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Forsyth vs Conrad

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

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 →
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 →
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.

Forsyth$1,380/mo
Typical home $234K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.81% · or rent about $776/mo · Housing →
Conrad$1,550/mo
Typical home $261K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.81% · or rent about $918/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
–ForsythNot graded B−ConradSafer than 53% of U.S. towns
Schools
A−ForsythBetter than 84% of districts in the state B+ConradBetter than 65% of districts in the state
Health
CForsythHealthier than 32% of U.S. towns C+ConradHealthier than 44% 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
ForsythConrad
Snow a year35″47″
January low10°F11°F
July high88°F82°F
Growing season (days)142d119d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)64th24th
Outdoors & history
ForsythConrad
Trails2 mi1 mi
Conserved land18%13.7%
Settled18761908
National Register places111
Archive photos1813
Famous people born here410
Community
ForsythConrad
Library hours a week41 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

280 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ForsythMTConradMT
Forsyth ↔ Conrad280 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.

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

Forsyth neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Forsyth’s Town Square.

Conrad neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Conrad’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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