One state with three changing regions

As described in the second article in this series examining growth and change in Montana, while many if not most Montanans view their state as being largely rural, most of the state's residents now live within 50 miles of the state's seven largest cities – Billings, Missoula, Kalispell, Bozeman, Great Falls, Helena and Butte. In fact, 80 percent of Montana's residents live in or nearby these cities. The seven counties where these regional population centers are located account for 64 percent of the state's population.

These seven "Regional Center Counties" are the state's most urban places and...