Fort Smith vs Hardin
Fort Smith, Montana versus Hardin, Montana: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Fort Smith and Hardin score about the same overall (45 vs 45 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Fort Smith | Hardin |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $49k | $57k |
| Cost of Living | $53k | $53k |
| Home Value | $110k | $150k |
| Monthly Rent | — | $731 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $69 | $722 |
| Property Tax Rate | — | 1.09% |
| Income Tax | 5.90% | 5.90% |
| Sales Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 5.90% | 8.75% |
| Unemployment | 0.0% | 11.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 23°F | 24°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 73°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 16.7 in | 13.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 43.9 in | 27.9 in |
| Sunny Days | 232 days | 232 days |
| Summer Humidity | 48°F | 48°F |
| Comfortable Days | 46 days | 48 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 80.8 | 91.9 |
| Air Quality | 22 AQI | 22 AQI |
| School Quality | 64.7 | 64.7 |
| Violent Crime | 1868/100k | — |
| Property Crime | 1683/100k | — |
| Community | ||
| Population | 115 | 3,803 |
| Median Age | 56.7 | 32.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.36 | 0.59 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.56 | 0.83 |
| Political Leaning | Even | Even |
| White (%) | 76.5% | 41.4% |
| Black (%) | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 23.5% | 15.9% |
| Asian (%) | 0.0% | 0.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 0.0% | 42.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 4 min | — |
| Walkability | 2.8/20 | 7.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 373 mi | 407 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 85.3% | 86.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 0.00 | 39.44 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Limited |
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 Fort Smith or Hardin more affordable?
- Hardin has the lower cost of living: its index is $53k, compared with Fort Smith's $53k and Hardin's $53k.
- Are homes cheaper in Fort Smith or Hardin?
- The median home value is $110k in Fort Smith and $150k in Hardin, so homes are more affordable in Fort Smith.