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Wolf Point vs Shelby

287 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (53× in Shelby) and home values (2× in Shelby).

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Wolf Point, MTHomes around $147KMontana · 2,602 people

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Shelby, MTAn outdoors townMontana · 3,216 people

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.

Wolf PointHomes around $147K

Housing$147K typical home69% below the MT typical home

Outdoors#2 most walkable in MT0.2 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves SchoolsBetter than 7%of MT districts All about Wolf Point →

ShelbyAn outdoors town

Outdoors#3 most conserved land in MT11 miles of trails across 5 parks and preserves Health66% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Housing$185K typical home61% below the MT typical home All about Shelby →

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.

Shelby has more miles of trail

Shelby 10.6 miWolf Point 0.2 mi

Homes cost more in Shelby

Shelby $232,700Wolf Point $118,600

Street grid3.5×

Wolf Point has the more walkable street grid

Wolf Point 152Shelby 43.5

Conserved land+28.7 pts

Shelby has more conserved land

Shelby 32.8%Wolf Point 4.1%

Work from home+5.9 pts

More people work from home in Shelby

Shelby 6.8%Wolf Point 0.9%

Homeowners+8.5 pts renters

Wolf Point has more renters

Shelby 61%Wolf Point 52.5%

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $150 more a month in Shelby

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.

Down paymentRate%

Wolf Point$950/mo

Typical home $147K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.47% · or rent about $734/mo · Housing →

Shelby$1,100/mo

Typical home $185K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.87% · or rent about $893/mo · Housing →

The difference: $150 a month, about $1,800 a year, between Shelby and Wolf Point.

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

Shelby places higher on 11 of 18 MT lists

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

C−Wolf PointSafer than 22% of U.S. towns –ShelbyNot graded

Schools

DWolf PointBetter than 7% of districts in the state C+ShelbyBetter than 43% of districts in the state

Health

DWolf PointHealthier than 7% of U.S. towns CShelbyHealthier than 34% of U.S. towns

7Wolf Point

11Shelby

Lists won, of 18 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most conserved landOutdoors · 41 towns #34#3 Most walkableOutdoors · 43 towns #2#27 Lowest depressionHealth · 42 towns #25#4 Best schoolsSchools · 40 towns #39#23 Most remote workersWork · 42 towns #42#27 Most affordableCost of living · 42 towns #1#12 Cheapest rentCost of living · 42 towns #5#13 Lowest obesityHealth · 42 towns #40#33

Left end = #1 in Montana. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Wolf Point’s rankings →

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

Wolf PointShelby

Snow a year—39″

January low—6°F

July high—82°F

Growing season (days)—115d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)12th 0th

Outdoors & history

Wolf PointShelby

Trails0 mi 11 mi

Conserved land4.1%32.8%

Settled1915 —

National Register places—3

Archive photos12 —

Community

Wolf PointShelby

Library hours a week51 hrs 36 hrs

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 1

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

287 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Wolf PointMT ShelbyMT

Wolf Point ↔ Shelby287 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.

Only big differences vs Montana average

Wolf PointShelby

People

Population 2,602Lowest 3,216Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -4%Highest MT: +9.6% -6.1%Lowest MT: +9.6%

Median age 32.8±3Lowest 19% below MT 37.7±3.3Highest 7% below MT

Shelby and Wolf Point are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 26.3%±5.2Highest MT: 21% 18.2%±3.2Lowest MT: 21%

Wolf Point and Shelby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 15%±3.4Lowest MT: 20.1% 15.5%±2.7Highest MT: 20.1%

Shelby and Wolf Point are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 11.9%Lowest MT: 35.2% 19.5%Highest MT: 35.2%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.5%±1.6Highest MT: 5.2% 1.9%±1.3Lowest MT: 5.2%

Wolf Point and Shelby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $52,868±$18kLowest 27% below MT $58,413±$11kHighest 19% below MT

Shelby and Wolf Point are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $118,600±$31kLowest 68% below MT $232,700±$37kHighest 38% below MT

Rentmedian gross, monthly $734±$30Lowest 32% below MT $893±$240Highest 17% below MT

Shelby and Wolf Point are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,744Lowest 35% below MT $2,013Highest 25% below MT

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 46%±13.7Lowest MT: 44.8% 47.8%±15Highest MT: 44.8%

Shelby and Wolf Point are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 23.3%Highest MT: 11.5% 13.8%Lowest MT: 11.5%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 52.5%Lowest MT: 69.2% 61%Highest MT: 69.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1964Highest 17 yrs older than MT 1960Lowest 21 yrs older than MT

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 12 minLowest 36% below MT 14 minHighest 27% below MT

Work from home 0.9%±1Lowest MT: 12.5% 6.8%±4.2Highest MT: 12.5%

Work in townworking residents 35.6%Lowest 41.1%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 4.8 miLowest 12.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.99Lowest 1.04Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Poplar (5%)Great Falls (8%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in ShelbyFew work in Wolf Point

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 4.1%Lowest 32.8%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 0.2 miLowest 10.6 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miLowest 1.8 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Lowest 5Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 152Highest 43.5Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #39 of 40 in MT #23 of 40 in MT

School district Wolf Point Elem · Wolf Point H SShelby Elem · Shelby H S

High school in town Wolf Point High SchoolShelby High School

Students per teacherat that high school 12.0Highest 10.4Lowest

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.

Wolf Point neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Wolf Point’s Town Square.

Shelby neighborsTown Square →

T Weaver · 6d

Favorite Outdoor Spots in Shelby

1 neighbor in Shelby can answer.

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Towns like Wolf Point

Hardin3,742 people · $147K homes

Forsyth1,728 people · $208K homes

Ronan2,001 people · $226K homes

Baker1,489 people · $211K 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.