Housing and tax tradeoff: Missoula, Montana
Missoula, Montana comes out ahead here on rent burden and rent. This only compares rent burden, rent, home price, and estimated state tax burden; it is not a total cost-of-living ranking.
Demand-Backed Comparison
Compare Kalispell vs Missoula on cost, climate, safety, and daily life
People have logged this comparison 4 times on WhyThere. The cards open full city pages. The charts and matrix below are the fast side-by-side read on housing, climate, walkability, safety, schools, parks, and day-to-day tradeoffs.
KalispellMissoula
What Stands Out
A quick read on this comparison
Deterministic summaries based on the data in view.
Biggest tradeoff: Kalispell, Montana
Kalispell, Montana is the sharpest split in this comparison: strong on safety, weaker on sunshine.
Potential dealbreaker: Kalispell, Montana
Kalispell, Montana needs a closer look before you get too attached, especially on rent burden.
Comparison Matrix
| City | ||
|---|---|---|
| Route | ||
| General Info | ||
| Population | 25,473 | 74,627 |
| Population Density | N/A | 2.1k /sq mi |
| Center Elevation | 2,956 ft(901 m) | 3,209 ft(978 m) |
| Housing & Wealth | ||
| Median Home | $540,809 | $552,881 |
| Median Rent | $1,887 | $1,526 |
| Median Income | $57,123 | $59,783 |
| Rent Burden | 40% | 31% |
| Climate & Risks | ||
| Days with 5+ Hours of Sun | 286 days/yr | 295 days/yr |
| Avg. High | 55°F | 59°F |
| Avg. Low | 34°F | 37°F |
| Comfort Score | 34/100Challenging | 37/100Challenging |
| Temp Swing | 49°F | 52°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 22"(56 cm) | 19"(48 cm) |
| Annual Snowfall | 41"(104 cm) | 23"(58 cm) |
| Air Quality | Typical: 402024 modeled avg · 2 days > 100 | Typical: 432024 modeled avg · 3 days > 100 |
| Infrastructure & Lifestyle | ||
| Walkability | 42 | 45 |
| Transit Score | N/A | 34 |
| Safety Score | 64 / 100 | 60 / 100 |
| School Rating | 9/10 | 8.8/10 |
| Flood Risk (FEMA) | minimalMinimal Risk | minimalMinimal Risk |
| Central Tract Wildfire Risk | minimalMinimal | unknownNo Data |
| Internet Access | N/A | Fiber: 6%Cable: 86% |
| Demographics | ||
| Median Age | 35.8 years | 34 years |
| College Educated | 32% | 50% |
| Remote Workers | 9% | 11% |
| Nature Access | ||
| Local Nature & Reserves | Finding... | Finding... |
| Scouting & Local Help | ||
Housing and local helpA practical next step once someone starts picturing the move. | Featured Local Partner ADRealtor Realtor spot available For an agent, brokerage, or relocation team that can answer housing questions in Kalispell. One featured slot per city | Featured Local Partner ADRealtor Realtor spot available For an agent, brokerage, or relocation team that can answer housing questions in Missoula. One featured slot per city |
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