Helena vs Missoula
Helena, Montana versus Missoula, 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 Missoula score about the same overall (45 vs 45 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Helena | Missoula |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $65k | $60k |
| Cost of Living | $54k | $52k |
| Home Value | $332k | $381k |
| Monthly Rent | $969 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.96% | 1.00% |
| Income Tax | 5.90% | 5.90% |
| Sales Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.81% | 12.25% |
| Unemployment | 3.2% | 4.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 23°F | 25°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 70°F | 68°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.4 in | 17.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 37.2 in | 50.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 244 days | 212 days |
| Summer Humidity | 44°F | 45°F |
| Comfortable Days | 49 days | 35 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 47.1 | 49.4 |
| Air Quality | 47 AQI | 43 AQI |
| School Quality | 48.0 | 48.3 |
| Violent Crime | 2183/100k | 1845/100k |
| Property Crime | 3269/100k | 3553/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 32,529 | 74,627 |
| Median Age | 39.9 | 34.0 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.15 | 0.22 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.91 | 0.97 |
| Political Leaning | R+34 | D+24 |
| White (%) | 88.1% | 86.0% |
| Black (%) | 0.8% | 0.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.8% | 4.5% |
| Asian (%) | 0.9% | 1.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.4% | 7.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 13 min | 16 min |
| Walkability | 9.9/20 | 16.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 269 mi | 173 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 85.1% | 91.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 72.55 | 40.47 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
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 Missoula more affordable?
- Missoula has the lower cost of living: its index is $52k, compared with Helena's $54k and Missoula's $52k. Median rent is $969 in Helena versus $1k in Missoula.
- Is Helena or Missoula safer?
- Missoula has the lower violent crime rate. Helena reports 2183/100k and Missoula reports 1845/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Helena or Missoula?
- The median home value is $332k in Helena and $381k in Missoula, so homes are more affordable in Helena.