Hot Springs vs Polson
Hot Springs, Montana versus Polson, 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 edges out Polson on overall objective livability (45 vs 39 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Hot Springs | Polson |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $22k | $49k |
| Cost of Living | $50k | $53k |
| Home Value | $122k | $279k |
| Monthly Rent | $588 | $877 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $163 | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.84% | 0.76% |
| Income Tax | 5.90% | 5.90% |
| Sales Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.59% | 10.26% |
| Unemployment | 9.5% | 6.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 26°F | 26°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 67°F | 67°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.7 in | 15.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 33.6 in | 33.6 in |
| Sunny Days | 239 days | 239 days |
| Summer Humidity | 48°F | 48°F |
| Comfortable Days | 37 days | 38 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 88.2 | 93.7 |
| Air Quality | 34 AQI | 32 AQI |
| School Quality | 88.9 | 38.3 |
| Violent Crime | 1148/100k | 2420/100k |
| Property Crime | 820/100k | 4531/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 613 | 5,218 |
| Median Age | 52.7 | 47.5 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.20 | 0.56 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.30 | 0.93 |
| Political Leaning | R+51 | R+15 |
| White (%) | 87.9% | 61.4% |
| Black (%) | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 3.9% | 7.0% |
| Asian (%) | 0.0% | 1.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 7.8% | 29.9% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Walkability | 5.1/20 | 5.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 133 mi | 158 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 60.5% | 83.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 81.57 | 42.16 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | 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 Hot Springs or Polson more affordable?
- Hot Springs has the lower cost of living: its index is $50k, compared with Hot Springs's $50k and Polson's $53k. Median rent is $588 in Hot Springs versus $877 in Polson.
- Is Hot Springs or Polson safer?
- Hot Springs has the lower violent crime rate. Hot Springs reports 1148/100k and Polson reports 2420/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Hot Springs or Polson?
- The median home value is $122k in Hot Springs and $279k in Polson, so homes are more affordable in Hot Springs.