State comparison
Georgia vs Montana: which state is better to live in?
Montana costs a median household about $1,500 a year less in state and local taxes than Georgia, mostly because it has no sales tax, though everyday prices run higher there (cost of living index 104 against 91).
Georgia
Moderate tax burden · COL index 91
Wins 5 categories
Montana
Low tax burden · COL index 104
Wins 11 categories
Taxes: Georgia vs Montana
Georgia has a flat 5.49% income tax, which works out to 5.5% on a median income of $74,580, or $4,094 a year. Montana has a graduated income tax topping out at 5.9%, which works out to 5.9% on a median income of $74,580, or $4,400 a year. Georgia wins on income tax at 2026 rates.
Property tax is 0.81% of home value a year in Georgia and 0.58% in Montana (Tax Foundation, 2023); on each state's median home that is $2,754 against $2,610, so Montana has the lower rate.
Montana has no sales tax; combined state and local sales tax averages 7.35% in Georgia.
Add it up for a household earning $74,580 (the 2022 national median) and owning the median home: $8,493 a year in Georgia, $7,010 in Montana. Montana is cheaper on total state and local tax.
Housing and cost of living
Georgia's cost of living index is 91 and Montana's is 104, where 100 is the national average; Georgia is about 14% cheaper day to day.
The median home costs $340K in Georgia and $450K in Montana (Zillow, 2024), a $110K gap in Georgia's favor. A two-bedroom rents for about $1,600 a month in Georgia and $1,450 in Montana.
Home insurance averages $2,200 a year in Georgia and $1,500 in Montana, so Montana is cheaper to insure.
Safety
Violent crime runs 499 incidents per 100,000 residents in Georgia and 398 in Montana (FBI Crime Data Explorer, 2023); Montana is the safer state by that measure, with a rate 25% lower. Property crime is 2,212 per 100,000 in Georgia against 2,298 in Montana, again favoring Georgia.
Health
Life expectancy is 75.2 years in Georgia and 76.5 in Montana (County Health Rankings, 2024), a 1.3-year edge for Montana. The Commonwealth Fund's 2023 scorecard ranks Georgia's health system 37th of 50 and Montana's 30th, so Montana scores better on care.
14.1% of Georgia residents have no health insurance against 9.2% in Montana, which favors Montana. Montana expanded Medicaid and Georgia did not.
Schools
Education Week's 2023 Quality Counts report ranks Georgia's K-12 schools 32nd in the country and Montana's 22nd, 10 places apart in Montana's favor. Georgia runs a school-choice voucher program; Montana does not.
Laws and politics
In the 2024 presidential election Georgia was a swing state decided by 2 points and Montana went to Trump by 13 points.
Georgia has permitless carry and a Giffords gun-law grade of F; Montana has permitless carry and a grade of F.
Abortion is banned with narrow exceptions in Georgia and protected by state law in Montana, and marijuana is medical only in Georgia and legal for adults in Montana as of 2026. The minimum wage is $7.25 an hour in Georgia and $10.30 in Montana.
Climate and risk
Natural disaster risk is high in Georgia (hurricane, tornado, flood) and moderate in Montana (wildfire, blizzard, drought), so Montana is the lower-risk state. Annual average air quality index is 36 in Georgia and 28 in Montana (under 50 is good), favoring Montana.
Tax figures use a household earning the national median income and owning each state's median home, at rates in force as of 2026-09-04. The table below has every number.
Taxes
Housing & Cost of Living
Crime & Safety
Healthcare
Education
Childcare
Utilities & Daily Costs
Social Policy
Category wins
5
Georgia
11
Montana
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Score For My Profile →Questions people ask
Is Georgia or Montana better to live in?
Montana wins more of the measures that decide a move. Montana on taxes ($7,010 a year for a median household against $8,493); Georgia on everyday costs (index 91 against 104); Montana on safety (398 violent crimes per 100,000 against 499); Montana on schools (ranked 22nd against 32nd).
Which is cheaper, Georgia or Montana?
Georgia is cheaper day to day: cost of living index 91 against 104. The median home is $340K in Georgia and $450K in Montana (2024). On state and local taxes Montana saves a median household about $1,500 a year.
Does Georgia or Montana have lower taxes?
Montana. A household earning $74,580 pays about $8,493 a year in Georgia ($4,094 income tax, $2,754 property tax on the median home and $1,644 in sales tax) and $7,010 in Montana ($4,400 income tax, $2,610 property tax on the median home and $0 in sales tax), at 2026 rates.
Which is safer, Georgia or Montana?
Montana, on the FBI's 2023 figures. Violent crime is 499 per 100,000 residents in Georgia and 398 in Montana; property crime is 2,212 against 2,298.
Which has better schools, Georgia or Montana?
Montana. Education Week's 2023 Quality Counts report ranks Georgia 32nd of 50 for K-12 and Montana 22nd. Georgia also offers school-choice vouchers.
Is Georgia or Montana better for retirees?
Georgia is friendlier to retirees on paper. Georgia does not tax Social Security, partly exempts pensions and has no estate or inheritance tax; Montana taxes Social Security, partly exempts pensions and has no estate or inheritance tax. Property tax on a median home is $2,754 a year in Georgia and $2,610 in Montana.