Montana truly is the "Last Best Place." Unfortunately, Montana has been "found" and people are relocating to Big Sky Country in droves. But, where are they moving to?

Where is the BEST Place to Live in Montana?

Just because people are moving to certain areas of the state, doesn't mean they are picking the best places. Most are following jobs or affordable housing. But, if you put all of that aside, where are the BEST places to live in Montana?

Home Snacks gathered a ton of data about Montana towns and compiled a list of the Top 10 Best Places to Live in Montana.

The criteria (Home Snacks) looked to determine the best places were:

  • Median Home Values
  • Median Income
  • Population Density (Higher is better)
  • Unemployment Rate
  • Commute Time
  • Crime
  • Education Levels
  • Health Insurance Coverage
  • Poverty rates
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They ranked all the cities and towns in Montana. The only requirement was the town needs to have a population of over 2,000 residents. This means smaller towns are judged by the same criteria as Montana cities.

In the end, 10 places came out on top. The results were surprising, to say the least.

According to Home Snacks, Whitefish is THE BEST place to live in Montana. That is understandable, with the natural beauty surrounding the mountain town.

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What strikes me as strange is that Missoula didn't crack the Top 10. In fact, only 2 of Montana's major cities made the list.

The 10 Best Places To Live In Montana For 2024

  1. Whitefish
  2. Glasgow
  3. Bozeman
  4. Colstrip
  5. Deer Lodge
  6. Belgrade
  7. Glendive
  8. Helena
  9. Laurel
  10. Red Lodge

Check out ALL the data from the study and see where other Montana towns made it on the ranking.

LOOK: Where people in Montana are moving to most

Stacker compiled a list of states where people from Montana are moving to the most using data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Gallery Credit: Stacker

Montana's Most Viewed Home on Zillow in 2023

See photos of the home in Bigfork, Montana that was the most viewed on Zillow in 2023.

Gallery Credit: Ashley

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