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Choteau vs Malta

202 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (6.7× in Malta) and growth since 2010 (+9.1 pts in Choteau).

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Choteau, MTHomes around $305KMontana · 1,479 people

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Malta, MTHomes around $243KMontana · 2,100 people

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.

ChoteauHomes around $305K

Housing$305K typical home35% below the MT typical home SchoolsBetter than 74%of MT districts

Outdoors23.9% conserved land0.3 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves All about Choteau →

MaltaHomes around $243K

Housing$243K typical home48% below the MT typical home

History12 archive photos & papers3 places on the National Register All about Malta →

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.

Malta has more miles of trail

Malta 2.0 miChoteau 0.3 mi

Growth since 2010+9.1 pts

Choteau has grown faster since 2010

Choteau +2.2%Malta -6.9%

Property tax bill+32%

Tax bills are bigger in Choteau

Choteau $1,914Malta $1,452

Conserved land+11.6 pts

Choteau has more conserved land

Choteau 23.9%Malta 12.3%

Average commute6 min

Malta has the shorter commute

Choteau 17 minMalta 12 min

Typical home built13 yrs

Choteau’s homes are older

Malta 1967Choteau 1954

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $380 more a month in Choteau

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.

Down paymentRate%

Choteau$1,840/mo

Typical home $305K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.93% · or rent about $697/mo · Housing →

Malta$1,460/mo

Typical home $243K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.90% · or rent about $631/mo · Housing →

The difference: $380 a month, about $4,500 a year, between Choteau and Malta.

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.

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+ChoteauBetter than 74% of districts in the state BMaltaBetter than 56% of districts in the state

Health

BChoteauHealthier than 56% of U.S. towns C+MaltaHealthier than 44% of U.S. towns

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

ChoteauMalta

Snow a year48″—

January low13°F —

July high82°F —

Growing season (days)104d —

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)65th 37th

Outdoors & history

ChoteauMalta

Trails0 mi 2 mi

Conserved land23.9%12.3%

National Register places1 3

Archive photos7 12

Famous people born here9 4

Community

ChoteauMalta

Library hours a week40 hrs 40 hrs

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

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

202 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ChoteauMT MaltaMT

Choteau ↔ Malta202 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.

Only big differences vs Montana average

ChoteauMalta

People

Population 1,479Lowest 2,100Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +2.2%Highest MT: +9.6% -6.9%Lowest MT: +9.6%

Median age 49.3±10.1Highest 22% above MT 44.4±3.5Lowest 10% above MT

Choteau and Malta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 16.9%±4.9Lowest MT: 21% 26.7%±6.5Highest MT: 21%

Malta and Choteau are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 29.6%±4.6Highest MT: 20.1% 22.5%±4.9Lowest MT: 20.1%

Choteau and Malta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 30.5%Lowest MT: 35.2% 30.8%Highest MT: 35.2%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.5%±1.5Highest MT: 5.2% 0.9%±1.5Lowest MT: 5.2%

Choteau and Malta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $51,632±$19kLowest 29% below MT $54,483±$8kHighest 25% below MT

Malta and Choteau are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $206,000±$32kHighest 45% below MT $160,800±$47kLowest 57% below MT

Choteau and Malta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $697±$44Highest 36% below MT $631±$322Lowest 42% below MT

Choteau and Malta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,914Highest 29% below MT $1,452Lowest 46% below MT

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 54.5%±20.6Highest MT: 44.8% 49.6%±16.2Lowest MT: 44.8%

Choteau and Malta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 5.7%Lowest MT: 11.5% 9.9%Highest MT: 11.5%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 63.8%Highest MT: 69.2% 61.8%Lowest MT: 69.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1954Lowest 27 yrs older than MT 1967Highest 14 yrs older than MT

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 17 minHighest 9% below MT 12 minLowest 38% below MT

Work from home 8.6%±4.9Lowest MT: 12.5% 8.7%±7.2Highest MT: 12.5%

Malta and Choteau are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 35.9%Highest 34.4%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 18.8 miLowest 25.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.94Lowest 1.17Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Great Falls (7%)Whitewater (7%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in MaltaFew work in Choteau

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 23.9%Highest 12.3%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 0.3 miLowest 2.0 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miLowest 1.8 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3 3

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 126Highest 126Lowest

Schools

School district Choteau Elem · Choteau H SMalta K-12 Schools

High school in town Choteau High SchoolMalta High School

Students per teacherat that high school 10.2Lowest 11.1Highest

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.

Choteau neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Choteau’s Town Square.

Malta neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Malta’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Towns like Choteau

Plentywood1,654 people · $161K homes

Whitehall1,156 people · $194K homes

Deer Lodge3,021 people · $248K homes

Townsend1,967 people · $228K homes

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.