AreaProfile

Montana Area Profiles

8 published city profiles across Montana, each built from the same authoritative sources and compared on the same terms.

Statewide signals

OpportunityTop 22% of 51 states65
GrowthTop 6% of 51 states77
Housing affordability38th of 51 states76
Climate41st of 51 states54
Physical resilienceTop 48% of 51 states56
Access41st of 51 states42
Economic stability33rd of 51 states43

Cities

8 published profiles across 7 areas

Bozeman, MT

2 cities

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
BozemanGallatin County56,11470
BelgradeGallatin County11,87272

Billings, MT

1 city

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
BillingsYellowstone County119,43473

Missoula, MT

1 city

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
MissoulaMissoula County76,51469

Great Falls, MT

1 city

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
Great FallsCascade County60,32963

Butte-Silver Bow, MT

1 city

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
Butte-Silver BowSilver Bow County35,052—

Helena, MT

1 city

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
HelenaLewis and Clark County33,63976

Kalispell, MT

1 city

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
KalispellFlathead County28,50468

Strongest opportunity

  1. Bozeman 85
  2. Kalispell 84
  3. Belgrade 84
  4. Helena 82
  5. Missoula 74

Fastest development

  1. Kalispell 91
  2. Helena 85
  3. Bozeman 75
  4. Missoula 68
  5. Belgrade 65

Statewide physical risk

WildfireElevated
Cold waveModerate
EarthquakeModerate
AvalancheModerate
Inland floodingModerate

Low or minimal exposure: winter weather, landslide, lightning, heat wave, hail, ice storm, strong wind, drought, tornado, volcanic activity.

Population-weighted across every county in Montana, derived from the FEMA National Risk Index. Exposure varies substantially within a state — check the individual city and ZIP profiles.

Statewide data

MetricValueCompared nationallySource period
Average household size ±0.022.37Bottom 14%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Households ±3,762458,859Bottom 16%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Median age ±0.240.4Top 24%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Population1,116,875Bottom 16%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Population density8/sq miBottom 4%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Cost of living index91.0Bottom 26%of 512023
Home price to income5.18Top 18%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Homeownership rate69.2%Top 33%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Housing units ±3,257528,419Bottom 16%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Median gross rent ±$14$1,081Bottom 35%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Median home value ±$3,433$375,800Top 33%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Rent as a share of income17.9%Bottom 24%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Vacancy rate13.2%Top 27%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Median household income ±$761$72,509Bottom 29%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Per capita income ±$477$41,711Bottom 47%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Poverty rate11.5%Bottom 45%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Average commute20.5 minBottom 8%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Bachelor's degree or higher35.2%Top 45%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Employment567,733Bottom 16%of 51July 2026
Employment change (3 years)0.5%Top 40%of 51July 2026
Employment change (year over year)0.0%Top 28%of 51July 2026
Labor force584,082Bottom 16%of 51July 2026
Labor force participation62.9%Bottom 39%of 522024 ACS 5-Year
Unemployment change (year over year)-0.3%Bottom 34%of 51July 2026
Unemployment rate2.8%Bottom 10%of 51July 2026

Counties in Montana

7 published

Some measures are published by county and nowhere finer — death rates by intent among them. On a county page those describe the geography they are printed on.

Yellowstone County, MT
168,957 residents · 4.0 homicide deaths per 100k
Gallatin County, MT
124,074 residents · 2.2 homicide deaths per 100k
Missoula County, MT
120,672 residents · 2.6 homicide deaths per 100k
Flathead County, MT
110,695 residents · 4.3 homicide deaths per 100k
Cascade County, MT
84,606 residents · 4.1 homicide deaths per 100k
Lewis and Clark County, MT
73,464 residents · 3.5 homicide deaths per 100k
Silver Bow County, MT
35,785 residents · 0.0 homicide deaths per 100k