What it's like to live in Missoula
Missoula is a smaller city in Montana with rent below the national average, unemployment below the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and air quality that stays clean most of the year. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Missoula deals with home prices well above the national average, crime rates above the national average, cold winters, and snowy winters.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Low unemployment
- Short commutes
- Clean air
- Highly educated workforce
- Growing population
The not so good
- High home prices
- Crime above national average
- Cold winters
- Snowy winters — 50" per year
How Missoula compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Missoula
Based on Missoula's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,378
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $47,560 a year
- 48% of Missoula renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$94,620
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $47,310
- Homes cost 6.7× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 16% below US
$1,189/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,189 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are steep, with a median around $473,100. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $473,100 · 48% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 28% below US
3.1% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.1%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 80% above US
591 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.
Property crime 2862/100k · Missoula Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 39% below US
16 min average commute
Commutes run short here, averaging 15.8 minutes. That's an underrated perk of living in a smaller or well-planned city, where time isn't lost sitting in traffic. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 15% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 81°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 20°F and snow a regular occurrence. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
2 hospitals
There are 2 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 4.0 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 47% above US
53% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
21 public schools inside the boundary
There are 21 public schools inside the boundary and 10 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site (68 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Missoula's strongest points are rent below the national average and unemployment below the national average; the main tradeoffs are home prices well above the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,189/mo) equals 20% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, job seekers, and remote workers (15% of workers here already work from home).
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