The virus pandemic forced millions of Americans to work remotely. In return, those with economic mobility could ditch the city life for rural areas, such as upscale mountain towns.
A flood of people poured into small resort towns such as Ketchum, located in Blaine County, Idaho, has created a multi-pronged issue, such as affordable living and labor shortages.
Ketchum is a small community of 3,000 people nestled in the Rocky Mountains of central Idaho. The resort community is an outdoor enthusiast’s dream, with four seasons of fun. But ever since the pandemic struck, city-dwellers from around the country descended on the small town, able to work remotely but created a surge in housing prices and a boom in economic activity.
No one can deny economic booms are great, but logistically, Ketchum was in no shape or form to handle what came next.
WSJ interviewed low-level workers in the town and found many of them could find jobs but could not afford homes or rentals.
Ethan McKee-Bakos worked two jobs in the mountain town and lived in his SUV in the nearby national park for two months because when home prices jumped in the area, so did rental rates.
“If you live in Ketchum, there’s no shortage of work. There’s just a shortage of where you can live,” said McKee-Bakos, who works at a local hospital and a bar. “This is the first time I’ve experienced any homelessness.” – READ MORE
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