Missoula, MT
Census place 3050200 · pop 76,514
Home of the University of Montana and the setting of Norman Maclean's 'A River Runs Through It.'
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
3685 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
47.0% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
602 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$473,100 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.47 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
18.2% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities
4 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$70,392 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
11.8% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities
43 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.94% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
9.1% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+3.8% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
93.2% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,568/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
78/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
11.5% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
3.1% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
53.0% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
26.3% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
16.3% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
16 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
Frequently asked
- Is Missoula, MT a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Missoula scores 50/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is commute time and its weakest is property crime rate. Montana overall ranks #15 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Missoula, MT?
- Missoula reports 602 violent crimes per 100k and 3685 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Missoula, MT expensive to live in?
- Missoula has a median home value of $473,100 and typical rent around $1,568/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Missoula, MT?
- Its weakest measured area is property crime rate (3685/100k) — 6/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Missoula, MT best at?
- Its strongest measured area is commute time (16 min) — 94/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Home of the University of Montana and the setting of Norman Maclean's 'A River Runs Through It.'
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.