Montana Near The Top For States People Are Leaving

I really can't say that I'm surprised. I think deep down, most of us knew this day would come. The day that born and raised Montanans started to pack their stuff and head out.

While there are several reasons for folks saying "so long" to Montana, it seems the biggest one is what we've known for years, Montana is just too expensive a place to live. With the high cost of living (especially housing) many Montanans can't make ends meet anymore, so they're relocating, and they're relocating to other states.

READ MORE: Montana Ranch listed for just under 80 million dollars. Check out the photos. 

This has been a long time coming. While many will point to the influx of folks from other states moving here during the pandemic, the truth is, that folks have been coming here from different places for years.

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Before we get into all the details, let's look at a few Montana towns that won't break the bank.

Move Buddha researched the states that people are fleeing from the most and it's not good news for the Mountain West. 7 of the Top 10 states people are leaving are in the western part of the United States, including Montana.

Where does Montana rank compared to other states?

Montana is ranked 2nd for states where people are leaving in large numbers. For those who are relocating, only 13 percent of them remain in the state with 87 percent going elsewhere.

The only state that ranks higher than Montana is Alaska where only 10 percent of those relocating remain in state. As mentioned, it's not just Montana that people are moving away from. Folks are leaving Idaho, Wyoming, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico.

Are people still moving to Montana?

Yes, and this is where it gets a bit confusing. According to the data, every single "local" that moves away, they're replaced by 2.37 people from out of state. So the move-ins aren't slowing down per se, it just means that more Montana-born and raised residents are leaving. 

The same goes for Alaska, Idaho, and Wyoming.

Oh, and in case you're wondering where the locals are moving to, it seems the Carolinas are very popular with both South and North Carolina ranked 1st and 2nd among states where the most folks are moving.