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Living in
Great Falls.
About
Life in Great Falls
Living in Great Falls means joining a stable, working-class community where you're not paying Billings or Missoula prices. At a median home value around $257,000 and median rent near $900, housing is genuinely affordable compared to other Montana cities, and the 3.3% unemployment rate suggests decent job security. Malmstrom Air Force Base is the largest employer, but the city's economy is reasonably diversified across agriculture, tourism, and services—you won't feel entirely dependent on one industry.
Great Falls at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
39.0 yrs
Poverty Rate
14.5%
Foreign-Born
2.2%
Broadband Internet
90.1%
of households
Population Growth
-0.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics2.2% foreign-born, most often from Philippines
Who lives in Great Falls: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Great Falls, the largest foreign-born group is from Philippines (21.5%), and 1.3% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
21.4%
of residents
65 and Older
20.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
25.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
38.5%
of households
Married Couples
40.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.21
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 17% below MT average
Rent, home values, and income in Great Falls
In Great Falls, rent runs 17% below the MT average, and home values are 32% below the MT average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
43.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
20.0%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
96.8
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,370
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
66.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1965
median year built
Vacant Homes
7.2%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $337,936 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for MT
Unemployment in Great Falls
Unemployment in Great Falls is close to the MT average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Great Falls Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute14.9 min avg
How Great Falls residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Great Falls, most residents drive alone to work (79%), and 92% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 4 mi
Great Falls International Airport (GTF)
Regional airport · few flights186k 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 92% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Great Falls runs 92% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
631
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
3,669.2
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Great Falls Police Department
Natural DisastersHigh Wind most common — 35 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
83.1 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Cascade County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Cascade County, which includes Great Falls, the most common type is high wind, with 35 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 35 | High Wind | $1,000 |
| 2024 | 24 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 33 | High Wind | $110,000 |
| 2022 | 22 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 6 | Heavy Rain | None reported |
| 2019 | 16 | Hail | $10,000 |
| 2018 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | 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.
11 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Cascade County, county-wide
Air Quality46 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2024)
Air quality in Cascade County, which includes Great Falls, is typically good.
Median AQI
46
Cascade County, county-wide
Climate82°F summers, 19°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Great Falls has warm summers (avg high 82°F) and very cold winters (avg low 19°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
58°/33°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
82°/53°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
59°/36°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
37°/19°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
15.4"
Annual Snowfall
66.1"
Hot Days/Year
25
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
143
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
89
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 37°F | 18°F | 0.61" |
| Feb | 39°F | 19°F | 0.58" |
| Mar | 48°F | 25°F | 0.63" |
| Apr | 58°F | 33°F | 1.79" |
| May | 67°F | 42°F | 2.66" |
| Jun | 75°F | 50°F | 2.74" |
| Jul | 86°F | 55°F | 1.34" |
| Aug | 84°F | 53°F | 1.30" |
| Sep | 73°F | 45°F | 1.39" |
| Oct | 59°F | 36°F | 1.13" |
| Nov | 45°F | 26°F | 0.70" |
| Dec | 37°F | 20°F | 0.56" |
Healthcare2 hospitals, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Great Falls
Great Falls has 2 hospitals, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
2
within city limits
Uninsured
7.0%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Benefis Hospitals Inc.
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Great Falls Clinic 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.
Education15.1:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Great Falls
Great Falls's student/teacher ratio is 15.1:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 27.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
21
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
27.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.1:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Great Falls
Great Falls College Montana State University
Public · 2-year · 894 students · in-state tuition $4,144 · 36% graduate · median earnings $41,381 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 528 students · in-state tuition $31,348 · 63% graduate · median earnings $51,419 (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 & Recreation
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Great Falls
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Public Libraries in Great Falls
Great Falls Public Library
301 2nd Ave North, Great Falls
Cities Near Great Falls
The closest cities within 60 miles
No other cities we cover are within 60 miles of Great Falls.
Planning a move to Great Falls?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Great Falls FAQ
Is Great Falls, Montana affordable?⌄
Great Falls's median rent is $900/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $63,373/year. Median home value is $257,000.
Is Great Falls, Montana safe?⌄
Great Falls's violent crime rate was 631 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 3669 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Great Falls, Montana?⌄
Great Falls has an unemployment rate of 3.3%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Great Falls, Montana?⌄
The cost of living in Great Falls is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $900/month and median household income is $63,373/year. The median home value is $257,000. About 44% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Great Falls, Montana?⌄
The average commute in Great Falls is 15 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