West Yellowstone, Montana

Population

Down 6.8% since 2020.

1,191

people, the 51st-largest of Montana's cities and towns.

Census Population Estimates, 2025. Rank among Montana's cities and towns computed by the Almanac. Sources: Census Population Estimates

The workday

6 in 10 jobs here go to people who live somewhere else.

63.7%

of 1,125 jobs located in West Yellowstone are filled by in-commuters.

Census LEHD LODES, 2023. Sources: Census LEHD LODES

Rent

Median rent is up 63% since the 2005–2009 survey, before inflation.

$1,045

a month. Montana's median is $1,081.

Census ACS 5-year, 2020-2024 (latest), with earlier 5-year windows. Survey estimates for a place this size carry wide margins of error. Sources: Census ACS 5-year

The seam

Cross one tract line and median rent doubles.

A $1,181 gap between neighbors, the sharpest rent edge between adjacent tracts in Gallatin County.

• $1,027 Tract 6
• $2,208 Tract 5.06

Census ACS 5-year, 2020-2024, adjacent tracts compared by the Almanac. Tract estimates carry wide margins of error. Sources: Census ACS 5-year

Room to build

The median rent sits inside what local wages can carry.

$776–$1,164

is the monthly rent range local workforce wages support.

• $1,045 median

Supportable rent computed by the Almanac from 2023 source wage data. Median rent: Census ACS 5-year, 2020-2024. Sources: Computed by the Almanac, Census ACS 5-year

Building

73% of the housing here was built before 2000.

• 15 homes permitted, 2022–2025
• 0% of those were in multifamily buildings
• 73% of all homes were built before 2000

Census Building Permits Survey, 2022–2025; Census ACS 5-year, 2020-2024. Survey estimates for a place this size carry wide margins of error. Sources: Census Building Permits Survey, Census ACS 5-year

Units needed

Closing the gap would add 0.2–1.3% to the 855 homes here.

2–11

is the estimated number of missing housing units, from the lowest to the highest of three estimates.

Range computed by the Almanac from 2023 jobs and household data, using three demand models: 1% of jobs located here, 1% of renter households, and a rate by town size applied to renters. The low end is the lowest of the three and the high end the highest. It is an estimate, not a count. Sources: Computed by the Almanac

Home value

A median home costs 34% more than Montana's.

$504,300

median home value in West Yellowstone.

• $504,300 West Yellowstone
• $375,800 Montana
• $332,700 U.S.

Census ACS 5-year, 2020-2024. Survey estimates for a place this size carry wide margins of error. Sources: Census ACS 5-year