More retirees are moving in, but they normally come from warmer environments...usually the husband has been hunting in the area with his buds for years and a few years away from retirement he drags the missus to town during June when the place is spectacular. They sell their big expensive home in the Bay Area, or LA, retire and build a big place on 5-acres...buy the milk cow and billy goat and play rancher.
Well the husband is having a ball; ice fishing with some thug friends, snowmobiling all over the place, hunting bear, elk, lion, chipmunks, fishing for steelhead, the whole thing. Meanwhile the little womin is going nuts...it is cold...-35 below not uncommon, and the nearest mall is in Missoula, Montana...a three hour drive in good weather. So after a couple of winters, there is a big FOR SALE sign in the front pasture and they head for Arizona. There are some nice house bargans in the area. We bought our first place...3,000 sq ft. 4-br on 5-acres, irrigated pasture, sprinkler pipe, small barn, two-car garage with shop, for $130K. Don't think that can be done in many places anymore.