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Best Cities for Retirees in Montana

Low crime, warm climate, affordable cost of living and strong healthcare access.

Retirees Remote Workers Families Young Professionals Affordability All Rankings →
All United States  ·  Montana

How We Score

Each metric is normalized 0-100 across U.S. cities, then weighted and summed. Cities missing any metric are excluded.

Safety · 20% Affordability · 20% Warm Climate · 15% Sunshine · 10% Doctor Access · 15% Dental Access · 10% Health · 10%

Top 12 Retirees Cities in Montana

Ranked by composite score across 7 weighted metrics.

#1
Score 72.3
Billings, MT
118,321 residents
Safety 0/100K
Affordability 95
Warm Climate 49°F
#2
Score 68.4
Pray, MT
1,018 residents
Safety 56/100K
Affordability 95
Warm Climate 46°F
#3
Score 66.9
King Arthur Park, MT
2,343 residents
Safety 183/100K
Affordability 95
Warm Climate 44°F
#4
Score 66.8
Three Forks, MT
2,034 residents
Safety 190/100K
Affordability 95
Warm Climate 45°F
#5
Score 66.6
Gallatin Gateway, MT
1,092 residents
Safety 183/100K
Affordability 95
Warm Climate 44°F
#6
Score 65.9
Bozeman, MT
55,042 residents
Safety 0/100K
Affordability 95
Warm Climate 44°F
#7
Score 65.8
St. Ignatius, MT
1,053 residents
Safety 0/100K
Affordability 95
Warm Climate 48°F
#8
Score 65.5
Four Corners, MT
5,562 residents
Safety 247/100K
Affordability 95
Warm Climate 44°F
#9
Score 65.5
Wheatland, MT
1,185 residents
Safety 190/100K
Affordability 95
Warm Climate 45°F
#10
Score 65.5
Big Timber, MT
1,530 residents
Safety 56/100K
Affordability 95
Warm Climate 47°F
#11
Score 64.8
Churchill, MT
1,120 residents
Safety 190/100K
Affordability 95
Warm Climate 43°F
#12
Score 64.5
Colstrip, MT
2,156 residents
Safety 88/100K
Affordability 95
Warm Climate 46°F

Full Ranking, Montana

Top 50 cities. Click any city to see its full profile.

1 Billings MT 72.3
2 Pray MT 68.4
3 King Arthur Park MT 66.9
4 Three Forks MT 66.8
5 Gallatin Gateway MT 66.6
6 Bozeman MT 65.9
7 St. Ignatius MT 65.8
8 Four Corners MT 65.5
9 Wheatland MT 65.5
10 Big Timber MT 65.5
11 Churchill MT 64.8
12 Colstrip MT 64.5
13 Laurel MT 64.3
14 Livingston MT 63.6
15 Lockwood MT 63.3
16 Hardin MT 62.5
17 Crow Agency MT 62.3
18 Dillon MT 62.2
19 Forsyth MT 62.2
20 Glendive MT 61.6
21 Helena Flats MT 61.3
22 Manhattan MT 61.2
23 Belgrade MT 61.1
24 Frenchtown MT 61
25 Eureka MT 61
26 Havre MT 60.5
27 Bigfork MT 60.4
28 White Sulphur Springs MT 60.2
29 Wye MT 60.2
30 Bonner-West Riverside MT 60.1
31 Somers MT 60.1
32 Lakeside MT 60
33 Columbus MT 59.5
34 Miles City MT 59.5
35 Lame Deer MT 59.3
36 East Missoula MT 59.3
37 Thompson Falls MT 59.2
38 West Glendive MT 59.2
39 Orchard Homes MT 58.9
40 Columbia Falls MT 58.8
41 Baker MT 58.7
42 Plains MT 58.5
43 Evergreen MT 58.4
44 Lolo MT 58.3
45 Seeley Lake MT 58
46 Red Lodge MT 57.9
47 Conrad MT 57.7
48 Marion MT 57.7
49 Whitefish MT 57.4
50 Big Sky MT 57.4

Billings, MT tops the list with a composite score of 72.3 out of 100, followed by Pray and King Arthur Park. MT dominates the top 12 with 12 cities, reflecting strong performance across the weighted metrics for retirees.

Rankings combine 7 independent metrics: Safety, Affordability, Warm Climate, Sunshine, Doctor Access, Dental Access, Health. Cities are weighted to reflect what matters most to retirees, and any city missing one or more metrics is excluded to avoid artificially inflated rankings.

Explore Other Best Cities Rankings

Best Cities for Remote Workers
Strong broadband, affordable rent, low traffic and existing remote-work culture.
Best Cities for Families
Strong schools, low crime, affordable homes and family-friendly commutes.
Best Cities for Young Professionals
High incomes, educated peers, transit access and an under-35 demographic.
Most Affordable Cities
The lowest cost of living across home prices, rent, services and rent burden.

Related Single-Metric Rankings

Safest Cities → Warmest Cities → Most Affordable →