Great Falls receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Blackfoot
Great Falls
Opportunity
53 · Bottom 43%
vs56 · Top 50%
Growth
44 · Bottom 39%
vs45 · Bottom 41%
Climate
56 · Bottom 7%
vs56 · Bottom 7%
Physical resilience
52 · Bottom 45%
vs68 · Top 40%
Housing affordability
88 · Top 37%
vs88 · Top 36%
Access
86 · Bottom 31%
vs95 · Top 40%
Economic stability
57 · Bottom 43%
vs50 · Bottom 32%
Measured values
| Metric | Blackfoot | Great Falls | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,782 | 60,329 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $64,032 | $63,373 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $28,259 | $38,231 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,079/sq mi | 2,608/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $262,500 | $257,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $839 | $900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.9% | 66.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.7% | -1.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.7% | 27.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.6% | 14.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 32 | 144 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.5 | 2.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -65.6% | 125.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 17°F | 15°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.8" | 14.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 23 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.7 min | 16.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.7 | 39.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Blackfoot
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, heat wave.
Great Falls
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Blackfoot
62
Your Score
59
Area Score
Great Falls
65
Your Score
63
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Blackfoot, ID · Great Falls, MT · How this is calculated: methodology