Montana
Montana town’s economy withers due to lack of affordable housing
A slice of paradise in Montana is suffering economic disruption, but it isn’t a result of any political battles or environmental change. Instead, Seeley Lake’s problem lies in its lack of a centralized sewer system.
The Missoula County community’s reluctance to come up with a plan to replace its septic system means no affordable housing can be built for working people. While high-end septic systems can service multi-family dwellings, local officials explain that they’re not cost effective for the type of housing developers would seek to build in the area. The solution? Only a sewer system will do.
That lack of accommodation means Seeley Lake’s biggest employer — Pyramid Mountain Lumber — can’t attract enough workers to continue, and is closing the family-owned business which has been operating for 75 years.
“To make the announcement to the crew was probably the toughest thing; I’ve got friends, family, you know, generations, good friends that work here. I had to tell them we’re going to shut the doors,” Todd Johnson, a third-generation lumber mill worker whose grandfather started the mill in 1948, told ABC News.
“I’ve never drawn a paycheck from any other business in my whole life. I started here in sixth grade,” Johnson said. “This is all I’ve ever known.” Johnson has since worked his way up to become general manager.
VIDEO: Montana town in crosshairs of changing economy
ABCNews.com
Missoula County was once home to multiple sawmills and a thriving lumber industry. Pyramid Mountain Lumber is the last one, so its shuttering will mark the industry’s end in the area.
“There hasn’t been an apartment, duplex or fourplex built in this town in over 30 years,” Johnson said. “When you’re talking about entry-level housing for more blue collar workers…it’s not available.”
Pyramid isn’t the only local business affected by the worker shortage. Rovero’s Hardware is “running on a skeleton crew” as its busiest season approaches, general manager Kyle Marx noted.
“No affordable housing here,” he said. “Rentals have diminished since COVID hit, and everybody came up here, bought every rental darn near that was available and turned them into vacation rentals or moved up here themselves.”
Dee Baker, who owns antique store Grizzly Claw Trading Company, said it’s a long-term issue.
“There could be low-income housing built, but the people in the town cannot come to an agreement [for a sewer system] with Missoula County,” Baker said. “And it’s been going on for years and years.”
The situation was borne from local reluctance to pay for a centralized sewer system that would allow Seeley Lake to expand, and a fear that such a major infrastructure change would alter the community’s character, according to Missoula Board of County Commissioners chair Dave Strohmaier.
“The irony is that the lack of the infrastructure is … a big reason why Pyramid Mountain Lumber cannot find the housing for their employees and the employees to keep it going, and hence change is upon us,” Strohmaier said.
Johnson offered a glimpse of how much the town would lose once the lumber business closed.
“Our payroll just here to our employees is over $6 million a year,” he said. “You take that out of this economy, it’ll change the fabric of the town. There’s no doubt.”
Governor’s Office
HELENA, Mont. – Governor Greg Gianforte today announced Montana ranks in the top ten states with the highest year-over-year job growth rates.
“Montana continues to rank as one of the best states to start or grow a business, earn a competitive wage, and secure a good-paying job,” Gov. Gianforte said. “As we continue to reform our regulatory environment to support job creators and cut taxes to give money back to the hardworking Montanans who earned it, we see the results of conservative policies at work as the Treasure State ranks in the top ten states with the strongest job growth.”
According to a report by Stat Ranker, which compared all 50 states based on year-over-year growth in total nonfarm payroll employment between February 2025 and February 2026, Montana ranked ninth in the nation for both jobs added and overall job growth adding more than 2,100 jobs over the year, representing a 0.4 percent job growth rate.
Last week, the governor attended the groundbreaking for Janicki Industries in Great Falls to celebrate the aerospace manufacturers’ investment expected to create more than 2,000 jobs over the next ten years and the ribbon cutting for Amazon’s sixth delivery station in Montana that brings the company’s total employment in the state to over 800.
Last month, the governor announced Montana was ranked in the top five states with the fastest-growing economies since 2021. The report from Visual Capitalist found that between 2021 and 2025, Montana’s GDP grew 16.1 percent while the national average in the same time period was 10.8 percent. When it comes to wage growth, Montana ranks third in the nation for fastest wage growth and is only one of two states in the nation where wage growth has outpaced inflation since 2020. The average wage earned by Montana workers reached $60,037 in 2024.
Earlier this year, Gov. Gianforte also announced Montana’s fiscal health surged into the top ten states nationally under his leadership, rising from 22nd in 2021 to 8th in 2025. Since taking office, the governor has paid off the state’s general obligation debt, making Montana debt-free in 2023 and saving Montanans $40 million over a period of two years.
Montana also consistently ranks in the top fifteen states with the lowest unemployment rates. Last month, the governor announced Montana’s unemployment rate ticked down to 3.4 percent in May, lower than the national unemployment rate which remained at 4.3 percent.
The full Stat Ranker report can be read here.
###
Tags:
The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at July 14, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from July 14 drawing
02-04-10-48-56, Mega Ball: 22
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from July 14 drawing
15-20-26-27, Bonus: 02
Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from July 14 drawing
12-13-15-16-41, Bonus: 02
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Montana Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky For Life: 8:38 p.m. MT daily.
- Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Big Sky Bonus: 7:30 p.m. MT daily.
- Powerball Double Play: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Montana Cash: 8 p.m. MT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 9:15 p.m. MT daily.
Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Great Falls Tribune editor. You can send feedback using this form.
-
San Diego, CA5 minutes agoKarepango San Diego Comic-Con 2026 Debuts, Merchandise
-
Milwaukee, WI11 minutes agoMPS students repair bikes for free through WI Bike Federation program
-
Atlanta, GA17 minutes agoWorld Cup isn’t over: Best places to watch the final matches in Atlanta
-
Minneapolis, MN23 minutes agoFederal lawsuit raises questions about culture at prior job of Minneapolis mayor’s nominee for fire chief
-
Indianapolis, IN29 minutes agoSee ‘The Odyssey’ as Nolan intended at one Indiana IMAX theater
-
Pittsburg, PA35 minutes ago2 arrested following Downtown Pittsburgh drug bust, police say
-
Augusta, GA41 minutes ago
Augusta, GA Weather Forecast
-
Washington, D.C47 minutes agoCalls grow for Green to recall Hawaii National Guard from DC | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
