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Three Forks vs Boulder

36 miles apart. The biggest differences: home values (+86% in Three Forks) and rent (+43% in Three Forks).

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Three Forks, MTA history townMontana · 1,919 people
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Boulder, MTHomes around $348KMontana · 1,284 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.

Three ForksA history town
History24 archive photos & papers7 places on the National Register HealthHealthier than 78%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates Housing$557K typical home18% above the MT typical home All about Three Forks →
BoulderHomes around $348K
Housing$348K typical home26% below the MT typical home HealthHealthier than 68%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates History12 archive photos & papers3 places on the National Register All about Boulder →
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.

Home values+86%
Homes cost more in Three Forks
Three Forks $395,800Boulder $212,300
Rent+43%
Rent runs higher in Three Forks
Three Forks $1,330Boulder $928
Property tax bill+22%
Tax bills are bigger in Three Forks
Three Forks $2,243Boulder $1,834
Growth since 2010+4.9 pts
Three Forks has grown faster since 2010
Three Forks +6.4%Boulder +1.5%
Typical home built14 yrs
Boulder’s homes are older
Three Forks 1985Boulder 1971
Work in town+8.5 pts
More of Three Forks’s workers stay in town
Three Forks 11.3%Boulder 2.8%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $1,110 more a month in Three Forks

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.

Three Forks$3,180/mo
Typical home $557K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.57% · or rent about $1,330/mo · Housing →
Boulder$2,080/mo
Typical home $348K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.86% · or rent about $928/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,110 a month, about $13,300 a year, between Three Forks and Boulder.

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−Three ForksBetter than 47% of districts in the state B−BoulderBetter than 46% of districts in the state
Health
A−Three ForksHealthier than 78% of U.S. towns B+BoulderHealthier than 68% 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
Three ForksBoulder
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)68th77th
Outdoors & history
Three ForksBoulder
Trails1 mi—
Conserved land12.3%—
National Register places73
Archive photos2412
Famous people born here1—
Community
Three ForksBoulder
Library hours a week42 hrs42 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined01

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

36 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Three ForksMTBoulderMT
Three Forks ↔ Boulder36 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.

Three ForksBoulder
People
Population 1,919Highest 1,284Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +6.4%Highest MT: +9.6% +1.5%Lowest MT: +9.6%
Median age 41.4±17 about the MT average 41.4±7.7 about the MT average
Kids under 18 18.1%±5.9Lowest MT: 21% 20.3%±6.8Highest MT: 21%
Boulder and Three Forks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 21.8%±5.8Highest MT: 20.1% 19.8%±5.7Lowest MT: 20.1%
Three Forks and Boulder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 21%Lowest MT: 35.2% 22.1%Highest MT: 35.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.3%±2.4Lowest MT: 5.2% 5.5%±3.8Highest MT: 5.2%
Boulder and Three Forks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $79,784±$17kHighest 10% above MT $72,500±$22kLowest about the MT average
Three Forks and Boulder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $395,800±$43kHighest 5% above MT $212,300±$44kLowest 44% below MT
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,330±$84Highest 23% above MT $928±$282Lowest 14% below MT
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,243Highest 17% below MT $1,834Lowest 32% below MT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 47.3%±29.1Highest MT: 44.8% 12.2%±21.6Lowest MT: 44.8%
Three Forks and Boulder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 6.2%Highest MT: 11.5% 3.8%Lowest MT: 11.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 73.2%Lowest MT: 69.2% 73.3%Highest MT: 69.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1985Highest 4 yrs newer than MT 1971Lowest 10 yrs older than MT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 24 minLowest 26% above MT 25 minHighest 30% above MT
Work from home 9%±7.3Highest MT: 12.5% 7%±5.2Lowest MT: 12.5%
Three Forks and Boulder are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 11.3%Highest 2.8%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 26.8 miHighest 25.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.63Highest 0.59Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Bozeman (21%)Helena (32%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BoulderFew work in Three Forks
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 12.3%Highest 5.6%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 0.5 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 100Highest 97.0Lowest
Schools
School district Three Forks Elem · Three Forks H SBoulder Elem · Jefferson H S
High school in town Three Forks High SchoolJefferson High School
Students per teacherat that high school 18.6Highest 16.1Lowest
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.

Three Forks neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Three Forks’s Town Square.

Boulder neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

Life in Boulder

1 neighbor in Boulder can answer.

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Towns like Three Forks

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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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