Montana has become a hub for celebrities looking to escape the hustle and bustle of New York and Los Angeles.
Some A-listers, such as Glenn Close and Michael Keaton, have lived in the beautiful district for decades, while others, including Paris Hilton, are new to the area.
However, the influx of new bougie residents has also contributed to housing prices, leaving some residents unsatisfied with the country’s growth.
Justin Timberlake and his wife Jessica Biel are often seen near Bozeman, which is about an hour away from the city of Big Sky where the Hollywood couple lives with their two children.
‘They are really desperate and respectful. We see them taking their children out or getting coffee around town,” said one resident.
‘They can live a normal healthy life here and the locals don’t bother them. The only people making a fuss are the strange tourists.’
Celebrities including Justin Timberlake (pictured) have made Montana home in recent years, but the influx of transplants has ruffled some feathers among locals.
Locals have often spotted Timberlake with his wife Jessica Biel and their two children (pictured) near Bozeman.
Another celebrity who recently caused a stir is Jason Momoa, who hit Belgrade for a meet-and-greet to promote his new vodka line.
Ways to meet the Aquaman hunk went around the block and many residents shared stories in the following days of taking selfies with the star.
In addition to the low-key way of life in Montana can offer famous people, other stars are also attracted by the beauty of the famous Group of Yellowstone.
Located about an hour outside of Bozeman, the Yellowstone Club spans 15,200 acres in the Big Sky, and is known for its exclusivity, privacy and luxury amenities.
Members include Bill Gates, former US president Dan Quayle, Tom Brady, Paris Hilton, and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt.
As of 2018, the initial membership fee was $400,000 on top of an annual fee of $40,000, although that price is believed to have risen since then.
Members must also purchase a home within the group, which can range from $4 million to $25 million and up.
Paris Hilton and her husband, Carter Reum, are enjoying the slopes of Montana ski after joining the Yellowstone Club.
Located about an hour outside of Bozeman, the Yellowstone Club spans 15,200 acres in Big Sky, and is known for its exclusivity, privacy and luxury amenities.
Members of the Yellowstone Club include Bill Gates, former US president Dan Quayle, Tom Brady, and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt.
Yellowstone Club members can relax in the hot tub overlooking Montana’s snow-capped mountains
There is also a role for 864 members to maintain discretion, with more members from the world of business and technology than Hollywood.
‘They are more business leaders than celebrities,’ one member told The San Francisco Standard. ‘Is it very expensive.’
For stars who don’t want to cough up millions to live in the Yellowstone Club, there are still plenty of great places in Montana for A-listers to put down roots.
Michael Keaton has owned a 1,000-acre property in the small town of Big Timber since the early 90s.
Bill Pullman also has a farm in Boulder Valley, while John Mayer has a place in Paradise Valley (which inspired his 2013 album of the same name).
Glenn Close has lived in and out of Bozeman since the early 1980s, and currently lives there full-time on a farm with her family – where her daughter, Annie Starke, films her series Magnolia Network, The Mountain Kitchen.
At one time, Glenn and his sister, Jessie, even owned a local coffee shop in downtown Bozeman.
Kelly Clarkson also bought a $10.4 million ranch in 2018 with her then-husband, Brandon Blackstock.
Although the American Idol winner would like to live on the farm full time, she can only visit the property once a month due to her filming schedule for The Kelly Clarkson Show in New York.
John Mayer has had his place in Paradise Valley (which inspired his 2013 album of the same name) for more than a decade.
Michael Keaton has owned a 1,000-acre property (pictured) in the town of Big Timber since the early 90s.
Glenn Close has lived in and out of Bozeman since the early 1980s, and currently lives there full-time in a farmhouse (pictured) with her family.
Kelly Clarkson also bought a $10.4 million ranch in 2018 with her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock.
When asked what makes the state — dubbed ‘America’s Last Place’ — real estate agent Elizabeth Dellwo of The Agency Bozeman said being close to nature is a big reason.
‘Montana offers some of the best entertainment in the United States,’ Elizabeth told DailyMail.com.
‘Living in Bozeman you have many things right outside your front door, which allows for a very good work-life balance and makes for an overall high quality of life – that’s why everyone wants to be here.’
The influx of celebrities and relocations to the coast has put pressure on the state, especially in Bozeman, which saw a flood of people fleeing the freedom-loving red state during the pandemic.
Many immigrants from California and New York have more disposable income than local residents, which has driven up housing costs and priced long-term residents out of the market.
In the past six years, Bozeman home prices have nearly doubled, with the price of a single-family home now at $737,000 after rising from $795,000 a year ago.
The modern city has been called “Boz Angeles” by some people and the debate about whether or not the quiet place has been resurrected is increasing frequently.
However, while it is easy to blame modern transplants for the cost of living and increased traffic, the issue actually goes back decades.
A 1992 article in the Chicago Tribune about celebrities — including Mary Hart, Ted Turner, and Brooke Shields — moving to Montana detailed the concerns of the local community.
‘What the people here feel is not so much sadness as it is the fear of losing their town. Will it be a place we want to live?’ a resident told the publication at the time.
He continued: ‘Celebrities mingle here. ‘I think there’s been a lot of concern about Californians in general, who have come here and driven up housing prices. Property prices have risen by 2 percent per month since 1990.’
While some residents remain cold to outsiders, many Montana business owners have benefited from the increase in transplants and tourists.
Brett Ashley McMillan, who owns Juniper Face + Figure medspa in Bozeman, says it’s one of many local businesses that should be affected by all the new faces in town.
Local business owner Brett Ashley McMillan (pictured) says the influx of transplants and tourists has been great for his medspa, Juniper Face + Figure.
‘Small businesses like mine serve local Montanans from all over the state, but we also benefit from seasonal tourism and newcomers who want to make Bozeman and Big Sky their new home, ‘ he said.
‘I’ve served all kinds of people at Juniper Face + Figure, from local Montanans to transplants, hikers, athletes, influencers, and even a few cast members from the Yellowstone TV show!’
He continued, ‘I can say that my business has progressed due to the increase in population. Mainly because some of my treatments, like cosmetic injections and penile rejuvenation, would be a new concept here in the Wild West.
‘But the transplants that come here are usually from places like New York and California where facial and body treatments are common and accepted, so it’s been a good thing for me.’
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