In a serene mountainous region of Southwest Montana, the peaceful community of Ennis has experienced a dramatic transformation, driven by an influx of New Yorkers captivated by the television series The Madison. This popular show has contributed to a staggering 50 percent rise in real estate prices.
Ennis, a small town with just 615 residents, has found itself in the spotlight thanks to Taylor Sheridan’s Paramount+ series. The Madison, featuring stars Kurt Russell and Michelle Pfeiffer, chronicles the Clyburn family’s adventures as they transition from New York to the scenic Madison River Valley.
Neighboring the show’s picturesque setting, Ennis has witnessed its median home prices shoot up to $742,000, an increase of nearly 50 percent since February 2020, according to data from Realtor.com.
Chase Heiland, a local real estate expert, shared with the outlet that there’s been a notable surge in interest from New Yorkers hoping to settle in Ennis, likening the phenomenon to art breathing life into reality.
The region’s vast landscapes and abundant outdoor activities, such as skiing and fly-fishing, are additional draws for city dwellers, according to Heiland.
Heiland further commented, “During the winter months, many New Yorkers are drawn to activities like skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, ice fishing, and hunting.”
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.
The township of Ennis, with a population of 615 people, borders Madison River Valley, the setting of Taylor Sheridan’s Paramount+ series, The Madison
The show has inadvertently advertised the small town which has caused an increase interest from New Yorkers hoping to move to the small town in Montana
The Madison follows Kurt Russel and Michell Pfeiffer as the Clyburn family navigating life in the Madison River Valley after relocating from New York. Ennis borders the shows setting
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 f******* 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.’
Chase Heiland, a Montana real estate broker, told the Realtor.com New Yorkers are drawn to the area for it open landscape and natural activities such as fishing
For years locals have delt with the issue of newcomers purchasing up land in the Treasure State. The hit show Yellowstone which took place in Montana had a similar effect of newcomers purchasing land after it premiered in 2018
Yellowstone follows the Dutton family, who operate the largest contiguous cattle ranch in the United States, as they defend their Montana land from encroaching land developers (Kevin Costner and Kelly Reilly pictured)
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.’
