Cost of Living in Great Falls
Great Falls' cost-of-living picture centers on genuine housing affordability relative to the national figure and Montana's real absence of any general sales tax, weighed honestly against an above-national homeowners-insurance cost and a property-tax rate that runs less favorably than Montana's own statewide average.
Exploring the idea of moving?
We can connect you with a local real estate professional who knows the area -- no pressure, just a starting point.
Learn moreHousing Runs Genuinely More Affordable, With a Disclosed Cross-Source Tension
As detailed on the housing-market and renting topic pages, Zillow's cited typical home value ran approximately $305,137, roughly 25% below the cited 2026 national median sale price of approximately $408,776 -- though a separate, cited median SALE price (Houzeo, ~$357,500, up ~17.21% YoY) tells a meaningfully less-affordable, faster-appreciating story this record discloses directly rather than smoothing over.
Montana Levies No General State Sales Tax
As detailed on the taxes topic page, Montana is one of only five U.S. states with no general statewide sales tax, and Great Falls levies no local resort-area sales tax either -- a real, genuine savings on essentially every purchase.
Property Tax Runs Less Favorably Than Montana's Own Statewide Average
As detailed on the property-taxes topic page, Great Falls' own city-specific effective rate (~1.03%, Ownwell) runs essentially at, and very slightly above, the ~1.02% national comparison figure this project uses consistently -- meaningfully higher than Montana's own statewide average (~0.72%-0.78%), a real, disclosed, genuinely less-favorable cost this record does not soften.
Homeowners Insurance Runs Genuinely Above the National Average
As detailed on the homeowners-insurance topic page, Great Falls' cited $300K-dwelling premium (~$3,460/year) ran approximately 34% above the same-coverage national average (~$2,582/year), attributed to Montana's real wildfire, hail, and severe-weather exposure.
A Cost-of-Living Index Generally Below the National Average, With a Real Cross-Source Spread
Cost-of-living index citations reviewed this pass clustered mostly below the national average (100), though with a real, disclosed spread across sources -- ranging from approximately 78 to approximately 96.4 depending on methodology -- this record discloses this spread directly rather than picking a single figure.
Key takeaways
- Zillow's cited Great Falls typical home value ran approximately $305,137, roughly 25% below the cited 2026 national median (~$408,776) -- though a separate median-sale-price citation ran meaningfully higher.
- Montana's real, current absence of any general state sales tax is a genuine, disclosed savings advantage.
- Great Falls' own effective property tax rate runs essentially at, and very slightly above, the national comparison figure -- less favorable than Montana's statewide average.
- Homeowners insurance in Great Falls ran approximately 34% above the national average at a like-for-like coverage level.
- Cost-of-living index citations clustered mostly below the national average, with a real, disclosed cross-source spread (approximately 78-96.4).
Want to know what your budget actually buys here?
Tell us a bit about what you're looking for and we'll connect you with someone local who can walk you through real numbers.
Get local guidanceRead the full Great Falls overview for the complete picture -- housing, taxes, climate, and who this place genuinely fits.
Planning a move?
Tell us what you're looking for and we'll connect you with a local expert who can help you make it happen.
Talk to a local expert