A study of income tax data in Montana shows that California, Washington and Colorado were the top three origin states of new residents that moved to Montana in 2020.
The study by the Legislative Fiscal Division was presented Monday to a committee studying Montana’s economic future. Researchers used tax filings from 2020 to determine the income, age and origin of new residents to Montana.
According to the data, Gallatin County gained the most new residents, and Flathead, Missoula, Yellowstone and Lewis and Clark counties followed. New resident gross incomes were on average higher than Montana residents who lived here at least a year.
Washington, Idaho and Arizona are the top three destinations for Montana residents leaving the state.