State comparison
Montana vs Alaska: which state is better to live in?
Alaska costs a median household about $2,400 a year less in state and local taxes than Montana, mostly because it has no income tax, though everyday prices run higher there (cost of living index 126 against 104).
Montana
Low tax burden · COL index 104
Wins 10 categories
Alaska
Low tax burden · COL index 126
Wins 5 categories
Taxes: Montana vs Alaska
Montana has a graduated income tax topping out at 5.9%, which works out to 5.0% on a median income of $74,580, or $3,763 a year. Alaska has no state income tax. Alaska wins on income tax at 2026 rates.
Property tax is 0.58% of home value a year in Montana and 1.04% in Alaska (Tax Foundation, 2023); on each state's median home that is $2,610 against $3,536, so Montana has the lower rate.
Montana has no sales tax; combined state and local sales tax averages 1.76% in Alaska.
Add it up for a household earning $74,580 (the 2022 national median) and owning the median home: $6,373 a year in Montana, $3,930 in Alaska. Alaska is cheaper on total state and local tax.
Housing and cost of living
Montana's cost of living index is 104 and Alaska's is 126, where 100 is the national average; Montana is about 21% cheaper day to day.
The median home costs $450K in Montana and $340K in Alaska (Zillow, 2024), a $110K gap in Alaska's favor. A two-bedroom rents for about $1,450 a month in Montana and $1,350 in Alaska.
Home insurance averages $1,500 a year in Montana and $1,400 in Alaska, so Alaska is cheaper to insure.
Safety
Violent crime runs 398 incidents per 100,000 residents in Montana and 838 in Alaska (FBI Crime Data Explorer, 2023); Montana is the safer state by that measure, with a rate 111% lower. Property crime is 2,298 per 100,000 in Montana against 2,544 in Alaska, again favoring Montana.
Health
Life expectancy is 76.5 years in Montana and 75 in Alaska (County Health Rankings, 2024), a 1.5-year edge for Montana. The Commonwealth Fund's 2023 scorecard ranks Montana's health system 30th of 50 and Alaska's 48th, so Montana scores better on care.
9.2% of Montana residents have no health insurance against 12.1% in Alaska, which favors Montana. Both states expanded Medicaid.
Schools
Education Week's 2023 Quality Counts report ranks Montana's K-12 schools 22nd in the country and Alaska's 35th, 13 places apart in Montana's favor. Neither state runs a school-choice voucher program.
Laws and politics
In the 2024 presidential election Montana went to Trump by 13 points and Alaska went to Trump by 13 points.
Montana has permitless carry and a Giffords gun-law grade of F; Alaska has permitless carry and a grade of F.
Abortion is protected by state law in both states, and marijuana is legal for adults in both as of 2026. The minimum wage is $10.30 an hour in Montana and $11.73 in Alaska.
Climate and risk
Natural disaster risk is moderate in Montana (wildfire, blizzard, drought) and moderate in Alaska (earthquake, tsunami, wildfire). Annual average air quality index is 28 in Montana and 29 in Alaska (under 50 is good), favoring Montana.
Tax figures use a household earning the national median income and owning each state's median home, at tax year 2026 rates, last checked against state sources on 2026-09-14. The table below has every number.
Taxes
Housing & Cost of Living
Crime & Safety
Healthcare
Education
Childcare
Utilities & Daily Costs
Social Policy
Category wins
10
Montana
5
Alaska
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Score For My Profile →Questions people ask
Is Montana or Alaska better to live in?
Montana wins more of the measures that decide a move. Alaska on taxes ($3,930 a year for a median household against $6,373); Montana on everyday costs (index 104 against 126); Montana on safety (398 violent crimes per 100,000 against 838); Montana on schools (ranked 22nd against 35th).
Which is cheaper, Montana or Alaska?
Montana is cheaper day to day: cost of living index 104 against 126. The median home is $450K in Montana and $340K in Alaska (2024). On state and local taxes Alaska saves a median household about $2,400 a year.
Does Montana or Alaska have lower taxes?
Alaska. A household earning $74,580 pays about $6,373 a year in Montana ($3,763 income tax, $2,610 property tax on the median home and $0 in sales tax) and $3,930 in Alaska ($0 income tax, $3,536 property tax on the median home and $394 in sales tax), at 2026 rates.
Which is safer, Montana or Alaska?
Montana, on the FBI's 2023 figures. Violent crime is 398 per 100,000 residents in Montana and 838 in Alaska; property crime is 2,298 against 2,544.
Which has better schools, Montana or Alaska?
Montana. Education Week's 2023 Quality Counts report ranks Montana 22nd of 50 for K-12 and Alaska 35th.
Is Montana or Alaska better for retirees?
Alaska is friendlier to retirees on paper. Montana taxes Social Security, partly exempts pensions and has no estate or inheritance tax; Alaska does not tax Social Security, exempts pensions and has no estate or inheritance tax. Property tax on a median home is $2,610 a year in Montana and $3,536 in Alaska.