BBER PUBLICATIONS SEARCH RESULTS

The hugely successful and popular dramatic television show Yellowstone, which portrays the fictional Dutton family ranch in Montana, has sparked the interest of a worldwide audience in our state. In addition to its critical and commercial success, the show has emerged as a significant factor in the marketing of Montana, with its more than 10 million viewers treated to storylines, characters and scenery of the mountain west.

The expansion of Medicaid to cover adults with incomes up to 138% of the poverty line took effect in Montana in the beginning of 2016. The impacts of the program have been profound. The number of Montanans covered by either Medicaid (traditional and expanded) or the Children?s Health Insurance Program (CHiP) statewide in February of 2023 was 179,591 higher than a decade earlier, with the percentage of the population not covered by health insurance cut in half as well. Health care spending by previously uninsured Montanans has increased, both from increased consumption of health care and from shifts from previously uncompensated care (whose costs were borne by providers and other paying consumers) to care paid for by the program. Based on national studies, there is solid evidence that better health care outcomes, less financial stress, and better labor market participation have occurred for low-income Montana households as well. This report summarizes the results of an analysis that applies the same methods used in the BBER?s statewide studies on the economic impacts of Medicaid expansion in Montana to develop estimates of impacts for Cascade County, the third largest health care cluster in the state.

The filming of the fourth season of the television show "Yellowstone" in the Bitterroot Valley of Montana has resulted in significant gains for the state economy that extend beyond those receiving the wages and other spending of the production itself.

This report details the findings of an analysis of the factors and trends that impact the affordability of residential housing in Lewis and Clark County, Montana, home of the state capital, Helena. To foster a better understanding of the forces producing this outcome and inform the discussion on policies and decisions that could meaningfully affect affordability in the near future, we report on three fundamental aspects of local housing affordability. First is an assessment of the County''s affordability trends, emphasizing the rural portion of the County that overlaps with the area affected by the ten-acre minimum lot size restriction. Second is a projection of the growth of households in Lewis and Clark County and affected area one major factor in housing demand. Lastly, this report reviews the impacts of minimum lot size restrictions in other parts of the United States to see how this policy might impact the costs of new and existing housing units in the County.

The lack of affordable housing has been an increasingly difficult problem for many Montana communities. A shortage of homes and stagnant incomes have widened the divide.

How COVID-19 Has Reshaped the Economy - What Changes Are Here to Stay? A Life-Or-Death Moment for Cities - New York and Other Metropolises Must Protect Themselves From pandemics or Our Future Will Be Far Less Urban The State of Manufacturing in Montana - Manufacturing Growth Stalls Due to COVID-19

After more than a decade of economic growth that has featured strong hiring and steadily falling unemployment rates, labor markets across the country and certainly across Montana are tight. For some the supply of suitable workers for their openings has shrunk to the point where they are questioning how they can continue to fill orders, let alone capitalize on new opportunities. The data agree with this assessment ? at least to a point.

There is a growing divide between homeowners and renters in Missoula. The percentage of renters who are cost-burdened climbed to 49 percent.

Each Montana community has its own unique economy. Take a look at the largest communities in the state, as we summarize their recent economic trends.

The purpose of the 2018 U.S.D.A. Forest Service Region 1 Social Survey is to examine: ? perceptions of the purpose for federal public lands; ? views about possible management actions on those lands; ? opinions about possible concerns regarding federal public lands; ? frequency of self-reported activities on federal public lands; and ? opinions about the quantity of services provided on federal public lands. The survey is designed to help policy-makers and planners quantify public opinions about federal public lands that are close to the home of Region 1 residents. The mail and internet-administered survey provides U.S.D.A. Forest Service a rigorous, representative sample by which to gauge current public opinion. The survey was constructed to act as a benchmark that would allow possible future exploration of trends in public sentiment regarding federal public lands in U.S.D.A. Forest Service Region 1.

A crisis is brewing in Montana and across the country for retiring business owners in their 60s and 70s ? who will take over their businesses?

The women?s rights movement made significant strides in the 1970s and took a prominent role in society. Dorothy Bradley was elected to the Montana House of Representatives from Gallatin County in 1970, at a time when politics was exclusively a man?s realm. In this excerpt from an essay from 1971, she recounts her time serving as the only woman in the Montana House.

The internet has evolved to become a common tool that Montanans use to consume news. This fundamental sea change in how we get information is having a sweeping effect on our culture - from the rise of fake news to the filter bubble that feeds and reaffirms our beliefs.

Fifty-eight percent of all women participate in the workforce, but are paid less than men, earning 77 percent of what men earn. Every state in the nation has an earnings gap, but Montana ranks near the bottom at 46th in the nation.

Median earnings for Montana workers over age 24 are $31,800 and places Montana 45th among all states. How can Montana increase wages and develop a robust knowledge economy of skilled workers?

This study examines the size and scope of those economic contributions. Specifically, this study poses the question, "What would the economy of Missoula look like if Grizzly Athletics did not exist?" Using information from financial records, ticket sales, attendance, and a survey of Grizzly football season ticket holders, we have estimated how much larger the economy of today is - in terms of jobs, income, spending and population - than would be case if the Grizzly Athletics were not a part of it.

Deciding where to attend college can be one of life?s pivotal decisions ? one that can largely shape a student?s future. What can we learn about college quality from the average earnings of its students?

During the past few years, Montana families and children have experienced a range of positive developments, but these improvements have not changed existing disparity gaps. Montana ranks 24th out of 50 states in child well-being.

Look at any of the ?best places to live? lists and you will see many college towns. These small to mid-sized cities offer an appealing mix of amenities, but they also tend to offer something else ? a high cost of living and low wages, particularly for people with a college degree.

The future is here ? the United States census is moving online to save money and make participation easier. Find out what?s in store, why the census is important and how Montana has changed since the last census in 2010.

Montanans love Montana. A recent Gallup poll asked whether or not respondents believed that their state was the best, or one of the best, states in which to live. 77 percent of Montanans chose their home state. For one group, though, Montana appears less desirable: the college-educated, and particularly the young and college-educated.

The 2015 Missoula Area Transportation Survey provides the Missoula Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), citizens of the City of Missoula and Missoula County, and area policy makers with information about Missoula area residents? opinions regarding the area transportation system and area residents? use of the area transportation system. The particular tool used to obtain this information, a rigorously conducted, randomly sampled survey enables the MPO to obtain reliable estimates of the proportion of the area population that holds various opinions and who use various aspects of the transportation system.

In the United States, women earn median wages that are 71 percent of the median earnings for men. In Montana, this figure is 68 percent. The gap between the median wages for men and women is referred to as the gender wage gap. The gap between the median wages for men and women is referred to as the gender wage gap. The gap between men''s and women''s wages exists in nearly every occupation in all industries, in every state, across countries, at all education levels, and in the private, government and nonprofit sectors. While the gender pay gap is improving, the narrowing is happening at such a slow pace that it would take until 2058 to reach gender pay equity (Hayes, 2013).

This is a PowerPoint presentation of the results of a survey, funded by The Greater Montana Foundation, of Montana Statewide Media Habits which collected data from a telephone survey of 526 adults in Montana in April-May 2015. Key Findings: Television remains a key source of news and information, local news from all sources is very closely followed and highly sought after, the rate of internet access in homes now matches that found nationwide, handheld devices are used by a significant portion of Montanans to access news.

Butte-Anaconda serves as a regional center for Southwestern Montana. Almost a quarter of its economic base is derived from trade center activities. They include people coming to town for retail shopping and obtaining health care services. There are also several professional service and management firms serving clients in surrounding rural areas.

If Rip Van Winkle were an economist, he would marvel at the changes in the Custer County economy since he went to sleep for 20 years. What was once a regional center for state and federal agencies and businesses serving area farms and ranches has now evolved into a trade and finance center and, most recently, home to firms serving the Bakken oil fields.

The most recent federal data report accelerating growth in the Flathead economy. After a crippling decline during the Great Recession, the Flathead County economy posted an increase of 2.4 percent in 2011, about 3 percent in 2012, and a stunning 4.2 percent in 2013. The most recent figures suggest this rapid growth may have moderated in 2014.

Until about 10 years ago, Richland County has enjoyed a relatively stable and prosperous economy based on agriculture, food processing, and a utility company. Then technological advances enabled the extraction of crude oil, which was previously uneconomic. It has been dubbed the ?unconventional energy revolution.?

A wide-ranging discussion covering economic topics of interest. The discussions include: the Economy, Healthcare, Tourism and Recreation, Agriculture, Manufacturing, Forest Products, Housing, and Energy. A panel of industry experts and economists provide their responses to important questions regarding Montana?s economy.

Cascade County is a classic example of why historic data, however accurate, may not be a reliable indicator of what is happening now. Specifically, the latest annual data released by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis do not reflect the new indirect energy-related manufacturing activity that only started to show up late in 2013.

The Gallatin County economy has been on an economic roller coaster since the onset of the Great Recession in 2008. The Bozeman-area economy experienced a significant contraction early in the recession. But the economy began to turn around in 2010 and has continued upward ever since. In fact, Gallatin County is one of only two major urban areas in the state (the other being Yellowstone County) to significantly exceed the statewide growth rates during the recovery phase of this business cycle.

The Helena economy has traditionally been non-cyclic because of its dependence of state and federal government. The data corresponding to the Great Recession certainly confirm this notion. Lewis and Clark County was one of the very few urban areas in Montana which did not have at least one year of decline during the last decade.

Economic growth in Missoula?s economy has been frustratingly slow. After three straight years of decline during the Great Recession, the Missoula economy turned upward in 2011. But the growth rates have been have been anemic. The Missoula economy expanded about 1.5 percent per year in 2012 and 2013, as compared to 3 percent to 4 percent annual growth before the recession.

Recent economic statistics demonstrate Ravalli County?s economy is slowly emerging from the downturn experienced in the Great Recession.

The Yellowstone County economy continues to benefit from the indirect impacts of the Bakken oil field developments on the Montana- North Dakota line. Even though Billings is more than 300 miles and five hours driving time from the epicenter of the drilling activity in Williston, North Dakota, it is an attractive location for the indirect and service activities associated with the oil boom. A number of North Dakota cities are closer to Williston, but at best they have roughly half of the population of Yellowstone County. This means that industries such as finance, wholesale trade, and professional services are probably much larger and have more depth and resources in Billings than in the North Dakota cities.

While women now participate equally in the wage economy and earn a majority of all bachelor''s degrees, this has not led to financial equality. Women do not share equally in the economic well-being of the state.

The federal government plays an important role in the national and state economies, having spent more than $3 trillion throughout the U.S., and almost $11 billion in Montana in fiscal year 2010. Federal spending varies significantly by state and may be thought of as influenced by politics, but in fact it is more influenced by economics and demographics.

The number of home-based workers usually is outside the normal labor information stream, but the American Community Survey asks people how they get to work. This question provides information on commute time and place of work and determines whether people are home-based workers.

Migration had dramatic impacts on Montana during the past two decades, affecting the total population, its distribution between rural and urban areas, and composition by age, including school-age populations.

How rich or poor are Americans? Where do they work, and what training do they have for their jobs? What languages do they speak? The American Community Survey is an ongoing survey that provides answers to questions like these and gives communities the current information they need to plan investments and services.

The 2011 national high school graduation rate was 75 percent. The remaining 25 percent, about 1.2 million high school seniors across the country, did not attain a high school diploma.

Census Bureau population estimates are used for allocating more than $400 billion to various political entities and to determine eligibility for many social programs. So how accurate are the estimates?

When traveling across Montana, one often sees bumper stickers proclaiming the driver is a native Montanan. In some counties, most people at gatherings are native Montanans, but in other counties natives are a rare event.

Montana''s 2010 population of 989,415 shows an increase of 9.7 percent since 2000, bringing an addition of just more than 87,000 people to the state.

This report assesses housing affordability, and analyzes the factors affecting the cost of housing in major real estate markets within Montana.

A press release explaining that between the 2000 and 2010 Census many Montana communities saw increases in population. However, in some cases these shifts were because of changes in geographic boundaries as well as population growth.

Vacation homes are a major part of several Montana communities, and the numbers have increased; however, most of the growth occurred before the recession. Sales of vacation homes have been nearly nonexistent the last couple of years.

This is the sixth annual report to the community on housing in the city and county of Missoula. This report provides a gauge of the overall health of Missoula real estate and indicates real estate''s impacts on the overall local economy.

As Americans age, their likelihood of migrating, their reasons for moving, and their destination choices shift dramatically. Baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) are entering a stage when moves to rural locales increase, especially to areas with scenic amenities and lower housing costs.

This report details the findings of a comprehensive evaluation of labor force availability in the 11 counties of north central Montana. During the summer and fall of 2008, researchers at The University of Montana''s Bureau of Business and Economic Research (BBER) surveyed a random sample of adults in Blaine, Cascade, Chouteau, Glacier, Hill, Judith Basin, Liberty, Phillips, Pondera, Teton, and Toole counties to assess the labor force status, availability, training preferences and other characteristics. The purpose of the project was to construct and present a more comprehensive assessment of labor force status and availability than can be obtained from the employment and unemployment statistics gathered regularly by state and federal statistical agencies. The emphasis was on those in the adult labor force who are receptive to new job opportunities. This includes both the under- and the unemployed.

Our basic finding is that there are a substantial number of individuals currently working who report themselves as willing and available for new job opportunities. Statewide, there were almost 261,000 adults who could be classified as available for new job opportunities.

This is an assessment of housing affordability and factors affecting the cost of housing for the major real estate markets within Montana.

Our basic finding is that the number of workers currently residing in Flathead County who are potentially available for new employment opportunities is substantially larger than official unemployment statistics would suggest. We estimate that as of summer/fall 2008, there were approximately 19,500 individuals, aged 18 or older, who identified themselves as candidates for new job openings. By contrast, the Montana Department of Labor and Industry reports that for September 2008, the most current month available at press time, the number of unemployed individuals in Flathead County was slightly less than 2,200. The wide discrepancy between these two estimates stems from the fact that the available labor pool contains substantial numbers of individuals who are currently employed, but willing to change jobs in response to new opportunities.

The U.S. Census Bureau is using flawed methodology to produce population estimates at the sub-county level. For Montana, this means the growth of some rural communities is underestimated by as much as 400 percent, while the growth of more urban areas is significantly overestimated. Because population estimates are used to determine over $300 billion in federal funding as well as important policy choices, inaccurate data have significant implications for Montana communities. As chairman of the Federal State Population Cooperative Program for Population Estimates, author James T. Sylvester is working to correct the problem. He explains why the current method doesn''t work in Montana and offers solutions to provide more accurate data.

Nationwide, roughly 6 percent of homes are in developments behind walls and fences. Predominantly out-of-state investment has brought this trend to Montana. In 1990 only 276 houses in Montana were worth $300,000 or more according to the U.S. Census Bureau. By 2000, the Bureau had to add a whole new category: homes costing $1 million or more. Author Amy Joyner gives readers a glimpse of life in some of Montana''s most luxurious and exclusive communities. From the Yellowstone Club to the Ridge Above Rock Creek, Joyner describes life behind the gates.

Using the new Census data, this article examines population statistics and trends in Montana, providing an overall look at counties that have grown, as well as those that have declined. While the state?s population has increased from 2000 to 2005, it has not grown as much as the period from 1990 to 1995.

The buzz begins the moment a new family moves into the neighborhood. Who are these new neighbors? Where did they come from? The truth is that they are not from some exotic location, but probably from Helena, or at most, Spokane. The 2000 Census reported that almost 43 percent of Montanans moved from one house to another in the last five years, and about 22 percent moved from a different state. Combined with mortgage rates at their lowest levels in a generation, this increasing mobility provides most of the explanation for rising house prices and increased home construction.

Conventional wisdom holds that if rural America simply had more jobs to offer, the population and economic declines of the past 40 years would be reversed. However, will throwing large sums of money at rural areas really help turn around the decline of rural communities? First, the underlying foundation of rural communities and economies needs to be understood. Next, recent survey results question the advisability of continuing to spend so much effort and money trying to reverse what may be an inevitable change.