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Compare towns

Valier vs Geraldine

104 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (+56% in Valier) and rent (+37% in Valier).

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Valier, MTKnown for its schoolsMontana · 573 people
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Geraldine, MTHomes around $280KMontana · 317 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.

ValierKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 19%of MT districts Housing$299K typical home37% below the MT typical home All about Valier →
GeraldineHomes around $280K
Housing$280K typical home41% below the MT typical home All about Geraldine →
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.

Property tax bill+56%
Tax bills are bigger in Valier
Valier $1,387Geraldine $891
Rent+37%
Rent runs higher in Valier
Valier $780Geraldine $569
Average commute10 min
Geraldine has the shorter commute
Valier 25 minGeraldine 16 min
Jobs per worker+76%
Valier is more of a job hub
Valier 1.39Geraldine 0.79
Work in town+11.6 pts
More of Valier’s workers stay in town
Valier 13.1%Geraldine 1.5%
Typical home built15 yrs
Valier’s homes are older
Geraldine 1961Valier 1946
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $150 more a month in Valier

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.

Valier$1,820/mo
Typical home $299K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.00% · or rent about $780/mo · Housing →
Geraldine$1,660/mo
Typical home $280K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.84% · or rent about $569/mo · Housing →

The difference: $150 a month, about $1,800 a year, between Valier and Geraldine.

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
C−ValierBetter than 19% of districts in the state –GeraldineNot 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
ValierGeraldine
Snow a year47″38″
January low11°F10°F
July high82°F86°F
Growing season (days)119d129d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)27th26th
Outdoors & history
ValierGeraldine
Trails0 mi—
Conserved land3.4%—
Settled1909—
National Register places12
Archive photos35
Community
ValierGeraldine
Library hours a week40 hrs24 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

104 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ValierMTGeraldineMT
Valier ↔ Geraldine104 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.

ValierGeraldine
People
Population 573Highest 317Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +4.1% MT: +9.6% —
Median age 52±12.4Highest 29% above MT 51.9±15.2Lowest 28% above MT
Valier and Geraldine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 15.5%±3.9Highest MT: 21% 13.9%±8.5Lowest MT: 21%
Valier and Geraldine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 28.3%±2.1Highest MT: 20.1% 23.3%±6.6Lowest MT: 20.1%
Valier and Geraldine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 19.2%Highest MT: 35.2% 17.5%Lowest MT: 35.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.2%±6Highest MT: 5.2% 1.9%±1.8Lowest MT: 5.2%
Valier and Geraldine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $53,021±$14kHighest 27% below MT $43,036±$18kLowest 41% below MT
Valier and Geraldine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $138,400±$25kHighest 63% below MT $106,300±$35kLowest 72% below MT
Valier and Geraldine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $780±$81Highest 28% below MT $569±$48Lowest 47% below MT
Property taxmedian, yearly $1,387Highest 48% below MT $891Lowest 67% below MT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 75%±65Highest MT: 44.8% 7.7%±100Lowest MT: 44.8%
Valier and Geraldine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 14.1%Lowest MT: 11.5% 24.3%Highest MT: 11.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 84%Lowest MT: 69.2% 87.9%Highest MT: 69.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1946Lowest 35 yrs older than MT 1961Highest 20 yrs older than MT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 25 minHighest 32% above MT 16 minLowest 18% below MT
Work from home 4.3%±4.5Highest MT: 12.5% 2.4%±4.8Lowest MT: 12.5%
Valier and Geraldine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 13.1%Highest 1.5%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 30.8 miLowest 46.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.39Highest 0.79Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Conrad (8%)Great Falls (17%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in GeraldineFew work in Valier
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 3.4%Lowest 9.2%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.2 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 94.7Highest 81.7Lowest
Schools
School district Valier Elem · Valier H SGeraldine K-12
High school in town Valier High SchoolGeraldine High School
Students per teacherat that high school 6.6Highest 5.1Lowest
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.

Valier neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Valier’s Town Square.

Geraldine neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Geraldine’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Valier and Geraldine

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Towns like Valier

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Harlowton1,058 people · $181K homes
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Scobey861 people · $188K 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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