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Townsend vs Columbus

119 miles apart. The biggest differences: conserved land (+21 pts in Columbus) and jobs per worker (2.3× in Columbus).

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Townsend, MTA history townMontana · 1,967 people
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Columbus, MTA regional job hubMontana · 2,003 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.

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 →
ColumbusA regional job hub
Work1,419 jobsbased in Columbus, a regional job hub Outdoors34.4% conserved land0.4 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves SafetySafer than 24%of U.S. towns we grade All about Columbus →
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.

Conserved land+21 pts
Columbus has more conserved land
Columbus 34.4%Townsend 13.4%
Jobs per worker2.3×
Columbus is more of a job hub
Columbus 1.75Townsend 0.76
Trails2.3×
Townsend has more miles of trail
Townsend 0.9 miColumbus 0.4 mi
Work in town+12.1 pts
More of Columbus’s workers stay in town
Columbus 35.8%Townsend 23.7%
Average commute4 min
Columbus has the shorter commute
Townsend 31 minColumbus 27 min
★ What stands out · 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
–TownsendNot graded C−ColumbusSafer than 24% of U.S. towns
Schools
BTownsendBetter than 55% of districts in the state B+ColumbusBetter than 73% of districts in the state
Health
C+TownsendHealthier than 41% of U.S. towns A−ColumbusHealthier than 76% of U.S. towns
Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

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.

Townsend$2,650/mo
Typical home $452K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.75% · or rent about $952/mo · Housing →
Columbus$2,660/mo
Typical home $461K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.63% · or rent about $945/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

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
TownsendColumbus
Snow a year24″48″
January low14°F10°F
July high83°F85°F
Growing season (days)122d108d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)78th74th
Outdoors & history
TownsendColumbus
Trails1 mi0 mi
Conserved land13.4%34.4%
Settled1883—
National Register places25
Archive photos1812
Famous people born here25
Community
TownsendColumbus
Library hours a week39 hrs51 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

119 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

TownsendMTColumbusMT
Townsend ↔ Columbus119 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.

TownsendColumbus
People
Population 1,967Lowest 2,003Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -4.8%Lowest MT: +9.6% -1.9%Highest MT: +9.6%
Median age 49.1±5.6Highest 22% above MT 47.2±3.8Lowest 17% above MT
Townsend and Columbus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 17.6%±3.8Lowest MT: 21% 19.1%±3.5Highest MT: 21%
Columbus and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 19.5%±3.6Lowest MT: 20.1% 27.4%±4.3Highest MT: 20.1%
Columbus and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 21.5%Lowest MT: 35.2% 24%Highest MT: 35.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.4%±2.4Highest MT: 5.2% 2.2%±1.8Lowest MT: 5.2%
Townsend and Columbus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $70,752±$8kHighest about the MT average $65,250±$17kLowest 10% below MT
Townsend and Columbus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $227,600±$50kLowest 39% below MT $282,800±$24kHighest 25% below MT
Columbus and Townsend are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $952±$103Highest 12% below MT $945±$46Lowest 13% below MT
Townsend and Columbus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,701Lowest 37% below MT $1,777Highest 34% below MT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 55.6%±22.7Highest MT: 44.8% 34.4%±16.8Lowest MT: 44.8%
Townsend and Columbus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 15.6%Highest MT: 11.5% 11%Lowest MT: 11.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 73.2%Lowest MT: 69.2% 76.7%Highest MT: 69.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1975Highest 6 yrs older than MT 1969Lowest 12 yrs older than MT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 31 minHighest 63% above MT 27 minLowest 41% above MT
Work from home 13.5%±7.7Highest MT: 12.5% 5.4%±2.8Lowest MT: 12.5%
Townsend and Columbus are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 23.7%Lowest 35.8%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 30.8 miHighest 23.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.76Lowest 1.75Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Helena (16%)Billings (19%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in ColumbusFew work in Townsend
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 13.4%Lowest 34.4%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.9 miHighest 0.4 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.6 miHighest 0.3 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Highest 1Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 109Highest 99.3Lowest
Schools
School district Townsend K-12 SchoolsColumbus Elem · Columbus H S
High school in town Broadwater High SchoolColumbus High School
Students per teacherat that high school 12.7Lowest 15.8Highest
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.

Townsend neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Townsend’s Town Square.

Columbus neighborsTown Square →

1 neighbor in Columbus can answer.

Add a town

Set another town beside Townsend and Columbus

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

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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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