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Conrad vs Forsyth

280 miles apart. The biggest differences: average commute (5 min in Conrad) and bachelor’s degree+ (+8.9 pts in Conrad).

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Conrad, MTHomes around $261KMontana · 2,618 people
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Forsyth, MTA history townMontana · 1,728 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.

ConradHomes around $261K
Housing$261K typical home45% below the MT typical home Outdoors#9 most walkable in MT1.2 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves Health56% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Conrad →
ForsythA history town
HistorySettled in 187611 places on the National Register Housing$234K typical home50% below the MT typical home SchoolsBetter than 84%of MT districts All about Forsyth →
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.

Average commute5 min
Conrad has the shorter commute
Forsyth 20 minConrad 15 min
Bachelor’s degree++8.9 pts
More adults in Conrad have a degree
Conrad 23.4%Forsyth 14.5%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $160 more a month in Conrad

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.

Conrad$1,550/mo
Typical home $261K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.81% · or rent about $918/mo · Housing →
Forsyth$1,380/mo
Typical home $234K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.81% · or rent about $776/mo · Housing →

The difference: $160 a month, about $2,000 a year, between Conrad and Forsyth.

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
B−ConradSafer than 53% of U.S. towns –ForsythNot graded
Schools
B+ConradBetter than 65% of districts in the state A−ForsythBetter than 84% of districts in the state
Health
C+ConradHealthier than 44% of U.S. towns CForsythHealthier than 32% 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
ConradForsyth
Snow a year47″35″
January low11°F10°F
July high82°F88°F
Growing season (days)119d142d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)24th64th
Outdoors & history
ConradForsyth
Trails1 mi2 mi
Conserved land13.7%18%
Settled19081876
National Register places111
Archive photos1318
Famous people born here104
Community
ConradForsyth
Library hours a week44 hrs41 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

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

280 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ConradMTForsythMT
Conrad ↔ Forsyth280 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.

ConradForsyth
People
Population 2,618Highest 1,728Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -9.8%Lowest MT: +9.6% -7.3%Highest MT: +9.6%
Median age 39.5±3.3Highest about the MT average 38.6±11.2Lowest 4% below MT
Conrad and Forsyth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 23.2%±2.8Lowest MT: 21% 25.5%±6.1Highest MT: 21%
Forsyth and Conrad are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 22.6%±2.9Lowest MT: 20.1% 27.9%±4.3Highest MT: 20.1%
Forsyth and Conrad are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 23.4%Highest MT: 35.2% 14.5%Lowest MT: 35.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.5%±1.5Highest MT: 5.2% 1.4%±1.5Lowest MT: 5.2%
Conrad and Forsyth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $47,857±$4kHighest 34% below MT $39,744±$7kLowest 45% below MT
Conrad and Forsyth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $188,900±$30kLowest 50% below MT $208,400±$38kHighest 45% below MT
Forsyth and Conrad are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $918±$86Highest 15% below MT $776±$89Lowest 28% below MT
Conrad and Forsyth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,538Lowest 43% below MT $1,680Highest 38% below MT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 37.4%±9.6Lowest MT: 44.8% 53.3%±24.2Highest MT: 44.8%
Forsyth and Conrad are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 17.6%Highest MT: 11.5% 14.1%Lowest MT: 11.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 63.1%Highest MT: 69.2% 60.5%Lowest MT: 69.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1962Lowest 19 yrs older than MT 1963Highest 18 yrs older than MT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 15 minLowest 23% below MT 20 minHighest 3% above MT
Work from home 7.4%±4.6Highest MT: 12.5% 5.2%±4.2Lowest MT: 12.5%
Conrad and Forsyth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 42%Highest 36%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 16.8 miLowest 26.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.04Highest 0.89Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Great Falls (9%)Colstrip (9%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in ForsythFew work in Conrad
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 13.7%Lowest 18%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 1.2 miLowest 1.6 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.9 miLowest 1.3 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3 3
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 115Lowest 143Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #16 of 40 in MT—
School district Conrad H S · Conrad ElemForsyth Elem · Forsyth H S
High school in town Conrad High SchoolForsyth High School
Students per teacherat that high school 8.9Lowest 11.3Highest
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.

Conrad neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Conrad’s Town Square.

Forsyth neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Forsyth’s Town Square.

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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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