Missoula delivered the biggest demographic surprise of the cycle. Census updates tracking city shifts revealed that Missoula added more net residents between 2024 and 2025 than any other municipality in the state, pushing its municipal headcount past 76,000.
City zoning updates played an underappreciated role in this outcome. While other cities fought over suburban sprawl, Missoula reformed its residential codes to permit accessory dwelling units, townhomes, and multi-family infill along major transit corridors like Brooks Street. These code adjustments brought hundreds of new rental units to market just as remote-work migration tapered off.
The University of Montana has also rebounded. Following years of fluctuating enrollment, the campus stabilized its student population above 10,500, helping support service employment, tech incubators, and cultural amenities. Missoula remains a cultural and medical beacon for western valleys, balancing steep property taxes against sustained civic investment in parks, non-motorized trails, and public transit.
