City profile · Montana · Census ACS 2023

Livingston, MT

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

8,635
Residents
$65,187
Median income
$348,700
Median home
$1,605
Median rent (state)

Livingston - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Livingston lands in the 43rd percentile for household income and the 34th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

43rd
percentile, household income
72nd
percentile, home value
64th
percentile, median rent
34th
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: Livingston, MT

Montana's Livingston is a small town, with 8,635 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Livingston households earn a median of $65,187 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 9.3%. Livingston's housing stock carries a median value of $348,700, and the median resident age is 43.1 years. About 35.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 68.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 39 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Rapid Growth), up 44% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 1921.1 crimes per 100,000 residents, near the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Livingston's yearly average temperature at 45.6°F with 16.3 inches of precipitation per year and 62.7 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Montana run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Montana at 94.6 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Below Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,605 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Montana's average monthly utility costs around $175 (state average). On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 66.3 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Moderate).

Population

8,635 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Montana

Median Household Income

$65,187 /yr

Poverty 9.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.6 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Montana average

How does Livingston compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 43% higher than other cities
Home value 72% pricier than other cities
Median rent 64% pricier than other cities
Safety 34% safer than other cities

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

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Montana alone, Livingston ranks #26 of 39 Montana cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

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

Montana-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher places Livingston toward the top of Montana's cities

Among the 317 Montana cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Livingston ranks #62 - the 80th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Livingston only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#121 of 282
57th percentile in Montana
Median Gross Rent
#61 of 317
78th percentile in Montana
Median Home Value
#80 of 279
71st percentile in Montana
Poverty Rate
#123 of 315
61st percentile in Montana
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#62 of 317
80th 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.

43rdIncome percentile
34thSafety percentile

43rd percentile nationally for median household income · 34th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Livingston's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Livingston'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 36 Avg. percentile National median
Livingston'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 Livingston's home value compares nationally

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

$348,700 28th percentile more affordable than 28% 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%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Livingston $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 - Livingston, MT Livingston, MT's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Livingston, 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 Livingston, MT median $65,187/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%
Livingston, 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 Livingston, MT. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 35.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 9.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 68.2%

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

Population
8,635
Median Income
$65,187
Median Home Value
$348,700
Median Age
43.1
Poverty Rate
9.3%
Labor force participation
68.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
35.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1921.1
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
596.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1324.9
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
45.6°F
Annual Precipitation
16.3"
Annual Snowfall
62.7"

Schools

Total Schools
6
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
8,400 residents8,600 residents8,800 residents9,000 residents9,200 residents9,400 residents 202020212022202320242025 8,645 residents 9,290 residents ▲ +7.5%
Livingston's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Rapid Growth
Total Permits (2024)
39
housing units authorized
Single-Family
39
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
4.5
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 27
2020 31
2021 37
2022 37
2023 31
2024 39

Permit volume increased 44% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
70.2%
Carpool
12.2%
Public Transit
0.7%
Walk
1.9%
Work from Home
12.8%
Other
2.2%

Based on 4,912 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 Livingston sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.6
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,605/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
66.3 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Montana

Whitefish
8,422 people
Miles City
8,412 people
Evergreen
8,908 people
Helena Valley West Central
8,224 people
Havre
9,333 people
Anaconda-Deer Lodge County
9,512 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Livingston's 8,635 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Cumberland Hill, RI
8,638 people
East Foothills, CA
8,630 people
Olmsted Falls, OH
8,640 people
Chanute, KS
8,629 people
Clarendon Hills, IL
8,642 people
Aibonito zona urbana, PR
8,642 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Livingston's $65,187 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Millersburg, PA
$65,190 median income
Dearborn, MI
$65,192 median income
Elmo, MO
$65,179 median income
Ohkay Owingeh, NM
$65,179 median income
Piney Green, NC
$65,179 median income
Green Meadows, OH
$65,179 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Livingston, 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 Livingston, MT - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 93.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2.1% White 93.5% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.3% American Indian 2.4% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.3% Two or more races 3.6% 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 Livingston 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
Livingston (this city) 8,635 $65,187
Whitefish 8,422 $71,110
Miles City 8,412 $60,732
Evergreen 8,908 $73,015
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MT FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Livingston, MT?

What is the population of Livingston, MT? +

Livingston, MT counts 8,635 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Livingston, MT? +

Median annual household income in Livingston runs $65,187, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Livingston? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Livingston; 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 Livingston, MT safe? +

Livingston has a total crime rate of 1921.1 per 100,000 residents, which is near 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 Livingston, MT? +

Livingston's median home value sits at $348,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Livingston? +

Livingston has an average annual temperature of 45.6°F, 16.3 inches of precipitation, and 62.7 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.