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West Glendive vs Baker

56 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (4.6× in Baker) and trails (5.3× in Baker).

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West Glendive, MTKnown for its schoolsMontana · 2,121 people
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Baker, MTHomes around $190KMontana · 1,489 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.

West GlendiveKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 24%of MT districts All about West Glendive →
BakerHomes around $190K
Housing$190K typical home60% below the MT typical home SafetySafer than 85%of U.S. towns we grade All about Baker →
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.

Street grid4.6×
Baker has the more walkable street grid
Baker 150West Glendive 32.9
Trails5.3×
Baker has more miles of trail
Baker 1.6 miWest Glendive 0.3 mi
Property tax bill+83%
Tax bills are bigger in West Glendive
West Glendive $2,938Baker $1,608
Work in town+28.4 pts
More of Baker’s workers stay in town
Baker 42.7%West Glendive 14.3%
Average commute10 min
West Glendive has the shorter commute
Baker 25 minWest Glendive 15 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
–West GlendiveNot graded ABakerSafer than 85% of U.S. towns
Schools
C−West GlendiveBetter than 24% of districts in the state B−BakerBetter than 54% of districts in the state
Health
B−West GlendiveHealthier than 46% of U.S. towns BBakerHealthier than 62% 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.

West Glendive$1,190/mo
Typical home $179K (Census) · tax rate 1.64% · or rent about $778/mo · Housing →
Baker$1,120/mo
Typical home $190K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.76% · or rent about $776/mo · Housing →

The difference: $70 a month, about $800 a year, between West Glendive and Baker.

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
West GlendiveBaker
Snow a year23″34″
January low9°F6°F
July high88°F86°F
Growing season (days)153d121d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)33rd30th
Outdoors & history
West GlendiveBaker
Trails0 mi2 mi
Conserved land1.5%2.9%
National Register places—2
Archive photos—6
Famous people born here—6
Community
West GlendiveBaker
Library hours a week—45 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

56 miles apart

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

West GlendiveMTBakerMT
West Glendive ↔ Baker56 miles apart
Who commutes between them
15 West Glendive residents work in Baker (1.6% of its workers)
Work & commute in West Glendive →
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.

West GlendiveBaker
People
Population 2,121Highest 1,489Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +2.6%Lowest MT: +9.6% +3.5%Highest MT: +9.6%
Median age 30.9±4.4Lowest 24% below MT 35.4±5.2Highest 12% below MT
Baker and West Glendive are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 26%±8.1Highest MT: 21% 20.1%±4.5Lowest MT: 21%
West Glendive and Baker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 11.2%±3.6Lowest MT: 20.1% 20%±5.6Highest MT: 20.1%
Baker and West Glendive are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 18.9%Highest MT: 35.2% 13.8%Lowest MT: 35.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 4%±3.2Highest MT: 5.2% 1.5%±1.8Lowest MT: 5.2%
West Glendive and Baker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $54,922±$15kLowest 24% below MT $84,750±$23kHighest 17% above MT
Baker and West Glendive are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $179,400±$28kLowest 52% below MT $211,400±$40kHighest 44% below MT
Baker and West Glendive are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $778±$113Highest 28% below MT $776±$58Lowest 28% below MT
West Glendive and Baker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,938Highest 9% above MT $1,608Lowest 40% below MT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 51.6%±32Highest MT: 44.8% 9.7%±13.2Lowest MT: 44.8%
West Glendive and Baker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 2.6%Lowest MT: 11.5% 12.5%Highest MT: 11.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 67.4%Highest MT: 69.2% 63.4%Lowest MT: 69.2%
Typical home builtmedian year 1973Lowest 8 yrs older than MT 1980Highest 1 yr older than MT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 15 minLowest 24% below MT 25 minHighest 30% above MT
Work from home 6%±3.8Highest MT: 12.5% 5.6%±6.3Lowest MT: 12.5%
West Glendive and Baker are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 14.3%Lowest 42.7%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 2.8 miHighest 1.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.80Lowest 1.16Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Glendive (43%)Billings (3%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 2% work in BakerFew work in West Glendive
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 1.5%Lowest 2.9%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.3 miLowest 1.6 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 1.5 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Highest 1Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 32.9Lowest 150Highest
Schools
School district Glendive ElemBaker K-12 Schools
High school in town None in townBaker High School
Students per teacherat that high school — 16.0
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.

West Glendive neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to West Glendive’s Town Square.

Baker neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Baker’s Town Square.

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Bordering West Glendive

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Glendive4,810 people · $183K homes

Towns like West Glendive

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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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