Should I Move To
Great Falls, Montana is home to about 60,373 people. On cost of living, it lands in the affordable band — 5% below the national average. The median renter pays around $828 a month against a typical household income of $58,272. Our composite UrbRank Score lands at 66 out of 100 (grade B-), putting it at #49 nationally.
UrbRank Score · General
Each dimension scored 0-100 against every other US city.
Based on overall cost of living vs. other US cities.
Temperate summers & winters, moderate precipitation.
Walk Score — how feasible daily errands are on foot.
Unemployment rate plus household income vs. national median.
Share of residents 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Great Falls's composite cost-of-living index lands at 95 (100 = US average), which puts it in the affordable band. At $828/mo against $58,272 in median household income, the typical renter spends about 17% of income on housing — comfortably under the 30% rule of thumb, which is unusual. Median home value sits around $223,700.
Full cost-of-living breakdown →Climate is four-season — summer averages around 81°F, winter averages around 25°F. Precipitation totals about 16 inches a year. Walkability is exceptional — most residents can live without a car if they want to. Air quality reads good (AQI 34).
Verdict by lifestyle profile — same data, different priorities.
Great Falls reads as a moderate fit for families. It earns 59/100 (grade C) on the families profile. Strongest on walkability (91/100); weakest on education (30/100).
Great Falls reads as a moderate fit for retirees. It earns 70/100 (grade B-) on the retirees profile. Strongest on walkability (91/100); weakest on education (30/100).
Great Falls reads as a moderate fit for remote workers. It earns 71/100 (grade B) on the remote workers profile. Strongest on walkability (91/100); weakest on education (30/100).
Great Falls reads as a moderate fit for young professionals. It earns 66/100 (grade B-) on the young professionals profile. Strongest on walkability (91/100); weakest on education (30/100).
Great Falls, Montana pulls a 66/100 overall on the UrbRank Score (grade B-), currently ranked #49 nationally. The composite weights seven lifestyle dimensions: affordability, safety, climate, walkability, jobs, environment, and education.
Great Falls's cost-of-living index is 95 (with 100 as the US average), which lands in the affordable band — 5% below the national average. Median rent runs about $828/mo.
Four-season — summer averages around 81°F, winter averages around 25°F, with about 16 inches of precipitation a year.
Walk Score: 91/100. Walkability is exceptional — most residents can live without a car if they want to.
Great Falls has about 60,373 residents, 27% of adults 25+ holding a bachelor's degree or higher with a median age of 39.
Use UrbRank's comparison tool to put Great Falls head-to-head against any other US city — housing, salaries, demographics, and quality-of-life metrics side by side. The leaderboard pages also show how Great Falls stacks up for families, retirees, remote workers, and young professionals specifically.
Every US city is scored 0-100 on seven dimensions using public data from the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, FBI Crime Data Explorer, EPA Air Quality System, NOAA NCEI, and Walk Score. Each dimension is a percentile rank against every other city — so a score of 80 means the city is in the top 20% nationally on that dimension.
The overall score is a weighted average. Five lifestyle profiles — general, families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals — weight the dimensions differently to reflect what each cares about. Families get more weight on safety and schools; young professionals get more weight on jobs and walkability; retirees get more weight on climate.
Compare Great Falls with other Montana cities scored on UrbRank.
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