Montana
R+13 · Low tax burden · COL index 104
5.9%
Income Tax
398
Violent Crime / 100K
76.5
Life Expectancy
$450K
Median Home
$1,150
Childcare / Mo
State Profile
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Get notified when Montana tax laws, gun laws, or social policy changes.
Taxes
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Income Tax
Property Tax
~$2,610/yr on median home
Sales Tax
Social Security
Pension / IRA
Estate Tax
Inheritance Tax
Capital Gains
Long-term gains taxed at reduced rate
Housing & Cost of Living
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Cost of Living Index
National avg = 100
Median Home Price
Median Rent (2BR)
Home Insurance
Near national avg (~$1,900/yr)
Flood Insurance
Homestead Exemption
Home equity protected from creditors
Asset Protection
Crime & Safety
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Violent Crime Rate
Near national avg
Property Crime Rate
Near national avg
Traffic Fatality Rate
Among the most dangerous
Healthcare
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State Healthcare Rank
Life Expectancy
Medicaid Expansion
Uninsured Rate
Education
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K-12 Quality Rank
School Choice / Vouchers
Childcare
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Avg Infant Care (Full-Time)
Utilities & Daily Costs
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Avg Monthly Energy Bill
Avg Monthly Groceries
2-person household, moderate spending
Road Quality Rank
Airports & Travel
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Nonstop Destinations
From state's primary airport
Major Hub Airport
Regional airport — connections via hub
Culture & Lifestyle
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Urban Population
Mix of urban and rural
Restaurant Density
Religious Congregations
Pro Sports Teams
NFL + NBA + MLB + NHL + MLS
Major Venues
Stadiums, arenas, amphitheaters (10K+ capacity)
Craft Breweries
9.6/100K residents — Top tier
Craft Distilleries
Live Music
Highest brewery per capita in nation (9.6/100K); Big Sky Brewing; Under the Big Sky Festival
Transportation
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Car Insurance (Avg Annual)
Traffic Fatality Rate
Broadband Access
Social & Legal
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Abortion Access
State constitution protects abortion rights; blocked ban
LGBTQ+ Protections
Marijuana
Minimum Wage
Right to Work
Sports Betting
Casino Gambling
Online Gambling
State Lottery
No destination casinos but small bars/taverns with video gambling terminals are ubiquitous. Unique gambling culture.
Age of Consent
Sex Education
No state sex ed mandate
Nude Beaches & Naturist Clubs
Many remote rivers and hot springs used informally · Quinn's Hot Springs — clothing optional section
Environment & Climate
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Air Quality (Annual AQI)
Excellent (national avg ~38)
Natural Disaster Risk
Primary Hazards
Politics & Gun Laws
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2024 Presidential Vote
Gun Laws
Carry Permit
Purchase Permit Required
Gambling
Hunting & Outdoors
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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
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Job Market
+1.8% job growth · 2.9% unemployment
Top Industries
Tech Jobs
Healthcare Jobs
Remote Work
Median Household Income
Business Climate
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Corporate Income Tax
LLC Formation Fee
LLC Annual Fee
Business Climate Rank
Top-10 nationally (Tax Foundation SBTCI 2024)
Daily Life
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Gas Price (Regular)
Below avg (-0.15 vs national avg)
Consumer Fireworks
Consumer fireworks legal; fire conditions may trigger bans
Weather & Natural Risks
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Winter Severity
Avg January high: 27°F
Summer Heat
Moderate summers
Annual Rainfall
Tornado Risk
Hurricane Risk
Wildfire Risk
Flood Risk
Natural Hazards
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Venomous Snakes
Spider Hazard
Scorpions
Hurricane Risk
Tornado Risk
Wildfire Risk
Earthquake Risk
Danger score is a composite index. Methodology ↗
Veteran Benefits
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Veteran-Friendly Score
11% of state population are veterans
Property Tax Exemption
Disabled vet property tax assistance
Military Retirement Pay
Active Duty Pay
VA Facilities Access
Notable Benefits
Explore Montana counties
Income, housing, poverty, healthcare — ranked by county
See your full cost of living in Montana
Housing, taxes, childcare, insurance — all estimated.
Compare Similar States
MT vs FL
Montana vs Florida
COL 104 vs 103 · 5.9% vs No income tax
Full comparison →
MT vs AZ
Montana vs Arizona
COL 104 vs 102 · 5.9% vs 2.5% income tax
Full comparison →
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 ......
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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.