Great Falls finally getting its turn at economic boom, city leaders say Several large-scale developments underway have the potential to generate momentum in one of Montana's slowest-growing large cities.

By Matt Hudson, Montana Free Press

Mired by a stagnant population while Montana’s other larger cities have enjoyed relative economic booms, Great Falls has long had a bit of an underdog reputation.

The city lagged behind Missoula, Kalispell, Bozeman, Billings and Helena in population growth since 2010. Great Falls was an outlier among larger cities from 2023 to 2024, losing residents. Even the city’s new growth policy notes Great Falls’ steady population level, which has hovered between 57,000 and 61,000 residents since 2000.

But the conversation has recently changed, at least locally, and a s...