> Commuting has a cost too so if low paid workers can afford housing an hour away Maybe I'm wrong, but given my experience driving through the Rockies, I doubt

> Commuting has a cost too so if low paid workers can afford housing an hour away Maybe I'm wrong, but given my experience driving through the Rockies, I doubt there is any more housing an hour away than there is town. It's just a giant vastness of undeveloped land. Wikipedia says that the county Ketchum is in has a population density of 8 people/sq mile, and an area of 2600 sq miles. Wikipedia also says that many people commute in for work from neighboring Lincoln county, population 5000. I think the OP's comment is correct in general, but the particular situation in question has more nuance to it. I don't see any conflict between the two.