Guest, Sign inJoin
Montana State Capitol by T. ElizabethHelena, the state capital · Photo: Tracey Elizabeth · CC BY 2.0
Montana · 41 graded towns

Towns and cities in Montana

2 of Montana’s 41 graded towns and cities (5%) grade A− or better nationally, against 25% of U.S. towns. Four Corners ranks first in the state with an A+; schools (A+) and health (A) are its strongest grades; cost of living (C) is its lowest.

Letters are national: the overall grade blends cost of living, safety, schools, health, jobs & income, walkability and hazard risk. How grades work

How Montana compares: report cardBest places to liveBest small townsMost affordable townsSafest townsTowns with the best schoolsHealthiest towns
41
towns of 2,500+ with an overall grade
2
grade A− or better nationally
1
of 2,500+ without enough data for a grade
53
smaller places (1,000–2,499) with subject grades
Towns by letter
A+1A0A−1B+6B2B−5C+10C5C−6D4D−1

All 41 graded towns

Every town of 2,500+ residents with an overall grade, A to Z. The rank is among 41 Montana towns on the best places to live list.

41 graded towns, A to Z.

Sort:
  1. CAnaconda-Deer Lodge CountyDeer Lodge County#30 of 419,709
  2. C+BelgradeGallatin County#16 of 4113,107
  3. BBigforkunincorporated, Flathead County#9 of 415,565
  4. CBillingsYellowstone County#29 of 41121,239
  5. B+BozemanGallatin County#7 of 4158,814
  6. C−Columbia FallsFlathead County#31 of 415,753
  7. D−Cut BankGlacier County#41 of 412,976
  8. B−Deer LodgePowell County#15 of 413,025
  9. B+DillonBeaverhead County#3 of 414,271
  10. CEvergreenunincorporated, Flathead County#26 of 419,611
  11. A+Four Cornersunincorporated, Gallatin County#1 of 415,791
  12. B+GlasgowValley County#6 of 413,145
  13. B−GlendiveDawson County#13 of 414,736
  14. C−Great FallsCascade County#32 of 4160,208
  15. C+HamiltonRavalli County#23 of 415,451
  16. C−HardinBig Horn County#36 of 413,696
  17. DHavreHill County#38 of 419,264
  18. B−HelenaLewis and Clark County#12 of 4135,138
  19. C+Helena Valley Northeastunincorporated, Lewis and Clark County#20 of 414,659
  20. C+Helena Valley Northwestunincorporated, Lewis and Clark County#18 of 415,183
  21. C+Helena Valley Southeastunincorporated, Lewis and Clark County#19 of 419,108
  22. BHelena Valley West Centralunincorporated, Lewis and Clark County#10 of 418,056
  23. CKalispellFlathead County#27 of 4131,851
  24. C+LaurelYellowstone County#17 of 417,205
  25. CLewistownFergus County#28 of 416,179
  26. C−LibbyLincoln County#33 of 413,274
  27. C−LivingstonPark County#35 of 419,290
  28. C+Lockwoodunincorporated, Yellowstone County#25 of 417,181
  29. C+Lolounincorporated, Missoula County#24 of 414,314
  30. C+Malmstrom AFBunincorporated, Cascade County#22 of 414,302
  31. B−Miles CityCuster County#14 of 418,450
  32. C+MissoulaMissoula County#21 of 4178,903
  33. B+Montana Cityunincorporated, Jefferson County#8 of 413,092
  34. DNorth Browningunincorporated, Glacier County#40 of 413,144
  35. A−Orchard Homesunincorporated, Missoula County#2 of 415,588
  36. DPolsonLake County#39 of 415,653
  37. B+Red LodgeCarbon County#4 of 412,723
  38. C−ShelbyToole County#34 of 413,313
  39. B−SidneyRichland County#11 of 416,217
  40. B+WhitefishFlathead County#5 of 419,358
  41. DWolf PointRoosevelt County#37 of 412,531
Also in Montana

Not on the ranked list

Not graded (1)

Towns of 2,500+ without enough data for an overall grade. Their pages show every subject that is graded.

  • –Butte-Silver Bow 36,118 people. No overall grade: no safety or schools or health figures, and the overall needs three of the four.

Smaller places 53 with 1,000–2,499 residents

These have subject grades (safety, schools, health and the rest) but no overall grade or rank: the overall starts at 2,500 residents.

Go deeper

Lists in Montana

Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.

All Montana rankings →
Best places to live41 towns · #1 Four CornersBest small towns34 towns · #1 Four CornersMost affordable towns42 towns · #1 North BrowningSafest towns26 towns · #1 LibbyTowns with the best schools41 towns · #1 Four CornersHealthiest towns41 towns · #1 Four CornersBest towns for jobs & income42 towns · #1 Helena Valley NortheastMost walkable towns42 towns · #1 BozemanTowns with the lowest natural-hazard risk42 towns · #1 HelenaBest towns for the outdoors42 towns · #1 HelenaMost historic towns42 towns · #1 Butte-Silver BowTowns with the most civic life28 towns · #1 LivingstonTowns with the least snow38 towns · #1 DillonDescribed, no lettersSnowiest towns38 towns · #1 Red LodgeDescribed, no lettersTowns with the mildest winters43 towns · #1 LibbyDescribed, no lettersTowns with the hottest summers43 towns · #1 Miles CityDescribed, no lettersTowns with the coolest summers43 towns · #1 Anaconda-Deer Lodge CountyDescribed, no lettersTowns with the highest incomes42 towns · #1 Helena Valley NortheastDescribed, no lettersTowns with the lowest property taxes41 towns · #1 North BrowningDescribed, no lettersFastest-growing towns28 towns · #1 KalispellDescribed, no letters