Missoula County vs Yellowstone County
Missoula County, Montana versus Yellowstone County, Montana: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Missoula County and Yellowstone County score about the same overall (41 vs 44 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Missoula County | Yellowstone County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $67k | $72k |
| Cost of Living | $52k | $49k |
| Home Value | $382k | $289k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.94% | 0.88% |
| Income Tax | 5.90% | 5.90% |
| Sales Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 11.25% | 9.44% |
| Unemployment | 4.5% | 3.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 25°F | 26°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 68°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 19.7 in | 15.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 48.9 in | 46.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 212 days | 232 days |
| Summer Humidity | 45°F | 48°F |
| Comfortable Days | 32 days | 57 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 77.0 | 83.6 |
| Air Quality | 53 AQI | 29 AQI |
| School Quality | 53.5 | 41.7 |
| Violent Crime | 1426/100k | 1772/100k |
| Property Crime | 2536/100k | 3588/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 118,541 | 165,524 |
| Median Age | 36.7 | 38.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.20 | 0.23 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.01 | 0.98 |
| Political Leaning | D+24 | R+25 |
| White (%) | 87.4% | 84.4% |
| Black (%) | 0.6% | 0.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 3.6% | 6.2% |
| Asian (%) | 1.8% | 0.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.6% | 8.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 18 min | 19 min |
| Walkability | 11.7/20 | 7.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 167 mi | 406 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.5% | 89.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 0.34 | 0.12 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Good |
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 Missoula County or Yellowstone County more affordable?
- Yellowstone County has the lower cost of living: its index is $49k, compared with Missoula County's $52k and Yellowstone County's $49k. Median rent is $1k in Missoula County versus $1k in Yellowstone County.
- Is Missoula County or Yellowstone County safer?
- Missoula County has the lower violent crime rate. Missoula County reports 1426/100k and Yellowstone County reports 1772/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Missoula County or Yellowstone County?
- The median home value is $382k in Missoula County and $289k in Yellowstone County, so homes are more affordable in Yellowstone County.