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Boulder vs Fort Benton

130 miles apart. The biggest differences: work in town (+41.2 pts in Fort Benton) and average commute (11 min in Fort Benton).

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Boulder, MTHomes around $348KMontana · 1,284 people
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Fort Benton, MTKnown for its schoolsMontana · 1,474 people
Swap order
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.

BoulderHomes around $348K
Housing$348K typical home26% below the MT typical home HealthHealthier than 68%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates History12 archive photos & papers3 places on the National Register All about Boulder →
Fort BentonKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 95%of MT districts Housing$297K typical home37% below the MT typical home History8 historic places8 places on the National Register All about Fort Benton →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

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

Work in town+41.2 pts
More of Fort Benton’s workers stay in town
Fort Benton 44%Boulder 2.8%
Average commute11 min
Fort Benton has the shorter commute
Boulder 25 minFort Benton 14 min
Age 65++12.3 pts
Fort Benton has more people 65 and up
Fort Benton 32.1%Boulder 19.8%
Jobs per worker2×
Fort Benton is more of a job hub
Fort Benton 1.18Boulder 0.59
Property tax bill+24%
Tax bills are bigger in Fort Benton
Fort Benton $2,275Boulder $1,834
Conserved land+12.7 pts
Fort Benton has more conserved land
Fort Benton 18.3%Boulder 5.6%
★ 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.

Schools
B−BoulderBetter than 46% of districts in the state A+Fort BentonBetter than 95% of districts in the state
Health
B+BoulderHealthier than 68% of U.S. towns B+Fort BentonHealthier than 67% of U.S. towns
Monthly cost

A typical home costs $290 more a month in Boulder

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.

Boulder$2,080/mo
Typical home $348K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.86% · or rent about $928/mo · Housing →
Fort Benton$1,780/mo
Typical home $297K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.92% · or rent about $736/mo · Housing →

The difference: $290 a month, about $3,500 a year, between Boulder and Fort Benton.

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
BoulderFort Benton
Snow a year—38″
January low—10°F
July high—86°F
Growing season (days)—129d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)77th80th
Outdoors & history
BoulderFort Benton
Trails—6 mi
Conserved land—18.3%
National Register places38
Archive photos12—
Famous people born here—9
Community
BoulderFort Benton
Library hours a week42 hrs45 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined10

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

130 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

BoulderMTFort BentonMT
Boulder ↔ Fort Benton130 miles apart
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.

BoulderFort Benton
People
Population 1,284Lowest 1,474Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +1.5%Highest MT: +9.6% -1%Lowest MT: +9.6%
Median age 41.4±7.7Lowest about the MT average 42.7±6.8Highest 6% above MT
Fort Benton and Boulder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 20.3%±6.8Lowest MT: 21% 25.8%±5.8Highest MT: 21%
Fort Benton and Boulder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 19.8%±5.7Lowest MT: 20.1% 32.1%±6.1Highest MT: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 22.1%Lowest MT: 35.2% 30.2%Highest MT: 35.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.5%±3.8Highest MT: 5.2% 0.1%±0.8Lowest MT: 5.2%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $72,500±$22kHighest about the MT average $67,188±$20kLowest 7% below MT
Boulder and Fort Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $212,300±$44kLowest 44% below MT $247,600±$52kHighest 34% below MT
Fort Benton and Boulder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $928±$282Highest 14% below MT $736±$146Lowest 32% below MT
Boulder and Fort Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,834Lowest 32% below MT $2,275Highest 16% below MT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 12.2%±21.6Lowest MT: 44.8% 52.5%±30.3Highest MT: 44.8%
Fort Benton and Boulder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 3.8%Highest MT: 11.5% 3%Lowest MT: 11.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 73.3%Lowest MT: 69.2% 79.6%Highest MT: 69.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1971Highest 10 yrs older than MT 1958Lowest 23 yrs older than MT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 25 minHighest 30% above MT 14 minLowest 28% below MT
Work from home 7%±5.2Highest MT: 12.5% 6.5%±5Lowest MT: 12.5%
Boulder and Fort Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 2.8%Lowest 44%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 25.3 miHighest 18.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.59Lowest 1.18Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Helena (32%)Great Falls (12%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Fort BentonFew work in Boulder
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 5.6%Lowest 18.3%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 5.8 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 2.5 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 6Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 97.0Highest 73.0Lowest
Schools
School district Boulder Elem · Jefferson H SFort Benton Elem · Fort Benton H S
High school in town Jefferson High SchoolFort Benton High School
Students per teacherat that high school 16.1Highest 12.6Lowest
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.

Boulder neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

Life in Boulder

1 neighbor in Boulder can answer.

Fort Benton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Fort Benton’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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