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Melstone vs Broadview

59 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (10.6× in Melstone) and street grid (+94% in Broadview).

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Melstone, MTKnown for its schoolsMontana · 80 people
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Broadview, MTHomes around $364KMontana · 175 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.

MelstoneKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 69%of MT districts All about Melstone →
BroadviewHomes around $364K
Housing$364K typical home23% below the MT typical home All about Broadview →
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.

Jobs per worker10.6×
Melstone is more of a job hub
Melstone 1.49Broadview 0.14
Street grid+94%
Broadview has the more walkable street grid
Broadview 104Melstone 53.6
Bachelor’s degree++16.4 pts
More adults in Broadview have a degree
Broadview 25.8%Melstone 9.4%
Average commute7 min
Melstone has the shorter commute
Broadview 34 minMelstone 28 min
Typical home built15 yrs
Broadview’s homes are older
Melstone 1985Broadview 1970
Size2.2×
Broadview is the bigger place
Broadview 175Melstone 80
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $1,040 more a month in Broadview

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.

Melstone$1,050/mo
Typical home $156K (Census) · tax rate est. 1.8% · Housing →
Broadview$2,090/mo
Typical home $364K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.59% · Housing →

The difference: $1,040 a month, about $12,400 a year, between Broadview and Melstone.

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.

Schools
B+MelstoneBetter than 69% of districts in the state –BroadviewNot graded
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
MelstoneBroadview
Snow a year43″54″
January low14°F15°F
July high88°F84°F
Growing season (days)141d116d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)72nd33rd
Outdoors & history
MelstoneBroadview
Settled1908—
Archive photos—1
Community
MelstoneBroadview
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

59 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

MelstoneMTBroadviewMT
Melstone ↔ Broadview59 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.

MelstoneBroadview
People
Population 80Lowest 175Highest
Median age 47.5±14.8Highest 18% above MT 44.7±3.7Lowest 11% above MT
Melstone and Broadview are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 27.5%±28.3Highest MT: 21% 12%±11Lowest MT: 21%
Melstone and Broadview are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 11.3%±40.1Lowest MT: 20.1% 14.3%±14.6Highest MT: 20.1%
Broadview and Melstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 9.4%Lowest MT: 35.2% 25.8%Highest MT: 35.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0%±19.4Lowest MT: 5.2% 9.1%±9.7Highest MT: 5.2%
Broadview and Melstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $65,625±$20kLowest 9% below MT $78,438±$28kHighest 8% above MT
Broadview and Melstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $156,300±$152kLowest 58% below MT $165,600±$45kHighest 56% below MT
Broadview and Melstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly — $978 64% below MT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 100%±100Highest MT: 44.8% 83.3%±100Lowest MT: 44.8%
Melstone and Broadview are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 17.5%Highest MT: 11.5% 8%Lowest MT: 11.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 93.5%Highest MT: 69.2% 86.6%Lowest MT: 69.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1985Highest 4 yrs newer than MT 1970Lowest 11 yrs older than MT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 28 minLowest 45% above MT 34 minHighest 79% above MT
Work from home 12.8%±17.7Highest MT: 12.5% 4.1%±4.7Lowest MT: 12.5%
Melstone and Broadview are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 9.8%Highest 1.5%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 64.3 miHighest 28.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.49Highest 0.14Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Billings (34%)Billings (64%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BroadviewFew work in Melstone
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 1.7%Lowest 6.4%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.1 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 53.6Lowest 104Highest
Schools
School district Melstone Elem · Melstone H S—
High school in town Melstone High School—
Students per teacherat that high school 6.5 —
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.

Melstone neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Melstone’s Town Square.

Broadview neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Broadview’s Town Square.

Add a town

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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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