Great Falls and Grand Junction receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Measured values
| Metric | Great Falls | Grand Junction | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 84,606 | 158,601 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $67,690 | $73,658 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,795 | $40,076 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 31/sq mi | 48/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $265,300 | $378,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $939 | $1,182 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 68.5% | 72.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 4.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.2% | -3.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.4% | 32.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.1% | 10.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 250 | 813 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.0 | 5.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 28.9% | -10.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 95°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 15°F | 17°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 14.8" | 9.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 11 mi | 8 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.0 min | 19.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.6 | 41.3 | 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
Great Falls
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Grand Junction
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Your best match
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Full profiles: Great Falls, MT Metro Area · Grand Junction, CO Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology