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Hardin vs Conrad

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

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Hardin, MTHomes around $226KMontana · 3,742 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.

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 →
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 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
CHardinSafer than 29% of U.S. towns B−ConradSafer than 53% of U.S. towns
Schools
DHardinBetter than 7% of districts in the state B+ConradBetter than 65% of districts in the state
Health
CHardinHealthier than 30% of U.S. towns C+ConradHealthier than 44% of U.S. towns
7Hardin
12Conrad

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

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

Left end = #1 in Montana. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Hardin’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.

Hardin$1,390/mo
Typical home $226K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.10% · or rent about $771/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 $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
HardinConrad
Snow a year28″47″
January low11°F11°F
July high91°F82°F
Growing season (days)135d119d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)36th24th
Outdoors & history
HardinConrad
Trails0 mi1 mi
Conserved land2.5%13.7%
Settled19111908
National Register places141
Archive photos1813
Famous people born here710
Community
HardinConrad
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.

HardinMTConradMT
Hardin ↔ Conrad265 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.

HardinConrad
People
Population 3,742Highest 2,618Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +8.9%Highest MT: +9.6% -9.8%Lowest MT: +9.6%
Median age 37.1±7.7Lowest 8% below MT 39.5±3.3Highest about the MT average
Conrad and Hardin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 23.1%±5.8Lowest MT: 21% 23.2%±2.8Highest MT: 21%
Conrad and Hardin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 13.7%±3.5Lowest MT: 20.1% 22.6%±2.9Highest MT: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 20.5%Lowest MT: 35.2% 23.4%Highest MT: 35.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.5%±1.8Highest MT: 5.2% 1.5%±1.5Lowest 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 $60,423±$4kHighest 17% below MT $47,857±$4kLowest 34% below MT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $147,100±$16kLowest 61% below MT $188,900±$30kHighest 50% 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 $771±$224Lowest 29% below MT $918±$86Highest 15% 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 $1,623Highest 40% below MT $1,538Lowest 43% below MT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 23.3%±16.4Lowest MT: 44.8% 37.4%±9.6Highest 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 7.2%Lowest MT: 11.5% 17.6%Highest MT: 11.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 54.1%Lowest MT: 69.2% 63.1%Highest MT: 69.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1970Highest 11 yrs older than MT 1962Lowest 19 yrs older than MT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 18 minHighest 6% below MT 15 minLowest 23% below MT
Work from home 1.1%±1.5Lowest MT: 12.5% 7.4%±4.6Highest MT: 12.5%
Work in townworking residents 46.3%Highest 42%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 11.3 miLowest 16.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.14Highest 1.04Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Billings (13%)Great Falls (9%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in ConradFew work in Hardin
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 2.5%Lowest 13.7%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.4 miLowest 1.2 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 0.9 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Highest 3Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 65.9Lowest 115Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #40 of 40 in MT#16 of 40 in MT
School district Hardin Elem · Hardin H SConrad H S · Conrad Elem
High school in town Hardin High SchoolConrad High School
Students per teacherat that high school 14.8Highest 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.

Hardin neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Hardin’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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