Polson makes Montana’s top 10 on 2 lists
Polson is ranked on 35 lists against the 43 Montana towns with 2,500+ residents. It makes the top 10 on 2 and the top quarter on 1.
Milder winters than 98% of Montana
Not better or worse, just Polson’s character, from the lists where neither end is the “good” one. The most distinctive come first.
1 spot from the top 10 for growth
Lists where Polson sits just outside a milestone, and what it would take to get in.
Polson lands in the top half on 10 of 22 lists
Each dot is Polson’s spot on one list: the left end is #1 in MT, the right end is last. Areas where Polson does best come first.
The lists Polson does best on
Each list ranks every MT town with 2,500+ residents. Tap one to see the whole list with Polson marked.
Every MT list, and where Polson lands
35 lists from Census, school, health, library, crime, climate and land data. Tap any list to see every town on it.
Cost of living
Most affordable#1 Wolf Point · 1.6 yrs
#25
Cheapest rent#1 North Browning · $475/mo
#15
Lowest property tax#1 North Browning · $199/yr
#14 Outdoors
Most conserved land#1 Anaconda-Deer Lodge County · 61.7%
#19
Most trails#1 Helena · 4.3 mi / sq mi
#10
Most walkable#1 Miles City · 170 / sq mi
#25 Health
Healthiest#1 Four Corners · 95 / 100
#24
Lowest obesity#1 Bozeman · 22%
#16
Fewest smokers#1 Bozeman · 9%
#17
Most active#1 Four Corners · 13%
#23
Fewest uninsured#1 Montana City · 6%
#22
Lowest depression#1 Bigfork · 22%
#18
Closest to a top hospital#1 Miles City · 0.7 mi
#21 Housing
Vacation-home towns#1 Red Lodge · 23.8%
#5
B
Most new homes#1 Belgrade · 24.1 per 1,000
#13
Fastest-rising home prices#1 Libby · +93.3%
#11 People
Most educated#1 Bozeman · 65.1%
#22
Youngest#1 Malmstrom AFB · 22.5
#31
Oldest#1 Red Lodge · 59.7
#13
Most residents 65+#1 Hamilton · 34.3%
#6
Most kids#1 North Browning · 34.7%
#26 Getting around
Shortest commute#1 Glasgow · 8.5 min
#32 
Safety
Safest#1 Libby · 16.3
#25 Climate
Snowiest#1 Red Lodge · 142 in
#33
Least snow#1 Dillon · 11 in
#7
Mildest winters#1 Libby · 21.1°
#2
Hottest summers#1 Miles City · 90.0°
#31
Coolest summers#1 Anaconda-Deer Lodge County · 66.9°
#14
Longest growing season#1 Glendive · 153 days
#16
Wettest#1 Anaconda-Deer Lodge County · 35 in
#5 The number on the right is Polson’s spot. All of Montana’s rankings, with the map → · National lists and other states: all rankings.
Do the numbers ring true?
The lists count what can be counted. Neighbors know the rest.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
- 2,500+ residents. Census estimates for smaller towns carry margins of error too wide to rank fairly, so they sit out every MT list.
- One town, one row. A city that is both a city and a town in Census data, or a village inside a town, is counted once.
- Ties share a rank. Towns on one weather station, one school district or one CDC estimate share a figure, so they share a spot (T).
- No “worst” lists. Lists rank toward the good end, and share cards are made only for the top half. Age, snow and the like are character, not grades.
U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, 2010 and 2020 censuses, Building Permits Survey), U.S. Department of Education, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, CDC PLACES, Medicare Care Compare, IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FHFA House Price Index, NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. Each list explains its own method.