City profile · Montana · Census ACS 2023

Great Falls, MT

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Great Falls - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

60,412
Residents
$63,934
Median income
$237,400
Median home
$1,284
Median rent (state)

Great Falls - the verdict

Great Falls ranks in the 41st percentile for household income and the 7th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

41st
percentile, household income
53rd
percentile, home value
45th
percentile, median rent
7th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Great Falls, MT

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 60,412 residents in Great Falls, a small city within Montana. Great Falls households earn a median of $63,934 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 7.5%. Home values in Great Falls run a median of $237,400, and the median resident age is 39.3 years. 28.3% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 58.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 99 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 83% from five years earlier. Great Falls's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 4000.8 in FBI UCR data, above the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Great Falls's yearly average temperature at 44.6°F with 14.8 inches of precipitation per year and 66.1 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Montana run below the national norm: the state registers 94.6 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,284 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $175 across Montana, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Commute times here average 13.7 minutes, with 79.5% driving alone and 6.6% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 83.1 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (High).

Population

60,412 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Montana

Median Household Income

$63,934 /yr

Poverty 7.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.6 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Montana average

How does Great Falls compare to other US cities?

Here's how Great Falls stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 41% higher than other cities
Home value 53% pricier than other cities
Median rent 45% pricier than other cities
Safety 7% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Montana, Great Falls ranks #34 of 39 Montana cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Great Falls against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Montana only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Montana-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent sits close to the middle of Montana's city distribution

Among the 317 Montana cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Great Falls ranks #204 - the 32nd percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Great Falls only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#126 of 282
55th percentile in Montana
Median Gross Rent
#204 of 317
32nd percentile in Montana
Median Home Value
#131 of 279
53rd percentile in Montana
Poverty Rate
#140 of 315
55th percentile in Montana
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#105 of 317
66th percentile in Montana

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Montana only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

41stIncome percentile
7thSafety percentile

41st percentile nationally for median household income · 7th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Great Falls's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Great Falls's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 33 Avg. percentile National median
Great Falls's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Great Falls's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$237,400 47th percentile more affordable than 47% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). This entry sits in this band. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Great Falls $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Great Falls, MT Great Falls, MT's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Great Falls, MT-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Great Falls, MT median $63,934/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Great Falls, MT's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Great Falls, MT. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 28.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 7.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 58.6%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
60,412
Median Income
$63,934
Median Home Value
$237,400
Median Age
39.3
Poverty Rate
7.5%
Labor force participation
58.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
28.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4000.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
574.4
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3426.4
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
44.6°F
Annual Precipitation
14.8"
Annual Snowfall
66.1"

Schools

Total Schools
22
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
60,000 residents60,200 residents60,400 residents60,600 residents 202020212022202320242025 60,453 residents 60,208 residents ▼ -0.4%
Great Falls's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
99
housing units authorized
Single-Family
50
detached homes
Multifamily
49
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 54
2020 45
2021 97
2022 389
2023 39
2024 99

Permit volume increased 83% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
13.7 minutes
Drive Alone
79.5%
Carpool
9.8%
Public Transit
0.8%
Walk
1.3%
Work from Home
6.6%
Other
2.0%

Based on 29,150 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Montana - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$80
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$40
avg/month
Total Utilities
$175
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Montana state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Montana state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Great Falls sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.6
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,284/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
83.1 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Montana

Bozeman
55,042 people
Missoula
75,600 people
Butte-Silver Bow (balance)
34,929 people
Helena
33,126 people
Kalispell
26,830 people
Belgrade
11,425 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Great Falls's 60,412 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Meriden, CT
60,418 people
Corvallis, OR
60,424 people
Four Corners, FL
60,443 people
Euless, TX
60,373 people
San Rafael, CA
60,604 people
Vineland, NJ
60,692 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Great Falls's $63,934 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Charlotte Park, FL
$63,929 median income
Blooming Prairie, MN
$63,929 median income
Red Lake Falls, MN
$63,929 median income
Belmont, OH
$63,929 median income
Willow Lake, SD
$63,929 median income
Evadale, TX
$63,929 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Great Falls, MT Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Great Falls, MT - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 84.8% 7.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4.9% White 84.8% Black or African American 1.2% Asian 1.0% American Indian 4.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.7% Two or more races 7.3% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Great Falls compares to nearby Montana cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Great Falls (this city) 60,412 $63,934
Bozeman 55,042 $79,903
Missoula 75,600 $65,329
Butte-Silver Bow (balance) 34,929 $57,633
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MT FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Great Falls, MT?

What is the population of Great Falls, MT? +

60,412 people live in Great Falls, MT according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Great Falls, MT? +

In Great Falls, the typical household earns $63,934 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Great Falls? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Great Falls; the closest available measure is the Montana state average, a cost of living index of 94.6 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Montana vary by metro area.

Is Great Falls, MT safe? +

Great Falls has a total crime rate of 4000.8 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Great Falls, MT? +

The median home value in Great Falls is $237,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Great Falls? +

Climate normals put Great Falls's yearly average temperature at 44.6°F, 14.8 inches of precipitation, and 66.1 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.