Great Falls vs Helena
Great Falls, Montana versus Helena, Montana: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Great Falls and Helena score about the same overall (43 vs 45 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Great Falls | Helena |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $58k | $65k |
| Cost of Living | $47k | $54k |
| Home Value | $224k | $332k |
| Monthly Rent | $828 | $969 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.97% | 0.96% |
| Income Tax | 5.90% | 5.90% |
| Sales Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.63% | 10.81% |
| Unemployment | 3.4% | 3.2% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 25°F | 23°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 68°F | 70°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.4 in | 11.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 66.1 in | 37.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 244 days | 244 days |
| Summer Humidity | 44°F | 44°F |
| Comfortable Days | 44 days | 49 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 65.2 | 47.1 |
| Air Quality | 54 AQI | 47 AQI |
| School Quality | 42.3 | 48.0 |
| Violent Crime | 1767/100k | 2183/100k |
| Property Crime | 4484/100k | 3269/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 60,373 | 32,529 |
| Median Age | 38.8 | 39.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.27 | 0.15 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.98 | 0.91 |
| Political Leaning | R+20 | R+34 |
| White (%) | 82.9% | 88.1% |
| Black (%) | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 5.4% | 4.8% |
| Asian (%) | 0.9% | 0.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 9.7% | 5.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 15 min | 13 min |
| Walkability | 10.4/20 | 9.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 291 mi | 269 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 85.6% | 85.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 34.62 | 72.55 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Moderate |
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 Great Falls or Helena more affordable?
- Great Falls has the lower cost of living: its index is $47k, compared with Great Falls's $47k and Helena's $54k. Median rent is $828 in Great Falls versus $969 in Helena.
- Is Great Falls or Helena safer?
- Great Falls has the lower violent crime rate. Great Falls reports 1767/100k and Helena reports 2183/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Great Falls or Helena?
- The median home value is $224k in Great Falls and $332k in Helena, so homes are more affordable in Great Falls.