Kalispell vs Missoula
Kalispell, 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.
Kalispell and Missoula score about the same overall (48 vs 45 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Kalispell | Missoula |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $57k | $60k |
| Cost of Living | $56k | $52k |
| Home Value | $341k | $381k |
| Monthly Rent | $952 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.85% | 1.00% |
| Income Tax | 5.90% | 5.90% |
| Sales Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.95% | 12.25% |
| Unemployment | 4.1% | 4.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 25°F | 25°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 63°F | 68°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 16.8 in | 17.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 54.4 in | 50.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 239 days | 212 days |
| Summer Humidity | 48°F | 45°F |
| Comfortable Days | 35 days | 35 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 64.1 | 49.4 |
| Air Quality | 25 AQI | 43 AQI |
| School Quality | 35.3 | 48.3 |
| Violent Crime | 1303/100k | 1845/100k |
| Property Crime | 2620/100k | 3553/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 25,473 | 74,627 |
| Median Age | 35.8 | 34.0 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.18 | 0.22 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.93 | 0.97 |
| Political Leaning | R+31 | D+24 |
| White (%) | 89.4% | 86.0% |
| Black (%) | 0.2% | 0.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.1% | 4.5% |
| Asian (%) | 1.6% | 1.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.6% | 7.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 15 min | 16 min |
| Walkability | 9.1/20 | 16.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 154 mi | 173 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 85.6% | 91.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 66.34 | 40.47 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | 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 Kalispell or Missoula more affordable?
- Missoula has the lower cost of living: its index is $52k, compared with Kalispell's $56k and Missoula's $52k. Median rent is $952 in Kalispell versus $1k in Missoula.
- Is Kalispell or Missoula safer?
- Kalispell has the lower violent crime rate. Kalispell reports 1303/100k and Missoula reports 1845/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Kalispell or Missoula?
- The median home value is $341k in Kalispell and $381k in Missoula, so homes are more affordable in Kalispell.