Libby vs West Kootenai
Libby, Montana versus West Kootenai, Montana: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Libby edges out West Kootenai on overall objective livability (48 vs 44 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Libby | West Kootenai |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $36k | $63k |
| Cost of Living | $49k | $49k |
| Home Value | $192k | — |
| Monthly Rent | $614 | — |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $887 | $39 |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.66% | — |
| Income Tax | 5.90% | 5.90% |
| Sales Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.38% | — |
| Unemployment | 2.1% | 0.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 26°F | 25°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 65°F | 62°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 19.2 in | 15.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 48.2 in | 35.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 239 days | 239 days |
| Summer Humidity | 48°F | 48°F |
| Comfortable Days | 37 days | 36 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 69.1 | 70.0 |
| Air Quality | 55 AQI | 57 AQI |
| School Quality | 49.3 | 40.3 |
| Violent Crime | 1015/100k | 534/100k |
| Property Crime | 1244/100k | 361/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 2,857 | 189 |
| Median Age | 49.9 | 51.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.22 | 0.00 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.96 | 1.10 |
| Political Leaning | R+51 | R+51 |
| White (%) | 87.3% | 100.0% |
| Black (%) | 0.2% | 0.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 0.9% | 0.0% |
| Asian (%) | 0.4% | 0.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 11.1% | 0.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Walkability | 11.1/20 | 6.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 106 mi | 140 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 85.5% | 79.1% |
| Amenities Nearby | 122.51 | 0.00 |
| 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 Libby or West Kootenai more affordable?
- West Kootenai has the lower cost of living: its index is $49k, compared with Libby's $49k and West Kootenai's $49k.
- Is Libby or West Kootenai safer?
- West Kootenai has the lower violent crime rate. Libby reports 1015/100k and West Kootenai reports 534/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).