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Libby vs Deer Lodge

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

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

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

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

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

Libby$1,980/mo
Typical home $346K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.55% · or rent about $672/mo · Housing →
Deer Lodge$1,800/mo
Typical home $304K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.79% · or rent about $852/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
LibbyDeer Lodge
Snow a year48″75″
January low22°F16°F
July high89°F83°F
Growing season (days)120d105d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)63rd20th
Outdoors & history
LibbyDeer Lodge
Trails1 mi1 mi
Conserved land19.2%10.1%
Settled—1860
National Register places314
Archive photos—6
Famous people born here—17
Community
LibbyDeer Lodge
Library hours a week40 hrs42 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.

LibbyMTDeer LodgeMT
Libby ↔ Deer Lodge191 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.

LibbyDeer Lodge
People
Population 3,042Highest 3,021Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +5.6%Highest MT: +9.6% -5.6%Lowest MT: +9.6%
Median age 51±6.8Highest 26% above MT 49.8±3Lowest 23% 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 17%±5.4Highest MT: 21% 16%±4.4Lowest 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+ 31.8%±6.7Highest MT: 20.1% 24.7%±5.5Lowest 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+ 19.4%Lowest MT: 35.2% 23.8%Highest MT: 35.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4.5%±3Highest MT: 5.2% 2.6%±1.9Lowest 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 $34,143±$12kLowest 53% below MT $60,302±$21kHighest 17% 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 $257,400±$38kHighest 32% below MT $247,600±$34kLowest 34% 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 $672±$108Lowest 38% below MT $852±$74Highest 21% 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 $1,427Lowest 47% below MT $1,965Highest 27% below MT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 53.8%±21.5Highest MT: 44.8% 18.8%±15Lowest 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 24%Highest MT: 11.5% 7.2%Lowest MT: 11.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 57%Lowest MT: 69.2% 68.1%Highest MT: 69.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1959Highest 22 yrs older than MT 1956Lowest 25 yrs older than MT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 9 minLowest 52% below MT 14 minHighest 25% below MT
Work from home 11.1%±9.5Highest MT: 12.5% 5.2%±3.9Lowest 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 51%Highest 31.2%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 1.3 miLowest 6.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.93Highest 1.09Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Kalispell (5%)Butte-Silver Bow (8%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Deer LodgeFew work in Libby
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 19.2%Highest 10.1%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 1.3 miHighest 1.2 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.7 miLowest 0.8 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 5Highest 3Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 110Lowest 130Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #13 of 40 in MT#30 of 40 in MT
School district Libby K-12 SchoolsDeer Lodge Elem · Powell County H S
High school in town Libby High SchoolPowell County High School
Students per teacherat that high school 19.0Highest 10.1Lowest
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.

Libby neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Libby’s Town Square.

Deer Lodge neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Deer Lodge’s Town Square.

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Towns like Libby

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Plentywood1,654 people · $161K homes

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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