Residential comparison · 13 facts
Bozeman, MT vs Helena, MT
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Bozeman needs about $78,000 in Helena to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Helena, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $92,000 in Bozeman.
A few differences
- Bozeman is higher on median household income ($85,747 vs $71,036).
- Helena is lower on cost of living index (96 vs 118).
- Helena is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,151/mo vs $1,582/mo).
Bozeman vs Helena · facet by facet
| Facet | Bozeman, MT | Helena, MT |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $687,900 | $387,300 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,582/mo | $1,151/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.7% | 0.7% |
| State & local income tax | 3.29% | 3.29% |
| Sales tax | 0% | 0% |
| Cost of living index | 118 | 96 |
| Groceries index | 100 | 100 |
| Utilities | $130/mo | $130/mo |
| Median household income | $85,747 | $71,036 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.2% |
| Crime index | 48/100 | 48/100 |
| School rating | 6.0/10 | 6.0/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 190 days | 190 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Bozeman, MT · Helena, MT
Questions & answers
- Is Bozeman cheaper than Helena?
- Helena has the lower day-to-day cost index (96 vs 118 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Helena equals $85,000 in Bozeman?
- A household earning $85,000 in Bozeman needs about $78,000 in Helena to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Helena lifestyle costs about $92,000 in Bozeman.