Should I Move To
Missoula, Montana is a population of 74,627 . Cost of living is moderate — 5% below the national average, with median rent around $1,064/month and median household income of $59,783. Overall it earns an UrbRank Score of 49/100 (grade D), ranking #530 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.
Air quality index (EPA AQS data).
Share of residents 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Missoula's composite cost-of-living index sits at 95 (US average = 100), placing it in the moderate tier. At $1,064/month median rent against $59,783 median household income, residents spend about 21% of household income on rent — within the standard 30% rule of thumb. Median home value is $380,500.
Full cost-of-living breakdown →Missoula has a four-season climate — summer highs average 81°F and winter lows average 25°F, with 16 inches of precipitation annually. Car-dependent for most errands, with pockets of walkability downtown. Crime data isn't available for this city. Air quality is good (AQI 43).
Verdict by lifestyle profile — same data, different priorities.
Missoula is a moderate fit for families. It earns a Score of 63/100 (grade C+) on the families profile. Especially strong on education (80/100), weakest on walkability (34/100).
Missoula is a less obvious fit for retirees. It earns a Score of 53/100 (grade C-) on the retirees profile. Especially strong on education (80/100), weakest on walkability (34/100).
Missoula is a moderate fit for remote workers. It earns a Score of 56/100 (grade C) on the remote workers profile. Especially strong on education (80/100), weakest on walkability (34/100).
Missoula is a less obvious fit for young professionals. It earns a Score of 46/100 (grade D) on the young professionals profile. Especially strong on education (80/100), weakest on walkability (34/100).
Missoula, Montana has an overall UrbRank Score of 49/100 (grade D), ranked #530 nationally. The score is a weighted average across affordability, safety, climate, walkability, jobs, environment, and education.
Missoula's cost-of-living index is 95 (US average = 100), so it's moderate — 5% below the national average. Median rent is $1,064/month.
Missoula has a four-season climate. Summer highs average 81°F and winter lows average 25°F, with 16 inches of annual precipitation.
Missoula has a Walk Score of 34/100. Car-dependent for most errands, with pockets of walkability downtown.
Missoula has a population of 74,627, with 50% of adults 25+ holding a bachelor's degree or higher and a median age of 34.
Use UrbRank's comparison tool to put Missoula side-by-side with any other US city — housing costs, salaries, demographics, and quality of life metrics displayed together. The leaderboard pages also show how Missoula ranks for families, retirees, remote workers, and young professionals.
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 Missoula with other Montana cities scored on UrbRank.
Take the 2-minute UrbRank quiz to get a personalized ranking of US cities based on your priorities — cost, climate, commute, jobs, and more.