Helena vs Kalispell
Helena, Montana versus Kalispell, Montana: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Helena and Kalispell score about the same overall (45 vs 48 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Helena | Kalispell |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $65k | $57k |
| Cost of Living | $54k | $56k |
| Home Value | $332k | $341k |
| Monthly Rent | $969 | $952 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.96% | 0.85% |
| Income Tax | 5.90% | 5.90% |
| Sales Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.81% | 10.95% |
| Unemployment | 3.2% | 4.1% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 23°F | 25°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 70°F | 63°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.4 in | 16.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 37.2 in | 54.4 in |
| Sunny Days | 244 days | 239 days |
| Summer Humidity | 44°F | 48°F |
| Comfortable Days | 49 days | 35 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 47.1 | 64.1 |
| Air Quality | 47 AQI | 25 AQI |
| School Quality | 48.0 | 35.3 |
| Violent Crime | 2183/100k | 1303/100k |
| Property Crime | 3269/100k | 2620/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 32,529 | 25,473 |
| Median Age | 39.9 | 35.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.15 | 0.18 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.91 | 0.93 |
| Political Leaning | R+34 | R+31 |
| White (%) | 88.1% | 89.4% |
| Black (%) | 0.8% | 0.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.8% | 4.1% |
| Asian (%) | 0.9% | 1.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.4% | 4.6% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 13 min | 15 min |
| Walkability | 9.9/20 | 9.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 269 mi | 154 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 85.1% | 85.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 72.55 | 66.34 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | 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 Helena or Kalispell more affordable?
- Helena has the lower cost of living: its index is $54k, compared with Helena's $54k and Kalispell's $56k. Median rent is $969 in Helena versus $952 in Kalispell.
- Is Helena or Kalispell safer?
- Kalispell has the lower violent crime rate. Helena reports 2183/100k and Kalispell reports 1303/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Helena or Kalispell?
- The median home value is $332k in Helena and $341k in Kalispell, so homes are more affordable in Helena.