While on a wolf watching tour last year, I was told by a local biologist that if the Yellowstone region were broken off into its own state, it would be declared the fastest growing region in the country. There’s no question that development and the rising cost of living is one of the most pressing issues in the region today, with new neighborhoods gobbling up land in Montana and Wyoming at an alarming rate. Obviously, this puts more of a squeeze on already stressed local wildlife – historic migrations routes get fenced off and foraging areas near the parks are transformed into golf courses and landscaped backyards. But many locals are also getting squeezed out, unable to afford the skyrocketing costs. Jackson is the poster child for the issue, where limited land – some 98 percent of Teton County is protected wilderness – and a fashionable zip code – the IRS lists the county as having the highest average individual income tax returns in the county – have combined to create a market that rivals Manhattan and San Francisco. A story in today’s Jackson Hole News & Guide highlights just how out of control things have gotten. The median home price in Jackson Hole now tops a whopping $1 million, a figure that has doubled in only four years. According to the story:

“The least expensive condo on the market as of July 1 was $512,500. At this time last year, it was $205,000… To qualify for a loan on the least expensive condo, a person or couple would need to earn $150,000 a year. To afford a property listed at the median price is even harder. To buy a $1 million property, a person or couple would need to earn about $250,000 to $300,000…”

Jobs paying that much are  certainly far and few between, leaving locals in the lurch as wealthy visitors scoop up everything from condos to mega mansions on converted ranchlands as their vacation homes. Save for house sitting for the mega-rich, the sole solution for many has been to move to nearby communities like Alpine and Driggs, but the same upswing has been occurring in these small towns as well. Unless something is done to increase the amount of affordable housing soon, it won’t be long until many long time locals are forced out of the area completely.