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Montana

Low tax burden · COL index 104

Wins 7 categories

VS

Rhode Island

High tax burden · COL index 114

Wins 6 categories

Cost of living in Rhode Island (index 114) runs 10% higher than Montana (index 104). Property taxes are meaningfully different: Rhode Island averages 1.3% annually vs Montana's 0.58%. Politically, Montana voted Republican in 2024 (R+13.0) while Rhode Island went Democratic (D+17.0).

Montana
Rhode Island

Taxes

5.9%
Income Tax (top rate)
5.99%
0.58%/yr
Property Tax Rate
1.3%/yr
None
Sales Tax (avg)
7%
No
Social Security Tax
No
Yes
Estate Tax
No
4.1%
Capital Gains Tax
As income

Housing & Cost of Living

104
COL Index (100=avg)
114
$450K
Median Home Price
$430K
$1,450/mo
Median Rent (2BR/mo)
$1,800/mo
$2K/yr
Home Insurance (avg/yr)
$1K/yr

Crime & Safety

398
Violent Crime / 100K
237
2,298
Property Crime / 100K
1,527

Healthcare

#30 of 50
Healthcare Quality Rank
#4 of 50
76.5 yrs
Life Expectancy
78.1 yrs
9.2%
Uninsured Rate
4.7%
Yes
Medicaid Expansion
Yes

Education

#22 of 50
K-12 Quality Rank
#13 of 50
No
School Choice / Vouchers
No

Childcare

$1,150/mo
Avg Infant Care / mo
$1,750/mo

Utilities & Daily Costs

$115/mo
Avg Energy Bill / mo
$195/mo
$510/mo
Avg Groceries / mo
$610/mo
#16 of 50
Road Quality Rank
#50 of 50

Social Policy

F
Gun Laws Grade
B
R+13.0
2024 Presidential Margin
D+17.0

Category wins

7

Montana

6

Rhode Island

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People Also Ask

Why are people moving from Montana?

Is Rhode Island considered a good place to live?

How big is Montana compared to Rhode Island?

Montana (USA) is 141 times larger than Rhode Island (USA).

What are the pros and cons of moving to Montana?

Full Montana Profile →Full Rhode Island Profile →

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Annual Income

$150K

Affects effective income tax rate

$0$500K$5M+

Retirement Savings

$0

Affects pension and SS tax burden

None$500K$10M+

Social Security

None

Annual Social Security benefit

None$150K/yr

My Property Is Worth

$400K

Affects property tax burden

Tax burden ↓$1M$50M+

Home Buying Budget

$400K

Compared to state median home price

Hard to find$250K$5M+

Monthly Rent Budget

Don't care

Compared to state median 2BR rent

Don't care$10K/mo

Job Market

Don't care

State unemployment and job growth

Don't careHot market

Airport Access

Don't care

Direct flight destinations from state hubs

Don't careMust have hub

City vs Country

Mid-size city

% urban population

Deep countryBig city

Sunshine

Don't care

Annual sunny days per state

Don't careMax sunshine

Food Scene

Don't care

Restaurants per 100K residents

Don't careWorld-class

Political Preference

Neutral

State's political lean

LiberalConservative

Gun Laws

Neutral

State gun law grade (Giffords)

Gun Control2A Freedom

Abortion Access

Neutral

State abortion access policy

Pro-ChoiceNeutralPro-Life

Community

None

Congregations per 100K residents

AvoidDon't careSeek

Sports & Entertainment

Don't care

Pro sports teams and major venues

Don't careMust have pro teams

Cannabis Laws

Neutral

State cannabis legality

Prefer LegalNeutralPrefer Prohibition

Retiree Community

Neutral

% population 65+ (Census)

Young areaRetirement-heavy

Dating Market

Neutral

% adults never-married (Census)

Singles sceneFamily community

Safety / Low Crime

Don't care

Violent crime rate per 100K (FBI)

Don't careVery safe

School Quality

Don't care

K-12 rank (Education Week)

Don't careTop-ranked

Healthcare Access

Don't care

Healthcare system rank (Commonwealth Fund)

Don't careTop-ranked

Childcare Affordability

Don't care

Cost of living proxy for childcare affordability

Don't careMust be affordable