Montana’s population growth rate has declined from the rapid-fire increases of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau , though certain communities, including East Helena and Kalispell, remain hot spots.

Kalispell retained its title as the state’s fastest-growing city, with the Census Bureau estimating it added over 1,100 residents from 2023 to 2024 — a nearly 4% population increase, the Montana Free Press reports.

The much-smaller East Helena saw an estimated increase of 110 residents, pushing its growth rate above 5%.

Bozeman, in contrast, was long Montana’s fastest-growing city , but has seen its growth rates decline in recent years. While it was pegged at a nearly 3% growth rate between 2020 and 2021, for example, it added fewer than 800 people b

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