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Living in
Bozeman.
About
Life in Bozeman
Bozeman is a genuinely good place to live if you can handle the cost and the winters, though it's not the outdoor-focused utopia marketing sometimes suggests. The job market is solid thanks to Montana State University, Bozeman Health, and a real cluster of tech and biotech companies, keeping unemployment at 2.3% and giving you actual career options beyond service work. The community itself is young, educated, and diverse in mindset if not always in demographic makeup, with a median age of 28 and plenty of cultural activity—film festivals, galleries, comedy clubs, and music venues give it genuine character beyond skiing.
Bozeman at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
28.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
13.7%
Foreign-Born
4.8%
Broadband Internet
92.0%
of households
Population Growth
+9.7%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics4.8% foreign-born, most often from Canada
Who lives in Bozeman: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Bozeman, the largest foreign-born group is from Canada (10.0%), and 2.5% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
13.2%
of residents
65 and Older
11.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
17.8%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
28.9%
of households
Married Couples
36.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.17
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 59% above MT average
Rent, home values, and income in Bozeman
In Bozeman, rent runs 59% above the MT average, and home values are 83% above the MT average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
48.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
25.3%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
102.5
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,183
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
44.7%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2000
median year built
Vacant Homes
7.5%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $721,678 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.9 pts below MT average
Unemployment in Bozeman and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Bozeman is 0.9 percentage points lower than the MT average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Bozeman Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Bismarck, ND metro area
Commute15.5 min avg
How Bozeman residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Bozeman, most residents drive alone to work (63%), and 90% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 9 mi
Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN)
Small hub1.4M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 21% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Bozeman runs 21% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
397
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,621.7
per 100,000 residents
About average (1,552 national, 2025)
Bozeman Police Department
Natural DisastersHeavy Snow most common — 53 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
81.0 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Gallatin County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Gallatin County, which includes Bozeman, the most common type is heavy snow, with 53 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 53 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2024 | 53 | Heavy Snow | None reported |
| 2023 | 43 | Heavy Snow | $1.0M |
| 2022 | 31 | Winter Storm | None reported |
| 2021 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 11 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 14 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 8 | Winter Weather | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
19 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Gallatin County, county-wide
Air Quality11 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Gallatin County, which includes Bozeman, is typically good — 358 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
11
Good Days
358
per year
Moderate Days
7
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Gallatin County, county-wide
Climate78°F summers, 15°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Bozeman has mild summers (avg high 78°F) and very cold winters (avg low 15°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
55°/31°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
78°/49°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
57°/32°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
35°/15°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
20.0"
Annual Snowfall
91.3"
Hot Days/Year
12
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
178
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
138
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34°F | 15°F | 0.86" |
| Feb | 37°F | 17°F | 0.83" |
| Mar | 46°F | 24°F | 1.42" |
| Apr | 55°F | 31°F | 2.51" |
| May | 63°F | 39°F | 2.93" |
| Jun | 72°F | 46°F | 3.27" |
| Jul | 82°F | 52°F | 1.33" |
| Aug | 81°F | 50°F | 1.32" |
| Sep | 71°F | 42°F | 1.44" |
| Oct | 57°F | 32°F | 1.84" |
| Nov | 42°F | 22°F | 1.25" |
| Dec | 33°F | 15°F | 1.03" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Bozeman
Bozeman has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
6.3%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Bozeman Health Deaconess Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education16.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Bozeman
Bozeman's student/teacher ratio is 16.9:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 65.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
13
within city limits
Private Schools
8
within city limits
College Degree Rate
65.1%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Bozeman
Public · 4-year · 14,451 students · in-state tuition $8,948 · 58% graduate · median earnings $59,536 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Yellowstone National Park, 79 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Bozeman
Bozeman has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Yellowstone National Park (79 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Yellowstone National Park
National Park
79 mi awayGrant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site
National Historic Site
95 mi awayPublic Libraries in Bozeman
Bozeman Public Library
626 E Main Street, Bozeman
Cities Near Bozeman
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Bozeman?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Bozeman FAQ
Is Bozeman, Montana affordable?⌄
Bozeman's median rent is $1,717/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $85,747/year. Median home value is $687,900.
Is Bozeman, Montana safe?⌄
Bozeman's violent crime rate was 397 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1622 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Bozeman, Montana?⌄
Bozeman has an unemployment rate of 2.4%, which is strong — well below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Bozeman, Montana?⌄
The cost of living in Bozeman is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,717/month and median household income is $85,747/year. The median home value is $687,900. About 49% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Bozeman, Montana?⌄
The average commute in Bozeman is 16 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from