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Montana

R+13  ·  Low tax burden  ·  COL index 104

A

5.9%

Income Tax

398

Violent Crime / 100K

76.5

Life Expectancy

$450K

Median Home

$1,150

Childcare / Mo

State Profile

60/100
255075100TAXES79SAFETY57HEALTH41SCHOOLS57AFFORDABLE74LONGEVITY54

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Taxes

Income Tax

5.9% top

Property Tax

~$2,610/yr on median home

0.58% / yr

Sales Tax

None

Social Security

Taxed

Pension / IRA

Partial

Estate Tax

None

Inheritance Tax

None

Capital Gains

Long-term gains taxed at reduced rate

4.1% rate

Housing & Cost of Living

Cost of Living Index

National avg = 100

104

Median Home Price

$450,000

Median Rent (2BR)

$1,450/mo

Home Insurance

Near national avg (~$1,900/yr)

$1,500/yr

Flood Insurance

$450/yr

Homestead Exemption

Home equity protected from creditors

$250,000

Asset Protection

Moderate

Crime & Safety

Violent Crime Rate

Near national avg

398 / 100K

Property Crime Rate

Near national avg

2,298 / 100K

Traffic Fatality Rate

Among the most dangerous

22.3 / 100K

Healthcare

State Healthcare Rank

#30 of 50

Life Expectancy

76.5 yrs

Medicaid Expansion

Expanded

Uninsured Rate

9.2%

Education

K-12 Quality Rank

#22 of 50

School Choice / Vouchers

Not Available

Childcare

Avg Infant Care (Full-Time)

$1,150/mo

Utilities & Daily Costs

Avg Monthly Energy Bill

$115/mo

Avg Monthly Groceries

2-person household, moderate spending

$510/mo

Road Quality Rank

#16 of 50

Airports & Travel

Nonstop Destinations

From state's primary airport

35+ routes

Major Hub Airport

Regional airport — connections via hub

No

Culture & Lifestyle

Urban Population

Mix of urban and rural

56% urban

Restaurant Density

400/100K

Religious Congregations

180/100K

Pro Sports Teams

NFL + NBA + MLB + NHL + MLS

None

Major Venues

Stadiums, arenas, amphitheaters (10K+ capacity)

2 venues

Craft Breweries

9.6/100K residents — Top tier

105 breweries

Craft Distilleries

42 distilleries

Live Music

Highest brewery per capita in nation (9.6/100K); Big Sky Brewing; Under the Big Sky Festival

Decent

Transportation

Car Insurance (Avg Annual)

$1,480

Traffic Fatality Rate

22.3 / 100K

Broadband Access

79% of households

Social & Legal

Abortion Access

State constitution protects abortion rights; blocked ban

Protected

LGBTQ+ Protections

Moderate

Marijuana

Recreational

Minimum Wage

$10.3/hr

Right to Work

Yes

Sports Betting

Legal

Casino Gambling

No casinos

Online Gambling

Illegal

State Lottery

No destination casinos but small bars/taverns with video gambling terminals are ubiquitous. Unique gambling culture.

Yes

Age of Consent

16

Sex Education

No state sex ed mandate

Abstinence-plus

Nude Beaches & Naturist Clubs

Many remote rivers and hot springs used informally · Quinn's Hot Springs — clothing optional section

None known

Environment & Climate

Air Quality (Annual AQI)

Excellent (national avg ~38)

28

Natural Disaster Risk

Moderate

Primary Hazards

wildfireblizzarddrought

Politics & Gun Laws

2024 Presidential Vote

R+13

Gun Laws

Gun ControlF
2A LibertyA+

Carry Permit

No permit required

Purchase Permit Required

No

Gambling

Legal

Hunting & Outdoors

Public Land28% of state
Resident Deer License$26
Resident Elk Tag$26
Non-Resident Elk$1071
Deer Archery SeasonSep 15 – Nov 19
Elk Archery SeasonSep 1 – Nov 19
CrossbowFull season

Unlimited over-the-counter elk tags for residents. One of the few states where a resident can buy an elk tag off the shelf.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks — Official Season Dates ↗

Finding nearby venues...

From r/hunting

Best general purpose round and rifle for Montana : r/Hunting

6.5 PRC or 7mm PRC are probably the best all around options. 7prc would be best if you mainly want to hunt elk. Both of them mathematically ...

reddit.com ↗

My most successful hunt ever from last year. Managed to ...

We got out butts kicked by the little belts 2nd week of elk season last year. 5 days the only elk we saw were in the back of other guys' tru...

reddit.com ↗

Montana Elk/Mule deer(out of state) : r/Hunting

Montana Elk/Mule deer(out of state) Get a preference point for 2025 and 2026 season. In Montana if you have 1 preference point your draw odd...

reddit.com ↗

Which state is the most difficult to hunt in, for residents and ...

Montana is 30% public land. Bad winters and over harvest for antelope and deer the past couple of years is what I've heard. elk hunting is t...

reddit.com ↗

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Jobs & Economy

Job Market

+1.8% job growth · 2.9% unemployment

Moderate

Top Industries

GovernmentHealthcareTourism

Tech Jobs

#39 of 50

Healthcare Jobs

#18 of 50

Remote Work

20% of workers

Median Household Income

$68,420

Business Climate

Corporate Income Tax

6.75%

LLC Formation Fee

$35 one-time

LLC Annual Fee

$15/yr

Business Climate Rank

Top-10 nationally (Tax Foundation SBTCI 2024)

#5 of 50

Daily Life

Gas Price (Regular)

Below avg (-0.15 vs national avg)

$3.15/gal

Consumer Fireworks

Consumer fireworks legal; fire conditions may trigger bans

Legal

Weather & Natural Risks

Winter Severity

Avg January high: 27°F

Harsh

Summer Heat

Moderate summers

85°F avg July

Annual Rainfall

15" / yr

Tornado Risk

Low

Hurricane Risk

Very Low

Wildfire Risk

High

Flood Risk

Low

Natural Hazards

29LOW danger
Wildfire HIGHGrizzly bear territoryPrairie rattlesnakeBlizzard country

Venomous Snakes

Moderate

Spider Hazard

Moderate

Scorpions

Low

Hurricane Risk

Minimal

Tornado Risk

Low

Wildfire Risk

High

Earthquake Risk

Moderate

Danger score is a composite index. Methodology ↗

Veteran Benefits

Veteran-Friendly Score

11% of state population are veterans

82/100

Property Tax Exemption

Disabled vet property tax assistance

Partial

Military Retirement Pay

Tax Exempt

Active Duty Pay

Tax Exempt

VA Facilities Access

Adequate

Notable Benefits

High veteran population, military retirement exempt

Explore Montana counties

Income, housing, poverty, healthcare — ranked by county

Explore Counties

See your full cost of living in Montana

Housing, taxes, childcare, insurance — all estimated.

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Compare Similar States

MT vs FL

Montana vs Florida

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MT vs AZ

Montana vs Arizona

COL 104 vs 102 · 5.9% vs 2.5% income tax

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MT vs NV

Montana vs Nevada

COL 104 vs 101 · 5.9% vs No income tax

Full comparison →

MT vs UT

Montana vs Utah

COL 104 vs 101 · 5.9% vs 4.65% income tax

Full comparison →

Trending in Montana

Republican state senator suspends property tax cap ballot initiative - Montana Free Press

Montana Free Press · Jun 8

The Daily Roundup: Kalispell City Councilors Mull Over Affordable Housing Committee Proposal - Flathead Beacon

Flathead Beacon · Jun 9

Governor proclaims Montana Wildfire Smoke Ready Week - dailydispatch.com

dailydispatch.com · Jun 9

Montana Governor Announces Janicki Industries Selects Great Falls for $800M Manufacturing Facility - Construction Equipment Guide

Construction Equipment Guide · Jun 9

Affordable housing project has backing of mayor, Midtown leaders - Missoula Current

Missoula Current · Jun 9

What Residents Say

Cost of living question : r/Montana

MT doesn't have a sales tax, but that means we have state income tax and high property tax. The cost of living in Montana is high. Moving to ......

reddit.com ↗

r/Montana - Do You Need to Make $85000 a Year to Live ...

The new Average Annual Wage in Montana is $56,393.42. So the vast majority of Montana wage earners* are making about $30k less than they would ......

reddit.com ↗

WTF?! Montana is more expensive than Washington!

Montanans are getting priced out of Montana. less than 30k. property taxes went up. It came to a point I was paying $600 per month in property ......

reddit.com ↗

Moving from Canada : r/Montana

No sales tax in Montana but our property taxes more than make up for it. Montanans are particularly taxed at a high rate. expect about 17k to ......

reddit.com ↗

Please read if you're planning on moving to Montana

Montana's fuel prices are cheaper than many large cities, and though we don't have any sales tax, we have a higher income tax, a higher property ......

reddit.com ↗

Considering moving to Montana…pros and cons of cities?

Cost of living will be higher. Housing costs are 71% higher in Montana. Entertainment cost are 17% higher. Auto insurance costs are higher....

reddit.com ↗

Montana is an expensive place to live

I think taxes are significantly cheaper here too, Montana has the 15th highest cost a living for a state, and the 35th highest average ......

reddit.com ↗

Cost of Living : r/Montana

Western Montana will be more expensive. Montana is in high demand to move to. It's cheaper than other Rocky Mountain states quite a bit more ......

reddit.com ↗

Idaho, Montana, Texas... or? : r/relocating

No state income tax, but property taxes and insurance can be high depending on the area. And as you said, summer heat isn't theoretical — it's a ......

reddit.com ↗

Moved to Montana from California and want to go back home

I want this to be a warning to all Californians who might want to move to Montana bc while the cost of living is cheaper it's cheaper for a reason....

reddit.com ↗

Stay Current

Get notified when Montana tax laws, gun laws, or social policy changes.

Montana Guides

lifestyle

Montana Has More Breweries Per Person Than Anywhere Else

Montana leads the country in craft breweries per capita, with roughly 12.8 per 100,000 adults over 2

taxes

Montana vs. Idaho: The Mountain West Tax Battle

Montana has no sales tax and Idaho has a lower top income rate of 5.8% versus Montana's 5.9%. But th

Data is informational only. Verify with a tax professional, real estate agent, and local sources before making relocation decisions. Crime data: FBI UCR ~2022. Healthcare: Commonwealth Fund / US News ~2023. Education: Education Week ~2023. Housing: Zillow / Census ACS ~2024. Insurance: rate surveys ~2024. Sponsored links marked “Sponsored” may earn a commission. This does not affect our data or rankings.

Your Priorities

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Quick Profiles

Dial in your priorities

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