Dive Brief:

• The boom in energy extraction in several Western states has brought workers and money, but not houses on which they could spend their substantial wages.
• Some people in six towns are currently living in apartments with rents the size of substantial mortgage payments or the back seats of their cars in a Walmart parking lot.
• As the Chamber of Commerce in Williston, ND, advises newcomers, living in a trailer or recreational vehicle is not likely to be a pleasant experience at 30 degrees below zero.

Dive Insight:

The six towns that exemplify the need for housing and opportunity for builders are located in multiple states, from Montana to New Mexico, all in areas where oil and gas exploration and extraction have soared. It's also the area that some contractors in other regions say has lured skilled workers whom they would like to have back as their businesses recover.