Flathead County vs Gallatin County
Flathead County, Montana versus Gallatin County, Montana: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Flathead County and Gallatin County score about the same overall (45 vs 45 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Flathead County | Gallatin County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $68k | $83k |
| Cost of Living | $56k | $63k |
| Home Value | $414k | $527k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.66% | 0.65% |
| Income Tax | 5.90% | 5.90% |
| Sales Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.91% | 10.00% |
| Unemployment | 3.2% | 2.1% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 25°F | 22°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 63°F | 67°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 18.8 in | 16.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 58.1 in | 79.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 239 days | 225 days |
| Summer Humidity | 48°F | 47°F |
| Comfortable Days | 35 days | 23 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 86.5 | 81.0 |
| Air Quality | 43 AQI | 26 AQI |
| School Quality | 45.4 | 49.1 |
| Violent Crime | 914/100k | 852/100k |
| Property Crime | 1623/100k | 1295/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 105,950 | 119,685 |
| Median Age | 42.3 | 33.5 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.15 | 0.16 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.00 | 1.09 |
| Political Leaning | R+31 | Even |
| White (%) | 91.1% | 89.7% |
| Black (%) | 0.3% | 0.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 3.3% | 4.3% |
| Asian (%) | 0.8% | 1.4% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.6% | 4.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 19 min | 18 min |
| Walkability | 7.2/20 | 10.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 172 mi | 272 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 88.5% | 91.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 0.00 | 0.42 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Flathead County or Gallatin County more affordable?
- Flathead County has the lower cost of living: its index is $56k, compared with Flathead County's $56k and Gallatin County's $63k. Median rent is $1k in Flathead County versus $1k in Gallatin County.
- Is Flathead County or Gallatin County safer?
- Gallatin County has the lower violent crime rate. Flathead County reports 914/100k and Gallatin County reports 852/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Flathead County or Gallatin County?
- The median home value is $414k in Flathead County and $527k in Gallatin County, so homes are more affordable in Flathead County.