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Conrad vs Hardin

265 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+18.7 pts in Hardin) and trails (3× in Conrad).

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Conrad, MTHomes around $261KMontana · 2,618 people
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Hardin, MTHomes around $226KMontana · 3,742 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 →
HardinHomes around $226K
Housing$226K typical home52% below the MT typical home HistorySettled in 191114 places on the National Register Health70% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Hardin →
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.

Growth since 2010+18.7 pts
Hardin has grown faster since 2010
Hardin +8.9%Conrad -9.8%
Trails3×
Conrad has more miles of trail
Conrad 1.2 miHardin 0.4 mi
Household income+26%
Households in Hardin earn more
Hardin $60,423Conrad $47,857
Street grid+74%
Conrad has the more walkable street grid
Conrad 115Hardin 65.9
Age 65++8.9 pts
Conrad has more people 65 and up
Conrad 22.6%Hardin 13.7%
Work from home+6.3 pts
More people work from home in Conrad
Conrad 7.4%Hardin 1.1%
★ What stands out · Report cards

Conrad places higher on 12 of 20 MT lists

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 CHardinSafer than 29% of U.S. towns
Schools
B+ConradBetter than 65% of districts in the state DHardinBetter than 7% of districts in the state
Health
C+ConradHealthier than 44% of U.S. towns CHardinHealthier than 30% of U.S. towns
12Conrad
7Hardin

Lists won, of 20 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Best schoolsSchools · 40 towns #16#40 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 40 towns #40#17 Most conserved landOutdoors · 41 towns #16#39 Fastest growingGrowth · 43 towns #43#21 Most remote workersWork · 42 towns #24#41 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 42 towns #22#37 Most walkableOutdoors · 43 towns #9#24 SafestSafety · 26 towns #3#12

Left end = #1 in Montana. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Conrad’s rankings →

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 →
Hardin$1,390/mo
Typical home $226K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.10% · or rent about $771/mo · Housing →

The difference: $160 a month, about $1,900 a year, between Conrad and Hardin.

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
ConradHardin
Snow a year47″28″
January low11°F11°F
July high82°F91°F
Growing season (days)119d135d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)24th36th
Outdoors & history
ConradHardin
Trails1 mi0 mi
Conserved land13.7%2.5%
Settled19081911
National Register places114
Archive photos1318
Famous people born here107
Community
ConradHardin
Library hours a week44 hrs44 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

265 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ConradMTHardinMT
Conrad ↔ Hardin265 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.

ConradHardin
People
Population 2,618Lowest 3,742Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -9.8%Lowest MT: +9.6% +8.9%Highest MT: +9.6%
Median age 39.5±3.3Highest about the MT average 37.1±7.7Lowest 8% below MT
Conrad and Hardin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 23.2%±2.8Highest MT: 21% 23.1%±5.8Lowest MT: 21%
Conrad and Hardin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 22.6%±2.9Highest MT: 20.1% 13.7%±3.5Lowest MT: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 23.4%Highest MT: 35.2% 20.5%Lowest MT: 35.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.5%±1.5Lowest MT: 5.2% 3.5%±1.8Highest MT: 5.2%
Hardin and Conrad are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $47,857±$4kLowest 34% below MT $60,423±$4kHighest 17% below MT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $188,900±$30kHighest 50% below MT $147,100±$16kLowest 61% below MT
Conrad and Hardin 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 $771±$224Lowest 29% below MT
Conrad and Hardin 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 $1,623Highest 40% below MT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 37.4%±9.6Highest MT: 44.8% 23.3%±16.4Lowest MT: 44.8%
Conrad and Hardin 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% 7.2%Lowest MT: 11.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 63.1%Highest MT: 69.2% 54.1%Lowest MT: 69.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1962Lowest 19 yrs older than MT 1970Highest 11 yrs older than MT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 15 minLowest 23% below MT 18 minHighest 6% below MT
Work from home 7.4%±4.6Highest MT: 12.5% 1.1%±1.5Lowest MT: 12.5%
Work in townworking residents 42%Lowest 46.3%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 16.8 miHighest 11.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.04Lowest 1.14Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Great Falls (9%)Billings (13%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in HardinFew work in Conrad
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 13.7%Highest 2.5%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 1.2 miHighest 0.4 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.9 miHighest 0.1 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Lowest 4Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 115Highest 65.9Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #16 of 40 in MT#40 of 40 in MT
School district Conrad H S · Conrad ElemHardin Elem · Hardin H S
High school in town Conrad High SchoolHardin High School
Students per teacherat that high school 8.9Lowest 14.8Highest
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.

Conrad neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Conrad’s Town Square.

Hardin neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Hardin’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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