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Colstrip vs Columbus

128 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (24.5× in Colstrip) and street grid (2.9× in Columbus).

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Colstrip, MTOne of the safest townsMontana · 2,101 people
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Columbus, MTA regional job hubMontana · 2,003 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.

ColstripOne of the safest towns
SafetySafer than 98%of U.S. towns we grade Housing$239K typical home49% below the MT typical home SchoolsBetter than 24%of MT districts All about Colstrip →
ColumbusA regional job hub
Work1,419 jobsbased in Columbus, a regional job hub Outdoors34.4% conserved land0.4 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves SafetySafer than 24%of U.S. towns we grade All about Columbus →
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.

Trails24.5×
Colstrip has more miles of trail
Colstrip 9.8 miColumbus 0.4 mi
Street grid2.9×
Columbus has the more walkable street grid
Columbus 99.3Colstrip 33.8
Property tax bill+62%
Tax bills are bigger in Columbus
Columbus $1,777Colstrip $1,098
Average commute16 min
Colstrip has the shorter commute
Columbus 27 minColstrip 11 min
Home values+45%
Homes cost more in Columbus
Columbus $282,800Colstrip $194,900
Rent+43%
Rent runs higher in Columbus
Columbus $945Colstrip $659
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $1,300 more a month in Columbus

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.

Colstrip$1,360/mo
Typical home $239K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.56% · or rent about $659/mo · Housing →
Columbus$2,660/mo
Typical home $461K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.63% · or rent about $945/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,300 a month, about $15,500 a year, between Columbus and Colstrip.

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.

Safety
A+ColstripSafer than 98% of U.S. towns C−ColumbusSafer than 24% of U.S. towns
Schools
C−ColstripBetter than 24% of districts in the state B+ColumbusBetter than 73% of districts in the state
Health
B+ColstripHealthier than 71% of U.S. towns A−ColumbusHealthier than 76% 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
ColstripColumbus
Snow a year37″48″
January low14°F10°F
July high85°F85°F
Growing season (days)138d108d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)53rd74th
Outdoors & history
ColstripColumbus
Trails10 mi0 mi
Conserved land7.2%34.4%
Settled1998—
National Register places—5
Archive photos1812
Famous people born here—5
Community
ColstripColumbus
Library hours a week40 hrs51 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

128 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ColstripMTColumbusMT
Colstrip ↔ Columbus128 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.

ColstripColumbus
People
Population 2,101Highest 2,003Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -5.3%Lowest MT: +9.6% -1.9%Highest MT: +9.6%
Median age 44.2±2.5Lowest 9% above MT 47.2±3.8Highest 17% above MT
Columbus and Colstrip are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 27.2%±6.5Highest MT: 21% 19.1%±3.5Lowest MT: 21%
Colstrip and Columbus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 13.5%±3.9Lowest MT: 20.1% 27.4%±4.3Highest MT: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 25.9%Highest MT: 35.2% 24%Lowest MT: 35.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.8%±1.8Lowest MT: 5.2% 2.2%±1.8Highest MT: 5.2%
Columbus and Colstrip are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $82,500±$51kHighest 14% above MT $65,250±$17kLowest 10% below MT
Colstrip and Columbus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $194,900±$34kLowest 48% below MT $282,800±$24kHighest 25% below MT
Rentmedian gross, monthly $659±$80Lowest 39% below MT $945±$46Highest 13% below MT
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,098Lowest 59% below MT $1,777Highest 34% below MT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 0%±16.5Lowest MT: 44.8% 34.4%±16.8Highest MT: 44.8%
Below poverty line 9.4%Lowest MT: 11.5% 11%Highest MT: 11.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 82.8%Highest MT: 69.2% 76.7%Lowest MT: 69.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1983Highest 2 yrs newer than MT 1969Lowest 12 yrs older than MT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 11 minLowest 44% below MT 27 minHighest 41% above MT
Work from home 2.6%±2.9Lowest MT: 12.5% 5.4%±2.8Highest MT: 12.5%
Columbus and Colstrip are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 41.4%Highest 35.8%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 1.8 miLowest 23.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.05Lowest 1.75Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Billings (6%)Billings (19%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in ColumbusFew work in Colstrip
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 7.2%Lowest 34.4%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 9.8 miHighest 0.4 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 2.5 miHighest 0.3 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 14Highest 1Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 33.8Lowest 99.3Highest
Schools
School district Colstrip Elem · Colstrip H SColumbus Elem · Columbus H S
High school in town Colstrip High SchoolColumbus High School
Students per teacherat that high school 8.5Lowest 15.8Highest
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.

Colstrip neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Colstrip’s Town Square.

Columbus neighborsTown Square →

1 neighbor in Columbus can answer.

Add a town

Set another town beside Colstrip and Columbus

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Towns like Colstrip

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Fort Benton1,474 people · $248K homes
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Big Timber1,611 people · $278K homes
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Chinook1,353 people · $215K homes
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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