Plains vs Trout Creek
Plains, Montana versus Trout Creek, Montana: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Trout Creek edges out Plains on overall objective livability (50 vs 45 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Plains | Trout Creek |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $25k | $54k |
| Cost of Living | $50k | $44k |
| Home Value | $196k | $273k |
| Monthly Rent | $775 | — |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $319 | $110 |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.59% | 0.71% |
| Income Tax | 5.90% | 5.90% |
| Sales Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.46% | 9.47% |
| Unemployment | 2.5% | 0.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 27°F | 26°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 67°F | 65°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 16.4 in | 26.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 15.3 in | 51.4 in |
| Sunny Days | 212 days | 239 days |
| Summer Humidity | 45°F | 48°F |
| Comfortable Days | 36 days | 48 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 84.1 | 91.1 |
| Air Quality | 41 AQI | 36 AQI |
| School Quality | 43.0 | 98.3 |
| Violent Crime | 998/100k | 950/100k |
| Property Crime | 249/100k | 698/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 1,181 | 298 |
| Median Age | 43.8 | 44.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.20 | 0.27 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.12 | 0.66 |
| Political Leaning | R+51 | R+43 |
| White (%) | 88.9% | 80.5% |
| Black (%) | 0.3% | 7.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 0.3% | 8.7% |
| Asian (%) | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 10.5% | 3.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Walkability | 5.5/20 | 5.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 124 mi | 92 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 75.0% | 77.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 50.80 | 33.56 |
| 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 Plains or Trout Creek more affordable?
- Trout Creek has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Plains's $50k and Trout Creek's $44k.
- Is Plains or Trout Creek safer?
- Trout Creek has the lower violent crime rate. Plains reports 998/100k and Trout Creek reports 950/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Plains or Trout Creek?
- The median home value is $196k in Plains and $273k in Trout Creek, so homes are more affordable in Plains.