Flathead County vs Missoula County
Flathead County, Montana versus Missoula 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 edges out Missoula County on overall objective livability (45 vs 41 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Flathead County | Missoula County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $68k | $67k |
| Cost of Living | $56k | $52k |
| Home Value | $414k | $382k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.66% | 0.94% |
| Income Tax | 5.90% | 5.90% |
| Sales Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.91% | 11.25% |
| Unemployment | 3.2% | 4.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 25°F | 25°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 63°F | 68°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 18.8 in | 19.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 58.1 in | 48.9 in |
| Sunny Days | 239 days | 212 days |
| Summer Humidity | 48°F | 45°F |
| Comfortable Days | 35 days | 32 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 86.5 | 77.0 |
| Air Quality | 43 AQI | 53 AQI |
| School Quality | 45.4 | 53.5 |
| Violent Crime | 914/100k | 1426/100k |
| Property Crime | 1623/100k | 2536/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 105,950 | 118,541 |
| Median Age | 42.3 | 36.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.15 | 0.20 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.00 | 1.01 |
| Political Leaning | R+31 | D+24 |
| White (%) | 91.1% | 87.4% |
| Black (%) | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 3.3% | 3.6% |
| Asian (%) | 0.8% | 1.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.6% | 6.6% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 19 min | 18 min |
| Walkability | 7.2/20 | 11.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 172 mi | 167 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 88.5% | 91.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 0.00 | 0.34 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Excellent |
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 Missoula County more affordable?
- Missoula County has the lower cost of living: its index is $52k, compared with Flathead County's $56k and Missoula County's $52k. Median rent is $1k in Flathead County versus $1k in Missoula County.
- Is Flathead County or Missoula County safer?
- Flathead County has the lower violent crime rate. Flathead County reports 914/100k and Missoula County reports 1426/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Flathead County or Missoula County?
- The median home value is $414k in Flathead County and $382k in Missoula County, so homes are more affordable in Missoula County.