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MTMontana rankings

Safest towns in Montana

Ranked by crime reported to police per 1,000 residents, averaged over 2023–2025, with violent crimes counted four times as heavily as property crimes. Lower is safer. 26 towns with 2,500+ residents whose police reported every year.

U.S. Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year

Libby 1 Libby 16.3 Violent 2.5 per 1,000 Dillon 2 Dillon 16.7 Violent 3.2 per 1,000 Conrad 3 Conrad 18.0 Violent 2.8 per 1,000
#TownWeighted crime rateViolentProperty
1 Libby Libby3,042 people 16.3 2.5 per 1,000 6.3 per 1,000
2 Dillon Dillon4,085 people 16.7 3.2 per 1,000 4.0 per 1,000
3 Conrad Conrad2,618 people 18.0 2.8 per 1,000 7.0 per 1,000
4 Whitefish Whitefish8,749 people 18.5 1.6 per 1,000 12.1 per 1,000
5 Map of Miles City Miles City8,407 people 21.5 2.6 per 1,000 11.2 per 1,000
6 Deer Lodge Deer Lodge3,021 people 23.1 3.8 per 1,000 8.1 per 1,000
7 Glasgow Glasgow3,190 people 25.4 3.6 per 1,000 11.1 per 1,000
8 Map of Columbia Falls Columbia Falls5,615 people 25.7 2.7 per 1,000 14.9 per 1,000
9 Belgrade11,872 people 26.0 3.2 per 1,000 13.4 per 1,000
10 Glendive Glendive4,810 people 28.5 5.2 per 1,000 7.8 per 1,000
11 Map of Sidney Sidney6,171 people 28.9 5.5 per 1,000 6.7 per 1,000
12 Hardin Hardin3,742 people 29.8 4.2 per 1,000 13.2 per 1,000
13 Bozeman Bozeman56,114 people 33.7 4.1 per 1,000 17.5 per 1,000
14 Lewistown Lewistown6,087 people 34.0 6.1 per 1,000 9.7 per 1,000
15 Wolf Point Wolf Point2,602 people 35.1 6.8 per 1,000 8.0 per 1,000
16 Livingston Livingston8,780 people 35.4 4.8 per 1,000 16.3 per 1,000
17 Map of Kalispell Kalispell28,504 people 36.1 3.7 per 1,000 21.2 per 1,000
18 Hamilton Hamilton5,101 people 43.2 4.9 per 1,000 23.7 per 1,000
19 Laurel Laurel7,215 people 50.3 4.4 per 1,000 32.6 per 1,000
20 Helena Helena33,639 people 51.8 5.9 per 1,000 28.2 per 1,000
21 Missoula Missoula76,514 people 57.0 5.8 per 1,000 33.9 per 1,000
22 Billings Billings119,434 people 62.5 8.0 per 1,000 30.5 per 1,000
23 Great Falls Great Falls60,329 people 62.8 5.9 per 1,000 39.2 per 1,000
24 Map of Havre Havre9,258 people 66.3 7.3 per 1,000 37.2 per 1,000
25 Polson Polson5,428 people 70.1 9.7 per 1,000 31.5 per 1,000
26 Map of Cut Bank Cut Bank3,028 people 75.5 7.6 per 1,000 45.3 per 1,000

How this ranking works

For each town we add up the violent and property crimes its police reported to the FBI over 2023–2025 and divide by the population they served, giving a rate per 1,000 residents. Violent crimes (homicide, rape, robbery and aggravated assault) count four times as much as property crimes (burglary, theft, vehicle theft and arson), because they weigh more on how safe a place feels. The lowest weighted rate ranks #1.

These are crimes reported to police, not convictions, and towns with a campus, highway, beach or shopping center also count incidents involving visitors. A town is ranked only if its police department reported a full year in every one of these years; towns patrolled by a county sheriff or state police don't have their own figures. There is no “most dangerous” list, on purpose.

Only towns with at least 2,500 residents are ranked; Census estimates for smaller places are too uncertain. Population and income: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, offenses known to law enforcement by city. Town photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each town’s page.

Same ranking in other states

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