#1Four Corners
unincorporated, Gallatin County · 5,791 peopleStrongest: schools A+, health A·lowest: cost of living C
CCost–SafetyA+SchoolsAHealthA−JobsB+WalkB−Hazards
Four Corners, #1 on this list · Pine Butte School · Photo: Circletheblock · CC BY-SA 3.0Montana rankings · 2026
Best small towns in Montana
Four Corners ranks first of Montana’s 34 graded small towns (2,500–9,999 residents), with an A+: schools (A+) and health (A) are its strongest grades; cost of living (C) is its lowest. 2 of the 34 (6%) grade A− or better nationally, against 25% of U.S. towns.
The overall grade, sorted: cost of living, safety, schools, health, jobs & income, walkability and hazard risk, from Census, FBI, state, CDC, EPA and FEMA data. How grades work
#1A+
#2Orchard Homes
unincorporated, Missoula County · 5,588 peopleStrongest: walkability A, health A−·lowest: cost of living C−
C−Cost–SafetyA−SchoolsA−HealthB−JobsAWalkBHazards
#3Dillon
Beaverhead County · 4,271 peopleStrongest: walkability A, schools A−·lowest: hazard risk C+
C+CostB−SafetyA−SchoolsB+HealthC+JobsAWalkC+Hazards
Where they are: Two of the top 10 are in Flathead County.
All 34 small towns
Overall score, highest first. The score (0–100) blends the seven livability grades and sets the order; the letter places that score among every U.S. town of 2,500+, and A+ is the top 5%, so neighbors on the list often share a letter. Each town links to its page, where the grade sheet shows every subject. The rank is the town’s place among all 41 Montana towns.
34 towns ranked. Not here? See why a town may be missing.
#TownScoreGradeWhat drives it
1Four Cornersunincorporated, Gallatin County · 5,791 people71.4top 4.7%A+Strongest: schools A+, health A·lowest: cost of living C
2Orchard Homesunincorporated, Missoula County · 5,588 people62.0top 23.9%A−Strongest: walkability A, health A−·lowest: cost of living C−
3DillonBeaverhead County · 4,271 people60.1top 29.3%B+Strongest: walkability A, schools A−·lowest: hazard risk C+
4Red LodgeCarbon County · 2,723 people58.9top 32.2%B+Strongest: walkability A, health A−·lowest: hazard risk D
5WhitefishFlathead County · 9,358 people58.9top 32.3%B+Strongest: schools A, health A·lowest: cost of living D
6GlasgowValley County · 3,145 people58.5top 33.1%B+Strongest: walkability A, cost of living A−·lowest: safety C+
8Montana Cityunincorporated, Jefferson County · 3,092 people58.3top 33.9%B+Strongest: health A, schools A·lowest: walkability C−
9Bigforkunincorporated, Flathead County · 5,565 people57.6top 35.9%BStrongest: health A, schools B+·lowest: hazard risk D
10Helena Valley West Centralunincorporated, Lewis and Clark County · 8,056 people55.4top 41.6%BStrongest: health A−, schools B+·lowest: walkability C
11SidneyRichland County · 6,217 people52.8top 48.8%B−Strongest: walkability A−, schools B+·lowest: safety C
13GlendiveDawson County · 4,736 people51.5bottom 47.7%B−Strongest: walkability A−, cost of living A−·lowest: schools C
14Miles CityCuster County · 8,450 people51.2bottom 46.8%B−Strongest: walkability A, hazard risk A−·lowest: schools C
15Deer LodgePowell County · 3,025 people50.9bottom 46.2%B−Strongest: hazard risk A−, walkability A−·lowest: health C
17LaurelYellowstone County · 7,205 people49.5bottom 42.2%C+Strongest: walkability A−, hazard risk A−·lowest: safety D
18Helena Valley Northwestunincorporated, Lewis and Clark County · 5,183 people49.2bottom 41.6%C+Strongest: health A, schools B+·lowest: walkability D
19Helena Valley Southeastunincorporated, Lewis and Clark County · 9,108 people48.9bottom 40.6%C+Strongest: schools B+, hazard risk B−·lowest: walkability C+
20Helena Valley Northeastunincorporated, Lewis and Clark County · 4,659 people48.9bottom 40.6%C+Strongest: jobs & income A−, schools B+·lowest: walkability C−
22Malmstrom AFBunincorporated, Cascade County · 4,302 people48.5bottom 39.4%C+Strongest: hazard risk A, health A−·lowest: cost of living D
23HamiltonRavalli County · 5,451 people48.5bottom 39.4%C+Strongest: walkability A, schools B+·lowest: safety D
24Lolounincorporated, Missoula County · 4,314 people48.1bottom 38.4%C+Strongest: jobs & income A−, health B+·lowest: cost of living D
25Lockwoodunincorporated, Yellowstone County · 7,181 people46.9bottom 35.2%C+Strongest: hazard risk B+, cost of living B·lowest: walkability C
26Evergreenunincorporated, Flathead County · 9,611 people46.6bottom 34.3%CStrongest: health B+, walkability B+·lowest: hazard risk D
28LewistownFergus County · 6,179 people43.1bottom 25.7%CStrongest: walkability A, hazard risk A−·lowest: jobs & income D−
30Anaconda-Deer Lodge CountyDeer Lodge County · 9,709 people42.9bottom 25.2%CStrongest: hazard risk A, walkability B+·lowest: jobs & income C−
31Columbia FallsFlathead County · 5,753 people42.5bottom 24.2%C−Strongest: walkability B+, health B·lowest: hazard risk C−
33LibbyLincoln County · 3,274 people41.6bottom 22.3%C−Strongest: walkability A, schools B+·lowest: jobs & income D
34ShelbyToole County · 3,313 people41.6bottom 22.3%C−Strongest: hazard risk A, walkability B+·lowest: jobs & income C−
35LivingstonPark County · 9,290 people39.5bottom 18.1%C−Strongest: walkability A, health B+·lowest: safety C−
36HardinBig Horn County · 3,696 people39.5bottom 18.1%C−Strongest: walkability A, cost of living B+·lowest: schools D
37Wolf PointRoosevelt County · 2,531 people32.5bottom 7.5%DStrongest: hazard risk A, walkability A·lowest: jobs & income D−
38HavreHill County · 9,264 people32.0bottom 6.9%DStrongest: walkability A, hazard risk B+·lowest: safety D−
39PolsonLake County · 5,653 people31.7bottom 6.6%DStrongest: walkability A−, health B·lowest: safety D−
40North Browningunincorporated, Glacier County · 3,144 people30.6bottom 5.5%DStrongest: cost of living A, hazard risk B−·lowest: jobs & income D−
41Cut BankGlacier County · 2,976 people21.5bottom 0.6%D−Strongest: walkability A, hazard risk B+·lowest: safety D−
Method
How this list is made
Each town’s overall grade blends seven livability grades: cost of living (weight 18), safety (18), schools (16), health (14), jobs & income (12), walkability (8) and hazard risk (4). A town needs 2,500+ residents and three of the first four. Letters are national, so an A here means the same as an A in any state; the list is the same towns in the same order, ranked within Montana. Towns without their own FBI figures are graded on the rest and their page says why.
Data years: crime 2023–2025 (FBI), Census ACS 2020–2024, CDC PLACES 2025, state school tests. How grades work
Quick answers
Questions people ask
What is the best small town in Montana?
Among 34 graded towns of 2,500 to 9,999 residents, Four Corners (Gallatin County) ranks first, with an A+; schools (A+) and health (A) are its strongest grades; cost of living (C) is its lowest. Orchard Homes and Dillon follow.
How are these towns ranked?
By the overall grade, which blends seven livability grades from public data. The letter is national; the rank is within Montana. The full method is on How grades work.
Why isn’t my town on this list?
The list covers towns of 2,500 to 9,999 residents with an overall grade (34 in Montana). 53 smaller places have subject grades only; 1 town of 2,500+ lack enough data for a grade; Larger towns are on the best places to live list. Every town is on the Montana page.
Go deeper
All Montana rankings →More Montana lists
Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.
Best places to live41 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
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