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Deer Lodge vs Libby

191 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+11.2 pts in Libby) and property tax bill (+38% in Deer Lodge).

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Deer Lodge, MTAn outdoors townMontana · 3,021 people
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Libby, MTA regional job hubMontana · 3,042 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.

Deer LodgeAn outdoors town
Outdoors#5 most walkable in MT1.2 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves HistorySettled in 186014 places on the National Register Health68% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Deer Lodge →
LibbyA regional job hub
Work2,287 jobsbased in Libby, a regional job hub Schools#13 for schools in MTof 40 towns Outdoors#9 most conserved land in MT1.3 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves All about Libby →
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+11.2 pts
Libby has grown faster since 2010
Libby +5.6%Deer Lodge -5.6%
Property tax bill+38%
Tax bills are bigger in Deer Lodge
Deer Lodge $1,965Libby $1,427
Work in town+19.8 pts
More of Libby’s workers stay in town
Libby 51%Deer Lodge 31.2%
Jobs per worker+77%
Libby is more of a job hub
Libby 1.93Deer Lodge 1.09
Homeowners+11.1 pts renters
Libby has more renters
Deer Lodge 68.1%Libby 57%
Average commute5 min
Libby has the shorter commute
Deer Lodge 14 minLibby 9 min
★ What stands out · Report cards

Deer Lodge places higher on 13 of 21 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
C+Deer LodgeSafer than 41% of U.S. towns BLibbySafer than 57% of U.S. towns
Schools
C+Deer LodgeBetter than 36% of districts in the state B+LibbyBetter than 73% of districts in the state
Health
CDeer LodgeHealthier than 32% of U.S. towns DLibbyHealthier than 13% of U.S. towns
13Deer Lodge
8Libby

Lists won, of 21 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Best schoolsSchools · 40 towns #30#13 Lowest depressionHealth · 42 towns #8#25 Most remote workersWork · 42 towns #31#14 Fewest uninsuredHealth · 42 towns #22#36 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 40 towns #13#26 Highest incomeIncome · 43 towns #31#43 Most conserved landOutdoors · 41 towns #20#9 Shortest commuteGetting around · 43 towns #13#2

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

Monthly cost

A typical home costs $180 more a month in Libby

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.

Deer Lodge$1,800/mo
Typical home $304K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.79% · or rent about $852/mo · Housing →
Libby$1,980/mo
Typical home $346K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.55% · or rent about $672/mo · Housing →

The difference: $180 a month, about $2,200 a year, between Libby and Deer Lodge.

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
Deer LodgeLibby
Snow a year75″48″
January low16°F22°F
July high83°F89°F
Growing season (days)105d120d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)20th63rd
Outdoors & history
Deer LodgeLibby
Trails1 mi1 mi
Conserved land10.1%19.2%
Settled1860—
National Register places143
Archive photos6—
Famous people born here17—
Community
Deer LodgeLibby
Library hours a week42 hrs40 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

191 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Deer LodgeMTLibbyMT
Deer Lodge ↔ Libby191 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.

Deer LodgeLibby
People
Population 3,021Lowest 3,042Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -5.6%Lowest MT: +9.6% +5.6%Highest MT: +9.6%
Median age 49.8±3Lowest 23% above MT 51±6.8Highest 26% above MT
Libby and Deer Lodge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 16%±4.4Lowest MT: 21% 17%±5.4Highest MT: 21%
Libby and Deer Lodge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 24.7%±5.5Lowest MT: 20.1% 31.8%±6.7Highest MT: 20.1%
Libby and Deer Lodge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 23.8%Highest MT: 35.2% 19.4%Lowest MT: 35.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.6%±1.9Lowest MT: 5.2% 4.5%±3Highest MT: 5.2%
Libby and Deer Lodge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $60,302±$21kHighest 17% below MT $34,143±$12kLowest 53% below MT
Deer Lodge and Libby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $247,600±$34kLowest 34% below MT $257,400±$38kHighest 32% below MT
Libby and Deer Lodge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $852±$74Highest 21% below MT $672±$108Lowest 38% below MT
Deer Lodge and Libby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,965Highest 27% below MT $1,427Lowest 47% below MT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 18.8%±15Lowest MT: 44.8% 53.8%±21.5Highest MT: 44.8%
Libby and Deer Lodge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 7.2%Lowest MT: 11.5% 24%Highest MT: 11.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 68.1%Highest MT: 69.2% 57%Lowest MT: 69.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1956Lowest 25 yrs older than MT 1959Highest 22 yrs older than MT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 14 minHighest 25% below MT 9 minLowest 52% below MT
Work from home 5.2%±3.9Lowest MT: 12.5% 11.1%±9.5Highest MT: 12.5%
Libby and Deer Lodge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 31.2%Lowest 51%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 6.3 miHighest 1.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.09Lowest 1.93Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Butte-Silver Bow (8%)Kalispell (5%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in LibbyFew work in Deer Lodge
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 10.1%Lowest 19.2%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 1.2 miLowest 1.3 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.8 miHighest 0.7 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Lowest 5Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 130Highest 110Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #30 of 40 in MT#13 of 40 in MT
School district Deer Lodge Elem · Powell County H SLibby K-12 Schools
High school in town Powell County High SchoolLibby High School
Students per teacherat that high school 10.1Lowest 19.0Highest
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.

Deer Lodge neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Deer Lodge’s Town Square.

Libby neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Libby’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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