Hot Springs vs Plains
Hot Springs, Montana versus Plains, Montana: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Hot Springs and Plains score about the same overall (45 vs 45 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Hot Springs | Plains |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $22k | $25k |
| Cost of Living | $50k | $50k |
| Home Value | $122k | $196k |
| Monthly Rent | $588 | $775 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $163 | $319 |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.84% | 0.59% |
| Income Tax | 5.90% | 5.90% |
| Sales Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.59% | 10.46% |
| Unemployment | 9.5% | 2.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 26°F | 27°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 67°F | 67°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.7 in | 16.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 33.6 in | 15.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 239 days | 212 days |
| Summer Humidity | 48°F | 45°F |
| Comfortable Days | 37 days | 36 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 88.2 | 84.1 |
| Air Quality | 34 AQI | 41 AQI |
| School Quality | 88.9 | 43.0 |
| Violent Crime | 1148/100k | 998/100k |
| Property Crime | 820/100k | 249/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 613 | 1,181 |
| Median Age | 52.7 | 43.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.20 | 0.20 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.30 | 1.12 |
| Political Leaning | R+51 | R+51 |
| White (%) | 87.9% | 88.9% |
| Black (%) | 0.3% | 0.3% |
| Hispanic (%) | 3.9% | 0.3% |
| Asian (%) | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 7.8% | 10.5% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Walkability | 5.1/20 | 5.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 133 mi | 124 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 60.5% | 75.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 81.57 | 50.80 |
| 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 Hot Springs or Plains more affordable?
- Plains has the lower cost of living: its index is $50k, compared with Hot Springs's $50k and Plains's $50k. Median rent is $588 in Hot Springs versus $775 in Plains.
- Is Hot Springs or Plains safer?
- Plains has the lower violent crime rate. Hot Springs reports 1148/100k and Plains reports 998/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Hot Springs or Plains?
- The median home value is $122k in Hot Springs and $196k in Plains, so homes are more affordable in Hot Springs.