Residential comparison · 13 facts
Helena, MT vs Missoula, 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 Helena needs about $87,500 in Missoula to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Missoula, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $82,500 in Helena.
A few differences
- Helena is higher on median household income ($71,036 vs $70,392).
- Helena is lower on cost of living index (96 vs 102).
- Helena is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,151/mo vs $1,277/mo).
Helena vs Missoula · facet by facet
| Facet | Helena, MT | Missoula, MT |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $387,300 | $473,100 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,151/mo | $1,277/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.7% | 0.7% |
| State & local income tax | 3.29% | 3.29% |
| Sales tax | 0% | 0% |
| Cost of living index | 96 | 102 |
| Groceries index | 100 | 100 |
| Utilities | $130/mo | $130/mo |
| Median household income | $71,036 | $70,392 |
| 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: Helena, MT · Missoula, MT
Questions & answers
- Is Helena cheaper than Missoula?
- Helena has the lower day-to-day cost index (96 vs 102 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Missoula equals $85,000 in Helena?
- A household earning $85,000 in Helena needs about $87,500 in Missoula to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Missoula lifestyle costs about $82,500 in Helena.