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Glasgow vs Townsend

263 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (6.1× in Glasgow) and average commute (23 min in Glasgow).

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Glasgow, MTKnown for its schoolsMontana · 3,190 people
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Townsend, MTA history townMontana · 1,967 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.

GlasgowKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 72%of MT districts Outdoors#2 most trails in MT5.5 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves Housing$175K typical home63% below the MT typical home All about Glasgow →
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.

Trails6.1×
Glasgow has more miles of trail
Glasgow 5.5 miTownsend 0.9 mi
Average commute23 min
Glasgow has the shorter commute
Townsend 31 minGlasgow 9 min
Property tax bill+58%
Tax bills are bigger in Glasgow
Glasgow $2,692Townsend $1,701
Work in town+28.2 pts
More of Glasgow’s workers stay in town
Glasgow 51.9%Townsend 23.7%
Jobs per worker+53%
Glasgow is more of a job hub
Glasgow 1.16Townsend 0.76
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $1,530 more a month in Townsend

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.

Glasgow$1,120/mo
Typical home $175K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.38% · or rent about $805/mo · Housing →
Townsend$2,650/mo
Typical home $452K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.75% · or rent about $952/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,530 a month, about $18,400 a year, between Townsend and Glasgow.

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
C+GlasgowSafer than 36% of U.S. towns –TownsendNot graded
Schools
B+GlasgowBetter than 72% of districts in the state BTownsendBetter than 55% of districts in the state
Health
B−GlasgowHealthier than 54% of U.S. towns C+TownsendHealthier than 41% 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
GlasgowTownsend
Snow a year44″24″
January low—14°F
July high—83°F
Growing season (days)—122d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)40th78th
Outdoors & history
GlasgowTownsend
Trails6 mi1 mi
Conserved land13.5%13.4%
Settled18871883
National Register places42
Archive photos1118
Famous people born here—2
Community
GlasgowTownsend
Library hours a week49 hrs39 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

263 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

GlasgowMTTownsendMT
Glasgow ↔ Townsend263 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.

GlasgowTownsend
People
Population 3,190Highest 1,967Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -1.5%Highest MT: +9.6% -4.8%Lowest MT: +9.6%
Median age 44.6±4.9Lowest 10% above MT 49.1±5.6Highest 22% above MT
Townsend and Glasgow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 24%±4.3Highest MT: 21% 17.6%±3.8Lowest MT: 21%
Glasgow and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 24.3%±5.3Highest MT: 20.1% 19.5%±3.6Lowest MT: 20.1%
Glasgow and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 25.7%Highest MT: 35.2% 21.5%Lowest MT: 35.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.7%±1.7Highest MT: 5.2% 2.4%±2.4Lowest MT: 5.2%
Glasgow and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $90,310±$24kHighest 25% above MT $70,752±$8kLowest about the MT average
Glasgow and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $195,700±$41kLowest 48% below MT $227,600±$50kHighest 39% below MT
Townsend and Glasgow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $805±$217Lowest 26% below MT $952±$103Highest 12% below MT
Townsend and Glasgow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,692Highest about the MT average $1,701Lowest 37% below MT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 43.1%±20.1Lowest MT: 44.8% 55.6%±22.7Highest MT: 44.8%
Townsend and Glasgow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 8%Lowest MT: 11.5% 15.6%Highest MT: 11.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 72.9%Lowest MT: 69.2% 73.2%Highest MT: 69.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1964Lowest 17 yrs older than MT 1975Highest 6 yrs older than MT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 9 minLowest 55% below MT 31 minHighest 63% above MT
Work from home 10.7%±5.1Lowest MT: 12.5% 13.5%±7.7Highest MT: 12.5%
Townsend and Glasgow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 51.9%Highest 23.7%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 1.3 miLowest 30.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.16Highest 0.76Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Billings (4%)Helena (16%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in TownsendFew work in Glasgow
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 13.5%Highest 13.4%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 5.5 miHighest 0.9 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 3.9 miHighest 0.6 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 5Highest 4Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 139Highest 109Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #25 of 40 in MT—
School district Glasgow K-12 SchoolsTownsend K-12 Schools
High school in town Glasgow High SchoolBroadwater High School
Students per teacherat that high school 12.2Lowest 12.7Highest
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.

Glasgow neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Glasgow’s Town Square.

Townsend neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Townsend’s Town Square.

Add a town

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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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