Montana Town Finder: Where Your Salary Works

Last checked October 30, 2026.

Enter your pay and see which of the 26 Montana towns we track it covers for a single adult renting their own place. Narrow the list by region, town size, hospital, flights, free buses or resort tax.

Your yearly pay before taxes ($)

Single adult, own 1-bedroom, paid-off car, 10% saved.

Region

Town size

Hospital in town Scheduled flights from town

Free local buses No resort tax

Only towns my pay covers

Town	Region	People	Income needed, Census rent	Income needed, current asking rent	Your pay covers it?

Income needed is our full-budget estimate for a single adult (rent, utilities, a paid-off car, groceries, health insurance and other basics, 10% saved, after 2026 federal and Montana taxes). The Census column uses the 2020–2024 median rent actually paid, the same basis for every town; the asking-rent column uses current listing-site averages where they exist and usually runs higher. Big Sky has no reliable Census rent. See each town page for sources.

All 26 towns at a glance

The same data the finder uses, as a table. Income needed is the pre-tax pay a single adult renting their own place needs, after 2026 federal and Montana taxes and saving 10%. Population is from the Census ACS 2020–2024.

Town	Region	Population	Income needed, Census rent	Income needed, current asking rent	Hospital in town	Scheduled flights	Free buses	Resort tax
Lewistown	Central	6,087	$31,755	$35,996	Yes	No	No	None
Glendive	Northeast	4,810	$31,883	—	Yes	Yes	No	None
Wolf Point	Northeast	2,602	$33,382	—	Yes	Yes	No	None
Havre	Central	9,258	$33,510	$40,255	Yes	Yes	No	None
Red Lodge	Yellowstone Country	2,502	$33,528	—	Yes	No	No	4%
Dillon	Southwest	4,085	$34,369	—	Yes	No	No	None
Miles City	Southeast	8,407	$34,424	$37,312	Yes	No	No	None
Great Falls	Central	60,208	$34,552	$47,457	Yes	Yes	No	None
Butte	Southwest	35,052	$34,899	$43,527	Yes	Yes	Yes	None
Anaconda	Southwest	9,597	$34,917	$42,229	Yes	No	No	None
Kalispell	Northwest	31,851	$35,685	$50,089	Yes	Yes	No	None
Laurel	Southeast	7,205	$36,617	—	No	No	No	None
Glasgow	Northeast	3,190	$36,910	—	Yes	Yes	No	None
Helena	Southwest	35,138	$38,336	$51,222	Yes	Yes	No	None
Billings	Southeast	121,239	$38,774	$46,744	Yes	Yes	No	None
Polson	Northwest	5,653	$38,866	—	Yes	No	No	None
Livingston	Yellowstone Country	8,780	$38,920	—	Yes	No	No	None
Sidney	Northeast	6,171	$39,213	—	Yes	Yes	No	None
Hamilton	Northwest	5,451	$39,505	—	Yes	No	No	None
Columbia Falls	Northwest	5,753	$40,767	$52,081	No	No	No	3%
Missoula	Northwest	78,903	$40,913	$49,760	Yes	Yes	Yes	None
Belgrade	Yellowstone Country	11,872	$41,315	$52,063	No	Yes	No	None
West Yellowstone	Yellowstone Country	1,474	$41,315	—	No	Yes	No	4%
Bozeman	Yellowstone Country	58,814	$46,269	$60,325	Yes	Yes	Yes	None
Whitefish	Northwest	9,358	$46,945	$53,068	Yes	No	No	3%
Big Sky	Yellowstone Country	2,445	—	$59,795	Yes	No	Yes	4%

How to use it

Two rent figures. The Census column compares every town the same way, but Census rents are five-year averages that include long-time tenants, so they run low. The asking-rent column reflects what listing sites show now, where they publish figures. If your pay covers a town only at the Census rent, expect a tight budget or a roommate.
Change the budget. The figures assume our default budget. To adjust rent, car, health insurance or savings for a specific town, use the salary calculator.
Flights means scheduled passenger service from the town’s own airport, including Havre and Cape Air’s subsidized flights to Billings from Glasgow, Wolf Point, Sidney and Glendive, and seasonal service at West Yellowstone. Free buses means fare-free local service: Missoula, Bozeman, Butte and Big Sky.