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Circle vs Stanford

218 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (2.1× in Circle) and trails (4× in Circle).

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Circle, MTA regional job hubMontana · 514 people
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Stanford, MTHomes around $243KMontana · 268 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.

CircleA regional job hub
Work326 jobsbased in Circle, a regional job hub SchoolsBetter than 90%of MT districts Housing$260K typical home45% below the MT typical home All about Circle →
StanfordHomes around $243K
Housing$243K typical home48% below the MT typical home All about Stanford →
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.

Property tax bill2.1×
Tax bills are bigger in Circle
Circle $2,179Stanford $1,040
Trails4×
Circle has more miles of trail
Circle 0.4 miStanford 0.1 mi
Work in town+17.8 pts
More of Circle’s workers stay in town
Circle 33.9%Stanford 16.1%
★ 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
ACircleBetter than 90% of districts in the state BStanfordBetter than 57% of districts in the state
Monthly cost

A typical home costs $260 more a month in Circle

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.

Circle$1,640/mo
Typical home $260K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.27% · or rent about $547/mo · Housing →
Stanford$1,380/mo
Typical home $243K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.50% · or rent about $850/mo · Housing →

The difference: $260 a month, about $3,200 a year, between Circle and Stanford.

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
CircleStanford
Snow a year—45″
January low—13°F
July high—82°F
Growing season (days)—112d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)14th39th
Outdoors & history
CircleStanford
Trails0 mi0 mi
Conserved land10%3.5%
Settled—1875
National Register places1—
Archive photos66
Famous people born here22
Community
CircleStanford
Library hours a week30 hrs43 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined01

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

218 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

CircleMTStanfordMT
Circle ↔ Stanford218 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.

CircleStanford
People
Population 514Highest 268Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -3.9% MT: +9.6% —
Median age 46.2±12.3Lowest 14% above MT 49.4±20.1Highest 22% above MT
Stanford and Circle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 16.1%±5.8Lowest MT: 21% 21.6%±14.8Highest MT: 21%
Stanford and Circle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 25.5%±7Lowest MT: 20.1% 30.2%±7.3Highest MT: 20.1%
Stanford and Circle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 25.3%Lowest MT: 35.2% 27.6%Highest MT: 35.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0%±3 MT: 5.2% 0%±5.8 MT: 5.2%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $75,417±$23kHighest 4% above MT $56,875±$19kLowest 22% below MT
Circle and Stanford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $171,900±$82kLowest 54% below MT $207,800±$55kHighest 45% below MT
Stanford and Circle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $547±$71Lowest 49% below MT $850±$468Highest 21% below MT
Stanford and Circle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,179Highest 19% below MT $1,040Lowest 61% below MT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 40.5%±46.6Highest MT: 44.8% 0%±100Lowest MT: 44.8%
Circle and Stanford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 6.3%Lowest MT: 11.5% 14.2%Highest MT: 11.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 84.6%Lowest MT: 69.2% 85.1%Highest MT: 69.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1958Highest 23 yrs older than MT 1954Lowest 27 yrs older than MT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 15 minHighest 21% below MT 13 minLowest 30% below MT
Work from home 6%±4.9Lowest MT: 12.5% 7.8%±4.7Highest MT: 12.5%
Stanford and Circle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 33.9%Highest 16.1%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 46.3 miHighest 21.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.91Highest 1.29Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Billings (7%)Hobson (14%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in StanfordFew work in Circle
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 10%Highest 3.5%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.4 miHighest 0.1 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.5 miHighest 0.3 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Highest 1Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 113Lowest 146Highest
Schools
School district Circle Elem · Circle H SStanford K-12 Schools
High school in town Circle High SchoolStanford High School
Students per teacherat that high school 11.2Highest 8.4Lowest
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.

Circle neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Circle’s Town Square.

Stanford neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 6d

Improving Our Little Town

1 neighbor in Stanford can answer.

Add a town

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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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