Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Minnesota instead of Montana, you would:
Health
live 2.3 years longer
In Montana, the average life expectancy is 77 years (76 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020. In Minnesota, that number is 79 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2020.
be 11.4% more likely to have diabetes
In Montana, 7.9% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Minnesota, that number is 8.8% as of 2022.
Economy
make 29.3% more money
Montana has a GDP per capita of $52,945 as of 2024, while in Minnesota, the GDP per capita is $68,478 as of 2024.
be 22.8% less likely to live below the poverty line
In Montana, 11.4% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Minnesota, however, that number is 8.8% as of 2023.
be 16.2% more likely to be unemployed
In Montana, 3.7% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Minnesota, that number is 4.3% as of 2025.
Safety
be 41.2% less likely to be a victim of violent crime
Montana has a violent crime rate of 437 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Minnesota, that number is 257 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 25.2% more money
The median household income in Montana is $69,922 as of 2023, while in Minnesota, it is $87,556 as of 2023.
pay 19.8% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Montana is $1,031 as of 2023, while in Minnesota, it is $1,235 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 43.8% less likely to be uninsured
In Montana, 8.0% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Minnesota, that number is 4.5% as of 2023.
be 13.1% less likely to smoke
In Montana, 16.0% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Minnesota, that number is 13.9% as of 2022.
be 12.1% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Montana, 23.2% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In Minnesota, that number is 26.0% as of 2023.
be 3.5 times more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Montana, 1.0% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Minnesota, that number is 3.5% as of 2023.
be 18.3% less likely to be food insecure
In Montana, 8.2% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Minnesota, that number is 6.7% as of 2021.
commute 3.9 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Montana takes 19.2 minutes as of 2023. In Minnesota, it takes 23.1 minutes as of 2023.
live among residents who are 1.6 years older on average
The median age in Montana is 40.2 years as of 2023. In Minnesota, the median age is 38.6 years as of 2023.
live in an area that is 9.3 times more densely populated
Montana has a population density of 3.0 people per sq km as of 2023. In Minnesota, that number is 27.9 people per sq km as of 2023.
The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: Feeding America, OECD Regional Demography, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
