Best Cities for Young Professionals in Montana

High incomes, educated peers, transit access and an under-35 demographic.

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.

Income · 20% Educated Peers · 15% Young Demographic · 15% Jobs · 15% Transit · 10% Safety · 10% Broadband · 15%

Top 12 Young Professionals Cities in Montana

Ranked by composite score across 7 weighted metrics.

#1
Score 70.2
Bozeman, MT
55,042 residents
Income $79,903
Educated Peers 65.1%
Young Demographic 29 yrs
#2
Score 63.2
Whitefish, MT
8,422 residents
Income $71,110
Educated Peers 56.5%
Young Demographic 43 yrs
#3
Score 62.8
Belgrade, MT
11,425 residents
Income $88,896
Educated Peers 37.4%
Young Demographic 33 yrs
#4
Score 62.1
Missoula, MT
75,600 residents
Income $65,329
Educated Peers 51.7%
Young Demographic 34 yrs
#5
Score 57.3
Dillon, MT
4,020 residents
Income $51,458
Educated Peers 32.9%
Young Demographic 31 yrs
#6
Score 57.2
Helena, MT
33,126 residents
Income $69,341
Educated Peers 50.4%
Young Demographic 40 yrs
#7
Score 56.7
Manhattan, MT
2,149 residents
Income $69,671
Educated Peers 32.9%
Young Demographic 42 yrs
#8
Score 55.8
Columbus, MT
1,925 residents
Income $62,500
Educated Peers 20.6%
Young Demographic 46 yrs
#9
Score 55.2
Baker, MT
1,535 residents
Income $78,971
Educated Peers 13.9%
Young Demographic 37 yrs
#10
Score 55.2
Billings, MT
118,321 residents
Income $71,855
Educated Peers 37.0%
Young Demographic 38 yrs
#11
Score 54.7
Chinook, MT
1,460 residents
Income $71,500
Educated Peers 41.9%
Young Demographic 39 yrs
#12
Score 54.7
Kalispell, MT
26,830 residents
Income $61,590
Educated Peers 32.9%
Young Demographic 36 yrs

Full Ranking, Montana

Top 39 cities. Click any city to see its full profile.

1 Bozeman MT 70.2
2 Whitefish MT 63.2
3 Belgrade MT 62.8
4 Missoula MT 62.1
5 Dillon MT 57.3
6 Helena MT 57.2
7 Manhattan MT 56.7
8 Columbus MT 55.8
9 Baker MT 55.2
10 Billings MT 55.2
11 Chinook MT 54.7
12 Kalispell MT 54.7
13 Laurel MT 54.2
14 Colstrip MT 54.1
15 Columbia Falls MT 53.8
16 Hardin MT 53.4
17 Glasgow MT 53.3
18 West Yellowstone MT 53.2
19 Livingston MT 51.7
20 Great Falls MT 51.6
21 Havre MT 50.6
22 Stevensville MT 50.1
23 Red Lodge MT 48.8
24 Sidney MT 48.5
25 Hamilton MT 48.2
26 East Helena MT 47.6
27 St. Ignatius MT 46.9
28 Glendive MT 46.8
29 Thompson Falls MT 46.1
30 Conrad MT 45.4
31 Libby MT 44.3
32 Cut Bank MT 42.7
33 Eureka MT 40.9
34 Plains MT 40.7
35 Polson MT 39.2
36 Deer Lodge MT 38.8
37 Lewistown MT 37.4
38 Ronan MT 36.9
39 Wolf Point MT 34

Bozeman, MT tops the list with a composite score of 70.2 out of 100, followed by Whitefish and Belgrade. MT dominates the top 12 with 12 cities, reflecting strong performance across the weighted metrics for young professionals.

Rankings combine 7 independent metrics: Income, Educated Peers, Young Demographic, Jobs, Transit, Safety, Broadband. Cities are weighted to reflect what matters most to young professionals, and any city missing one or more metrics is excluded to avoid artificially inflated rankings.

Explore Other Best Cities Rankings

Best Cities for Retirees
Low crime, warm climate, affordable cost of living and strong healthcare access.
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.
Most Affordable Cities
The lowest cost of living across home prices, rent, services and rent burden.

Related Single-Metric Rankings

Highest Income → Most Educated → Youngest Cities →