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Baker vs West Glendive

56 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (4.6× in Baker) and trails (5.3× in Baker).

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Baker, MTHomes around $190KMontana · 1,489 people
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West Glendive, MTKnown for its schoolsMontana · 2,121 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

BakerHomes around $190K
Housing$190K typical home60% below the MT typical home SafetySafer than 85%of U.S. towns we grade All about Baker →
West GlendiveKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 24%of MT districts All about West Glendive →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Street grid4.6×
Baker has the more walkable street grid
Baker 150West Glendive 32.9
Trails5.3×
Baker has more miles of trail
Baker 1.6 miWest Glendive 0.3 mi
Property tax bill+83%
Tax bills are bigger in West Glendive
West Glendive $2,938Baker $1,608
Work in town+28.4 pts
More of Baker’s workers stay in town
Baker 42.7%West Glendive 14.3%
Average commute10 min
West Glendive has the shorter commute
Baker 25 minWest Glendive 15 min
★ What stands out · Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Montana ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
ABakerSafer than 85% of U.S. towns –West GlendiveNot graded
Schools
B−BakerBetter than 54% of districts in the state C−West GlendiveBetter than 24% of districts in the state
Health
BBakerHealthier than 62% of U.S. towns B−West GlendiveHealthier than 46% of U.S. towns
Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Baker$1,120/mo
Typical home $190K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.76% · or rent about $776/mo · Housing →
West Glendive$1,190/mo
Typical home $179K (Census) · tax rate 1.64% · or rent about $778/mo · Housing →

The difference: $70 a month, about $800 a year, between West Glendive and Baker.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
BakerWest Glendive
Snow a year34″23″
January low6°F9°F
July high86°F88°F
Growing season (days)121d153d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)30th33rd
Outdoors & history
BakerWest Glendive
Trails2 mi0 mi
Conserved land2.9%1.5%
National Register places2—
Archive photos6—
Famous people born here6—
Community
BakerWest Glendive
Library hours a week45 hrs—
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

56 miles apart

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

BakerMTWest GlendiveMT
Baker ↔ West Glendive56 miles apart
Who commutes between them
15 West Glendive residents work in Baker (1.6% of its workers)
Work & commute in West Glendive →
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

BakerWest Glendive
People
Population 1,489Lowest 2,121Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +3.5%Highest MT: +9.6% +2.6%Lowest MT: +9.6%
Median age 35.4±5.2Highest 12% below MT 30.9±4.4Lowest 24% below MT
Baker and West Glendive are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 20.1%±4.5Lowest MT: 21% 26%±8.1Highest MT: 21%
West Glendive and Baker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 20%±5.6Highest MT: 20.1% 11.2%±3.6Lowest MT: 20.1%
Baker and West Glendive are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 13.8%Lowest MT: 35.2% 18.9%Highest MT: 35.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.5%±1.8Lowest MT: 5.2% 4%±3.2Highest MT: 5.2%
West Glendive and Baker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $84,750±$23kHighest 17% above MT $54,922±$15kLowest 24% below MT
Baker and West Glendive are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $211,400±$40kHighest 44% below MT $179,400±$28kLowest 52% below MT
Baker and West Glendive are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $776±$58Lowest 28% below MT $778±$113Highest 28% below MT
West Glendive and Baker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,608Lowest 40% below MT $2,938Highest 9% above MT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 9.7%±13.2Lowest MT: 44.8% 51.6%±32Highest MT: 44.8%
West Glendive and Baker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 12.5%Highest MT: 11.5% 2.6%Lowest MT: 11.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 63.4%Lowest MT: 69.2% 67.4%Highest MT: 69.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1980Highest 1 yr older than MT 1973Lowest 8 yrs older than MT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 25 minHighest 30% above MT 15 minLowest 24% below MT
Work from home 5.6%±6.3Lowest MT: 12.5% 6%±3.8Highest MT: 12.5%
West Glendive and Baker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 42.7%Highest 14.3%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 1.3 miLowest 2.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.16Highest 0.80Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Billings (3%)Glendive (43%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in West Glendive2% work in Baker
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2.9%Highest 1.5%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 1.6 miHighest 0.3 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.5 miHighest 0.1 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 3Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 150Highest 32.9Lowest
Schools
School district Baker K-12 SchoolsGlendive Elem
High school in town Baker High SchoolNone in town
Students per teacherat that high school 16.0 —
Montana average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Baker neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Baker’s Town Square.

West Glendive neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to West Glendive’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Montana towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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