CNN Calls Missoula the Best—Locals Just Call It Expensive

Missoula just got named on CNN’s list of the best towns in America, which is great and all… until you remember what that usually leads to. Spoiler alert: more people. More price hikes. And more stories like this one.

Read More: Why Missoula, Montana, Is A Must-Visit In 2025 |

So CNN sent a guy from Atlanta to check us out. He did the classic “here’s this cute mountain town” walk-through. Popped out of Biga Pizza, had a steak along the Clark Fork at Finn, then hit Big Dipper for some huckleberry ice cream like he’d uncovered Montana’s hidden berry vault. His reactions were a little dramatic. It's like he was auditioning for a Hallmark movie called A City Guy’s First Summer in Missoula. But hey, I’ll give the guy credit,  he did seem like he was having a blast.

The segment itself was fine. Positive. Flattering. Painted us as a mix of Portland, Boulder, and a Patagonia ad with better coffee. But for those of us who’ve been here a while, it’s hard not to think about what comes next. This kind of national attention only pushes housing prices higher. It means more places that can't pay a living wage. And it means the folks who were born and raised here can’t afford their own zip code anymore.

Missoula is amazing. That’s not the issue. We’re just tired of being the best-kept secret that someone keeps leaking. So thanks, CNN. We see you. We hear you. But maybe next time, shine the spotlight on a town that actually needs the attention.

Like, I dunno… Spokane. Maybe?