Five Worst Places To Live In Montana For 2021

BOZEMAN, Mont. – With 2020 finally coming to an end, we need to start thinking about 2021. Hopefully, the upcoming year will bring back a sense of normalcy that was lost in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Here in Bozeman, real estate prices have skyrocketed due to people packing up and leaving bigger cities for a simpler way of life. Median home prices in the Bozeman area have increased to above $600,000. The cost of living may be going up in Bozeman, but we’ve got it pretty good compared to some other cities and towns in Montana.

The website roadsnacks.net recently put together a list of the worst places to live in Montana in 2021. The study included analyzing 32 of the Montana’s most populated cities (over 2,100 people) to find the worst places to live in the Treasure State.

Here’s what they found.

Five Worst Places To Live In Montana In 2021

#5: Malta, Montana

Malta is a small town in northeastern Montana with a population of roughly 2,000. It is located at the intersection of U.S. Routes 2 and 191. The median income in Malta is $45,242 and the median home price is $126,000. The Milk River flows just to the north of town. There isn’t much to do in Malta, but if you ever find yourself there, you can check out the Great Plains Dinosaur Museum.

#4: Cut Bank, Montana

Cut Bank is a small town on northwestern Montana. It is located east of Glacier National Park. Median income is $36,485 and median home price is $119,900. According to the most recent data from the FBI, the total crime rate in Cut Bank is 4,646.5 per 100,000 people. That’s 80.91% higher than the national average. Winters are also extremely harsh in Cut Bank. The town is mentioned in the song ‘Cut Bank Montana’ by Hank Williams, Jr.

#3: Stevensville, Montana

Stevensville is located along the Bitterroot River just south of Missoula. The population is slightly above 2,000. Median income is $32,500 and median home price is $169,100. Over 23% of Stevensville residents live in poverty.

#2: Hardin, Montana

Hardin is located in south central Montana west of the confluence of the Big Horn and Little Big Horn Rivers. It is located north of the Crow Indian Reservation. The population of Hardin is just below 4,000. Median income is $43,377 and median home price is $127,600. It is located approximately 16 miles northwest of the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument.

#1: Polson, Montana

Moving up from the #2 spot in 2020, Polson, Montana has moved into the #1 spot for the worst places to live in Montana in 2021. It is located on the southern edge of Flathead Lake in northwestern Montana. It is on the Flathead Indian Reservation. According to the most recent data from the FBI, the total crime rate in Polson is 4,383.1 per 100,000 people. That’s 70.66% higher than the national average. Median income is $36,232 and median home price is $179,700. Polson is also ranked as the #3 most dangerous city in Montana.