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Columbus vs Townsend

119 miles apart. The biggest differences: conserved land (+21 pts in Columbus) and jobs per worker (2.3× in Columbus).

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Columbus, MTA regional job hubMontana · 2,003 people
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Townsend, MTA history townMontana · 1,967 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.

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 →
TownsendA history town
HistorySettled in 18832 places on the National Register Outdoors13.4% conserved land0.9 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves All about Townsend →
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.

Conserved land+21 pts
Columbus has more conserved land
Columbus 34.4%Townsend 13.4%
Jobs per worker2.3×
Columbus is more of a job hub
Columbus 1.75Townsend 0.76
Trails2.3×
Townsend has more miles of trail
Townsend 0.9 miColumbus 0.4 mi
Work in town+12.1 pts
More of Columbus’s workers stay in town
Columbus 35.8%Townsend 23.7%
Average commute4 min
Columbus has the shorter commute
Townsend 31 minColumbus 27 min
★ 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
C−ColumbusSafer than 24% of U.S. towns –TownsendNot graded
Schools
B+ColumbusBetter than 73% of districts in the state BTownsendBetter than 55% of districts in the state
Health
A−ColumbusHealthier than 76% of U.S. towns C+TownsendHealthier than 41% of U.S. towns
Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

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.

Columbus$2,660/mo
Typical home $461K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.63% · or rent about $945/mo · Housing →
Townsend$2,650/mo
Typical home $452K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.75% · or rent about $952/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

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
ColumbusTownsend
Snow a year48″24″
January low10°F14°F
July high85°F83°F
Growing season (days)108d122d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)74th78th
Outdoors & history
ColumbusTownsend
Trails0 mi1 mi
Conserved land34.4%13.4%
Settled—1883
National Register places52
Archive photos1218
Famous people born here52
Community
ColumbusTownsend
Library hours a week51 hrs39 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined10

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

119 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ColumbusMTTownsendMT
Columbus ↔ Townsend119 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.

ColumbusTownsend
People
Population 2,003Highest 1,967Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -1.9%Highest MT: +9.6% -4.8%Lowest MT: +9.6%
Median age 47.2±3.8Lowest 17% above MT 49.1±5.6Highest 22% above MT
Townsend and Columbus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 19.1%±3.5Highest MT: 21% 17.6%±3.8Lowest MT: 21%
Columbus and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 27.4%±4.3Highest MT: 20.1% 19.5%±3.6Lowest MT: 20.1%
Columbus and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 24%Highest MT: 35.2% 21.5%Lowest MT: 35.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.2%±1.8Lowest MT: 5.2% 2.4%±2.4Highest MT: 5.2%
Townsend and Columbus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $65,250±$17kLowest 10% below MT $70,752±$8kHighest about the MT average
Townsend and Columbus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $282,800±$24kHighest 25% below MT $227,600±$50kLowest 39% below MT
Columbus and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $945±$46Lowest 13% below MT $952±$103Highest 12% below MT
Townsend and Columbus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,777Highest 34% below MT $1,701Lowest 37% below MT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 34.4%±16.8Lowest MT: 44.8% 55.6%±22.7Highest MT: 44.8%
Townsend and Columbus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 11%Lowest MT: 11.5% 15.6%Highest MT: 11.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 76.7%Highest MT: 69.2% 73.2%Lowest MT: 69.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1969Lowest 12 yrs older than MT 1975Highest 6 yrs older than MT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 27 minLowest 41% above MT 31 minHighest 63% above MT
Work from home 5.4%±2.8Lowest MT: 12.5% 13.5%±7.7Highest MT: 12.5%
Townsend and Columbus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 35.8%Highest 23.7%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 23.8 miLowest 30.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.75Highest 0.76Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Billings (19%)Helena (16%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in TownsendFew work in Columbus
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 34.4%Highest 13.4%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.4 miLowest 0.9 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miLowest 0.6 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 4Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 99.3Lowest 109Highest
Schools
School district Columbus Elem · Columbus H STownsend K-12 Schools
High school in town Columbus High SchoolBroadwater High School
Students per teacherat that high school 15.8Highest 12.7Lowest
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.

Columbus neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

Feeling at Home in Columbus

1 neighbor in Columbus can answer.

Townsend neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Townsend’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Columbus and Townsend

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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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