Great Falls, Montana

Moving to Great Falls, Montana

Should you move to Great Falls Montana? Yes, if you want to live in a 60,000-person city on the Missouri River with a 14.9-minute mean commute (2020 to 2024 Census), major military and healthcare employers, and HUD FY2026 rent benchmarks of $979 for a one-bedroom and $1,284 for a two-bedroom. The tradeoffs are real: snowy, windy winters, light transit, and homework you have to do address by address.

One definition first. HUD Fair Market Rent is a metro-wide benchmark for current conditions; the $900 Census median averages leases signed from 2020 to 2024.

Great Falls Montana at a glance

This is a mid-size north central Montana city and the seat of Cascade County, not a metro. Its history runs from Lewis and Clark portaging the five falls to the smelting era, still visible downtown.

What are housing costs in Great Falls Montana?

City water, sewer, and storm-drain rates rose July 1, 2025, with the city estimating roughly a 27% monthly utility-bill increase depending on meter size and usage. Single-family solid waste runs $20.20 per month effective June 1, 2026. Ask your landlord in writing which utilities are included.

Montana has no general sales tax, which helps housing costs stretch. For tax year 2026, ordinary income is taxed at 4.7% up to $47,500 single or $95,000 joint and 5.65% above. Property taxes vary by parcel, so check the exact address. Our Cost of Living Calculator and Rent Calculator are free tools for the math.

Jobs, entrepreneurship, and small business advisor support

Metro unemployment was 3.3% in August 2026 (preliminary) while total nonfarm payrolls fell 1.4% year over year, per Montana Department of Labor and Industry data. The biggest payroll buckets: trade, transportation and utilities (7,700), education and health services (7,700), leisure and hospitality (5,300), and government (4,200).

Malmstrom Air Force Base anchors the region with 3,371 active-duty personnel and 525 Department of the Air Force civilians in FY2025, plus an estimated $444 million annual economic impact that keeps housing demand steady. Recent investments in a renewable fuels project keep construction and trades busy, creating work beyond the base.

Bringing ideas instead of taking a job? Montana’s Small Business Development Center network places a small business advisor in each region for no-cost counseling on plans and financing. Economic development groups and the local chamber of commerce point owners toward grants and incentives for renovation projects, and older downtown buildings are great candidates. Partner with an advisor early, since funding timelines run longer than the move, and plenty of firms here compete in the government marketplace around the base. Looking forward, the city’s 2026 growth policy flags a mid-market housing gap as a drag on its workforce and competitiveness, and progress depends on partnership with private investment.

Where people live: neighborhoods and community

Great Falls has nine official Neighborhood Council districts, with an address lookup on the city site. Skip the rankings and run one checklist on every address: asking rent and housing type, drive time to Malmstrom or Benefis, transit and walkability, who clears the snow, school assignment, and parcel-level zoning and floodplain status.

Older blocks near downtown, newer subdivisions on the edges, and rentals near the base all exist, from single-family houses to apartment building units. For safety, read specific blocks on the city’s crime-mapping tool. Attend a council meeting if you want to hear what residents are working on.

Schools, colleges, and hospitals

Great Falls Public Schools calls itself Montana’s second-largest district, serving roughly 10,160 students across an Early Learning Family Center, 15 elementary schools, two middle schools, two high schools, and adult career-readiness programming. Kindergarten for 2026 to 2027 requires a child to turn 5 on or before September 10. The district works directly with families transferring to and from Malmstrom, so confirm which school your child will attend by exact address.

Great Falls College reported 1,614 students in fall 2026, up 8.3% year over year, with healthcare, trades, business, and transfer pathways. The University of Providence is a private campus here with more than 30 programs.

The city identifies Benefis Healthcare and Great Falls Hospital as its two largest providers, with a 24-hour emergency department alongside cardiology, orthopedics, pediatrics, surgery, and oncology infusion. If you live with an ongoing condition, verify networks and appointment access before you move.

What are winters like in Great Falls Montana?

NOAA’s 1991 to 2020 normal is 66.1 inches of snow. January normals run 35.3°F high and 15.0°F low, July hits 84.3°F and 51.4°F, and roughly 20.7 days a year see a low at or below 0°F. Chinook winds swing midwinter temperatures fast in both directions. Plan in advance for winter tires, a heating budget, and snow removal spelled out in your lease.

Getting around, food, and things to do

Great Falls Transit runs fixed routes plus paratransit with a $4 day pass, and the international airport is served by four commercial airlines. Most households still want a car; Montana gives you 60 days to transfer an out-of-state license and register a vehicle.

Entertainment skews outdoors and historic: the five falls, Giant Springs State Park, the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, the C.M. Russell Museum, and 53 miles of River’s Edge Trail. Add the Montana State Fair, Western Art Week, live music, and a downtown food and brewery scene with a summer farmers market. Remote professionals who can work from anywhere in the world still get that outdoor life here.

Should you rent first or buy in Great Falls Montana?

Renting first lets you test where you want to live before you are locked in. Weigh the 66.1% owner-occupancy rate and $257,000 median value against those HUD benchmarks, then run our Rent vs. Buy Calculator and Mortgage Calculator. Buying is how you gain long term control of a monthly payment, with equity built from home appreciation and principal paydown rather than rent receipts. Interested in buying before your current place sells? Ask a lender about bridge financing. Present a clean rental history, save steadily, and buy with confidence once financing is secured.

KT Rents is a broker-owned, full service property management company operating nationwide across the U.S. since 2009: 683 units across 34 states and $187M in assets under management as of early 2025, with a reported 98% occupancy rate. Investing here? Our team handles the whole process, from tenant placement, tenant screening, rent collection, and property maintenance to rental permits, 1099s, property inspections, and court evictions without the owner lifting a finger, for the equivalence to the price of a cup of coffee and a donut per day (our framing). When something breaks, residents use the portal, not your phone. That is the power of full service, and the benefit shows up as cash flow, the only success metric that counts. Owners, call (800) 716-4950 to connect with our team. Renters, browse listings and text (608) 207-0657 for live support.

Frequently Asked Questions