New Yorkers flood to Western town following surprise endorsement 

A small town in the quiet mountains of Southwest Montana has been rocked by an influx of New Yorkers, fueled by the hit show The Madison - causing prices of homes to soar by 50 percent. The township of Ennis, with a population of 615 people, has been inadvertently advertised by Taylor Sheridan's Paramount+ series , which follows Kurt Russell and Michelle Pfeiffer as the Clyburn family navigating life in the Madison River Valley after relocating from New York. Ennis, which borders The Madison's setting, has seen its median home listing price skyrocket to $742,000, 49.9 percent higher than in February 2020, according to Realtor.com.

Chase Heiland, a Montana real estate broker, told the outlet he has seen a surge of interest from New Yorkers eyeing Ennis, calling it a case of art imitating reality. In addition, the open landscape and natural recreational activities, such as skiing and fly-fishing, attract New Yorkers, according to the broker. 'In the colder months, many New Yorkers enjoy skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, ice fishing, and hunting,' added Heiland. The broker noted that his big city clients are looking at a variety of properties for either primary residences or vacation homes. However, Montanans have been dreading the idea of living with wannabe ranchers since the inception of the popular show Yellowstone, another product of Sheridan's.

Yellowstone prompted its own class of newcomers to Montana for years after it premiered in 2018, starring Kevin Costner for five seasons as he and his family defended his beloved Dutton Ranch. Locals have taken to forums like Reddit to discuss how the influx of outsiders has made it difficult to afford homes. One user wrote: 'Yeah, that first winter shock is always funny to see in people, haha. The cost of living has gone up because of these out-of-state buyers willing to pay cash at above market value; however, that’s more of what I was referring to than a social change or anything like that. Everyone watched “Yellowstone” and wants to be a cowboy.' 

Another added: 'As a Montanan and a homeowner, I believe this. In just four short years, our taxes tripled. 'We didn’t make any improvements to our home. It’s the same as it was 12 years ago (besides a little paint), but due to homes being snatched up by investors and out of staters who want a vacation home, our house tripled in value. It’s [expletive] insane! 'Had we not purchased 12 years ago, there’s no way we would be able to afford to buy now.'

A third said: 'Thank Yellowstone, the out-of-state buyers that didn't mind paying double what a house was worth, and our Republican government for that. Life in the Bitterroot has been destroyed if you don't have millions.' Purchasing ranches has become a new status symbol for the upper class, flaunting their deep pockets. In Wyoming, land values near Yellowstone and Jackson Hole have risen 28 percent over the past five years, according to a report from Live Water Properties, which tracks ranch sales in the state. Jackson Hole–based real estate broker Latham Jenkins said ranch sales were directly due to Yellowstone's popularity. 'That show put the idea of the West in front of a huge audience,' he told the Daily Mail. 'People see the wide-open land, the family legacy, and the independence it represents. 'A lot of buyers who might never have considered it before now think, 'Why not us?' It's less about cows and more about the lifestyle and legacy.'