services runs Missoula Villages using a reciprocity model, with people joining to both give help and receive it.

Montana’s 21st Century Education Initiative – “You Should Care…”

• Montana Campuses Prepare for AI’s Double-Edged Impact

  Montana educational institutions are beginning to adapt to the growing influence of artificial intelligence, recognizing both its opportunities and challenges. This shift signals a new era in higher education as campuses balance traditional values with emerging technologies.

• Quantum Science Camp for middle school and high school STEM educators – 6/22-26 – Montana State University Bozeman

  Applications for QCaMP are open and will close on Friday, April 10. Applicants should be educators who work with students in grades 6-12 in Montana.

• Applications now open for Idaho National Laboratory STEM Scholars summer camps

  Registration will be open from Monday, April 6, through Friday, April 10.

• What Happened After a Teacher Ditched Screens

  Education, Kane knows, is profoundly and stubbornly social. “There are a lot of students who need accountability,” he said. The answer is not more surveillance, but more companionship in the struggle. “Classrooms are social spaces and collective endeavors,”

• Why an all-female fish species is a scientific ‘miracle’

  The Amazon molly shatters that assumption. It isn’t merely surviving; it’s thriving. Now, Mizzou researchers have uncovered the secret behind its evolutionary success.

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