What stands out worked out from the figures below

Columbia Falls has the most people working from home (22.1%).

Garland has grown the fastest since 2010 (-7.1%).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Columbia Falls	Garland
People
Population	475Lowest	823Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-15%Lowest ME: +2.6%	-7.1%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	54.1±7.7Highest 21% above ME	53.5±4.3Lowest 19% above ME
	Columbia Falls and Garland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.8%±6.7Lowest ME: 18.1%	18%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1%
	Garland and Columbia Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	30.1%±5.9Highest ME: 22.4%	23.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Columbia Falls and Garland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	17.1%Highest ME: 36.2%	16.8%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.4%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8%	1.7%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Columbia Falls and Garland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$43,750±$5kLowest 41% below ME	$51,094±$12kHighest 32% below ME
	Garland and Columbia Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$219,300±$37kHighest 26% below ME	$205,400±$38kLowest 31% below ME
	Columbia Falls and Garland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$725±$675Lowest 36% below ME	$794±$248Highest 30% below ME
	Garland and Columbia Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,667Highest 45% below ME	$1,536Lowest 49% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	58.8%±29.4Highest ME: 48.4%	46.7%±46.1Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Columbia Falls and Garland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.4%Lowest ME: 10.7%	19.3%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.1%Lowest ME: 74.3%	87.5%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME	1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 24% above ME	26 minLowest 7% above ME
Work from home	22.1%±18.1Highest ME: 15.9%	6.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Columbia Falls and Garland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.