Great Falls, Montana
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B, better than 60% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 32% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade F, better than 1% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 73% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade D, better than 16% of US places
- top 2% for sales tax
- top 3% for commute time
- bottom 1% for property crime
Great Falls is a mid-size city in Montana with about 60,000 residents. It grades B+ for getting around and F for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include sales tax, commute time, and summer humidity. It rates lower on airport distance and property crime.
Official websitegreatfallsmt.net (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm, dry summers · Cold winters · Dry · Heavy snow
very cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
comf.
cool
very cold
87%55%clearovercast
Precipitation 1.8 in0.6 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$58k43rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$47kbetter than 47% of US places
Home Value$224k66th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$828better than 62% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 44% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.97%better than 52% of US places
Income Tax5.90%better than 33% of US places
Sales Tax0.00%better than 98% of US places
Estimated total tax burden9.63%better than 53% of US places
Unemployment3.4%better than 54% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)25°F23rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)68°F7th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation15.4 in8th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall66.1 inbetter than 7% of US places
Sunny Days244 daysbetter than 62% of US places
Summer Humidity44°Fbetter than 96% of US places
Comfortable Days44 daysbetter than 7% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk65.2better than 51% of US places
Air Quality54 AQIbetter than 6% of US places
School Quality42.3better than 19% of US places
Violent Crime1767/100kbetter than 11% of US places
Property Crime4484/100kbetter than 1% of US places
Community
Population60,37398th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age38.840th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.2759th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9850th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+2046th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)82.9%46th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)1.0%58th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)5.4%59th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.9%69th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)9.7%88th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time15 minbetter than 97% of US places
Walkability10.4/20better than 88% of US places
Airport Distance291 mibetter than 3% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access85.6%better than 48% of US places
Amenities Nearby34.62better than 31% of US places
Park & Nature AccessLimitedbetter than 11% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Great Falls an affordable place to live?
- Great Falls is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $47k, better than 47% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Great Falls?
- The median home value in Great Falls is $224k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Great Falls?
- Median household income in Great Falls is $58k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Great Falls?
- Median gross rent in Great Falls is $828 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Great Falls safe?
- Great Falls is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1767/100k (better than 11%). Property crime is 4484/100k.
- What is the weather like in Great Falls?
- Great Falls averages 68°F in July and 25°F in January, with 15.4 in of annual precipitation and about 244 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Great Falls?
- Public-school quality in Great Falls is below average, scoring better than 19% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Great Falls?
- The average one-way commute in Great Falls is 15 min.
Places near Great Falls
Compare Great Falls
Explore Montana
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)