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Relocation profile · Federal data

Great Falls, MT

LiveAbility 41.1/100 places Great Falls #315 of 387 (bottom third of scored metros).

96.8
Cost index (US=100)
$1,284
2BR rent / mo
$60,566
Median salary
41.1
LiveAbility Score

The verdict

As of June 2026, Great Falls ranks #315 of 387 US metros on the LiveAbility Score (41.1/100), with its strongest marks in schools and low hazard.

#315
of 387 US metros · Below median
1,137,233
metro-area population
426
violent crimes per 100K (state-level)
826
schools in the state (NCES)

Weakest dimension: climate (1/100). Weigh every dimension against your own priorities, use the City Finder to re-rank by what matters to you.

According to PlainRelocate's LiveAbility composite (BEA, BLS, HUD, FBI, NCES, EPA, NOAA, and FEMA inputs), Great Falls ranks #315 of 387 scored US metros by LiveAbility Score (highest score = #1). Cost-of-living index 96.8 (100 = national average), median 2-bedroom rent $1,284/mo, median salary $60,566; LiveAbility Score 41.1/100, strongest in schools and low hazard.

Signature: LiveAbility 41.1/100 places Great Falls #315 of 387 (bottom third of scored metros).

Purchasing power sits mid-band: BEA RPP 96.8 between corpus terciles 91.5 and 97.0. Median 2BR rent $1,284/mo.

LiveAbility 41.1/100 puts Great Falls in the bottom third (#315 of 387).

BLS OEWS total employment in the Great Falls area is 31,100.

Great Falls vs all US metros by LiveAbility Score

Where this metro's LiveAbility Score falls among every scored US metro (composite placement, not a desirability verdict)

41 Top 81% higher than 19% of 387 US metros

Metros banded by LiveAbility Score (0–100)

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

Source PlainRelocate LiveAbility Score · June 2026

Great Falls housing and rent

HUD Fair Market Rents for the Great Falls MSA; housing RPP 97.1 (100 = national average); 2BR $1,284/mo.

Studio
$960
/month
1 Bedroom
$979
/month
2 Bedroom
$1,284
/month
3 Bedroom
$1,786
/month
4 Bedroom
$2,035
/month

Great Falls wages and employment

Great Falls posts 31,100 total employment with median salary $60,566.

Median Salary
$60,566
Mean Salary
$63,119
Total Employment
31,100

Top Occupations by Employment

Occupation Median Salary
Fast Food and Counter Workers $28,200
Retail Salespersons $35,000
Home Health and Personal Care Aides $34,540
Registered Nurses $78,290
Stockers and Order Fillers $36,760

Schools & Education

State-level education data for the Great Falls area from NCES.

Schools
826
Enrollment
146,015
Student:Teacher
11.8:1
Title I %
0%

Childcare Costs

State-average childcare costs for the Great Falls area (DOL data).

Infant (Center)
$11,466
per year
Toddler (Center)
$11,929
per year
Preschool (Center)
$10,243
per year

Life Score Breakdown

Great Falls's composite Life Score is 36.5/100 (F), computed across 7 of 7 dimensions.

Cost
34/100
Weak
Wages
23/100
Weak
Rent
52/100
Average
Crime
24/100
Weak
Schools
9/100
Bottom decile
Childcare
36/100
Below average
Environment
94/100
Elite

LiveAbility Score

View full rankings →

Great Falls ranks #315 out of 387 metros with a LiveAbility Score of 41.1/100 - a composite of 8 of 8 quality-of-life dimensions from federal data. Customize the weights to match your priorities →

Strongest dimension: Schools (92/100)

Great Falls - dimension scores

Percentile vs all US metros (100 = best in the nation for that dimension)

score

What this shows Great Falls's strongest dimensions are schools and low hazard; its weakest among scored dims is climate at 1/100. Default weights: cost 18%, jobs & housing 15% each, safety & schools 12%, air & hazard 10%, climate 8%.

Source BEA · BLS · HUD · FBI · NCES · EPA · NOAA · FEMA As of Federal data, latest available vintage

Compare Great Falls to

Albany Albany-Schenectady-Troy Albuquerque Alexandria Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton Altoona

Metros near Great Falls on cost, LiveAbility, or wages

Nearest out-of-state neighbors to Great Falls on BEA RPP, LiveAbility, or BLS median salary, a different lens than the size-ranked list.

Similar cost of living (BEA RPP)

Similar LiveAbility score

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026

Great Falls cost figures follow BEA Regional Price Parities and HUD Fair Market Rents; Great Falls wages and LiveAbility inputs follow BLS OEWS plus the federal sources listed in methodology. This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Scores are federal-data percentiles, not a move recommendation. How this data is sourced.

Verify with BEA → · Verify with BLS → · Verify with HUD → · Verify with NOAA → · Verify with FEMA → · Verify with Census →

Thinking about Great Falls?

Great Falls runs a $60,566 median salary at a 96.8 cost index, ranking #315 of 387 nationally on LiveAbility.

  • See exactly what Great Falls's pay and cost figures mean for your own budget. Salary calculator
  • Put Great Falls head-to-head against another city on the same dimensions. Compare Great Falls
  • Abilene is the closest related metro in this corpus -- see how it stacks up. Abilene profile
  • A cheaper cost index and a higher LiveAbility score don't always point the same direction -- here's how to weigh the trade-off. Cost vs quality guide

Cost, salary and score figures are federal-data percentiles, not a move recommendation.