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Colstrip vs Glasgow

159 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (2.5× in Glasgow) and street grid (4.1× in Glasgow).

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Colstrip, MTOne of the safest townsMontana · 2,101 people

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Glasgow, MTKnown for its schoolsMontana · 3,190 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.

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 →

GlasgowKnown for its schools

SchoolsBetter than 72%of MT districts

Outdoors#2 most trails in MT5.5 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves Housing$175K typical home63% below the MT typical home All about Glasgow →

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.

Property tax bill2.5×

Tax bills are bigger in Glasgow

Glasgow $2,692Colstrip $1,098

Street grid4.1×

Glasgow has the more walkable street grid

Glasgow 139Colstrip 33.8

Age 65++10.8 pts

Glasgow has more people 65 and up

Glasgow 24.3%Colstrip 13.5%

Work from home+8.1 pts

More people work from home in Glasgow

Glasgow 10.7%Colstrip 2.6%

Typical home built19 yrs

Glasgow’s homes are older

Colstrip 1983Glasgow 1964

Colstrip has more miles of trail

Colstrip 9.8 miGlasgow 5.5 mi

★ 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

A+ColstripSafer than 98% of U.S. towns C+GlasgowSafer than 36% of U.S. towns

Schools

C−ColstripBetter than 24% of districts in the state B+GlasgowBetter than 72% of districts in the state

Health

B+ColstripHealthier than 71% of U.S. towns B−GlasgowHealthier than 54% of U.S. towns

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $240 more a month in Colstrip

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%

Colstrip$1,360/mo

Typical home $239K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.56% · or rent about $659/mo · Housing →

Glasgow$1,120/mo

Typical home $175K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.38% · or rent about $805/mo · Housing →

The difference: $240 a month, about $2,900 a year, between Colstrip and Glasgow.

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

ColstripGlasgow

Snow a year37″44″

January low14°F —

July high85°F —

Growing season (days)138d —

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)53rd 40th

Outdoors & history

ColstripGlasgow

Trails10 mi 6 mi

Conserved land7.2%13.5%

Settled1998 1887

National Register places—4

Archive photos18 11

Community

ColstripGlasgow

Library hours a week40 hrs 49 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

159 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ColstripMT GlasgowMT

Colstrip ↔ Glasgow159 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

ColstripGlasgow

People

Population 2,101Lowest 3,190Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -5.3%Lowest MT: +9.6% -1.5%Highest MT: +9.6%

Median age 44.2±2.5Lowest 9% above MT 44.6±4.9Highest 10% above MT

Glasgow 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% 24%±4.3Lowest MT: 21%

Colstrip and Glasgow 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% 24.3%±5.3Highest MT: 20.1%

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 25.9%Highest MT: 35.2% 25.7%Lowest MT: 35.2%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.8%±1.8Lowest MT: 5.2% 3.7%±1.7Highest MT: 5.2%

Glasgow 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±$51kLowest 14% above MT $90,310±$24kHighest 25% above MT

Glasgow and Colstrip 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 $195,700±$41kHighest 48% below MT

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $659±$80Lowest 39% below MT $805±$217Highest 26% below MT

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,098Lowest 59% below MT $2,692Highest about the MT average

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 0%±16.5Lowest MT: 44.8% 43.1%±20.1Highest MT: 44.8%

Below poverty line 9.4%Highest MT: 11.5% 8%Lowest MT: 11.5%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 82.8%Highest MT: 69.2% 72.9%Lowest MT: 69.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1983Highest 2 yrs newer than MT 1964Lowest 17 yrs older than MT

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 11 minHighest 44% below MT 9 minLowest 55% below MT

Work from home 2.6%±2.9Lowest MT: 12.5% 10.7%±5.1Highest MT: 12.5%

Work in townworking residents 41.4%Lowest 51.9%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 1.8 miHighest 1.3 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.05Lowest 1.16Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Billings (6%)Billings (4%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in GlasgowFew work in Colstrip

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 7.2%Lowest 13.5%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 9.8 miHighest 5.5 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 2.5 miLowest 3.9 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 14Highest 5Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 33.8Lowest 139Highest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#25 of 40 in MT

School district Colstrip Elem · Colstrip H SGlasgow K-12 Schools

High school in town Colstrip High SchoolGlasgow High School

Students per teacherat that high school 8.5Lowest 12.2Highest

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.

Glasgow neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Glasgow’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Colstrip and Glasgow

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

Towns like Colstrip

Fort Benton1,474 people · $248K homes

Columbus2,003 people · $283K homes

Big Timber1,611 people · $278K homes

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.