Twin Falls receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Great Falls
Twin Falls
Opportunity
56 · Top 49%
vs57 · Top 47%
Growth
50 · Top 49%
vs66 · Top 25%
Climate
56 · Bottom 13%
vs63 · Bottom 42%
Physical resilience
69 · Top 32%
vs76 · Top 20%
Housing affordability
90 · Bottom 36%
vs79 · Bottom 19%
Access
94 · Top 18%
vs90 · Top 24%
Economic stability
61 · Top 37%
vs79 · Top 15%
Measured values
| Metric | Great Falls | Twin Falls | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 84,606 | 118,907 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $67,690 | $68,810 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,795 | $34,076 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 31/sq mi | 47/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $265,300 | $325,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $939 | $1,071 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 68.5% | 71.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.2% | -1.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.4% | 21.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.1% | 11.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 250 | 667 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.0 | 5.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 28.9% | -12.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 15°F | 21°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 14.8" | 10.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 11 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.0 min | 20.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.6 | 35.8 | 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.
Twin Falls
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, heat wave, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Great Falls
68
Your Score
65
Area Score
Twin Falls
73
Your Score
69
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Great Falls, MT Metro Area · Twin Falls, ID Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology