Chinook vs Hays
Chinook, Montana versus Hays, Montana: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Hays edges out Chinook on overall objective livability (55 vs 50 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Chinook | Hays |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $47k | $49k |
| Cost of Living | $49k | $49k |
| Home Value | $175k | $64k |
| Monthly Rent | $542 | $496 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $500 | $134 |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.23% | 0.31% |
| Income Tax | 5.90% | 5.90% |
| Sales Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.46% | 6.30% |
| Unemployment | 2.3% | 27.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 18°F | 20°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 70°F | 69°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 13.4 in | 19.5 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 41.0 in | 10.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 257 days | 257 days |
| Summer Humidity | 48°F | 48°F |
| Comfortable Days | 48 days | 45 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 79.9 | 74.3 |
| Air Quality | 44 AQI | 43 AQI |
| School Quality | 58.3 | 97.7 |
| Violent Crime | 853/100k | 259/100k |
| Property Crime | 767/100k | 220/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 1,488 | 1,095 |
| Median Age | 41.2 | 33.5 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.12 | 0.12 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.07 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | Even | Even |
| White (%) | 93.8% | 3.3% |
| Black (%) | 1.7% | 2.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 0.0% | 7.5% |
| Asian (%) | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.6% | 86.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Walkability | 8.0/20 | 1.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 389 mi | 412 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 75.0% | 74.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 40.32 | 0.00 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: 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 Chinook or Hays more affordable?
- Hays has the lower cost of living: its index is $49k, compared with Chinook's $49k and Hays's $49k. Median rent is $542 in Chinook versus $496 in Hays.
- Is Chinook or Hays safer?
- Hays has the lower violent crime rate. Chinook reports 853/100k and Hays reports 259/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Chinook or Hays?
- The median home value is $175k in Chinook and $64k in Hays, so homes are more affordable in Hays.