Quality of life comparison
If you lived in North Dakota instead of Montana, you would:
Health
be 16.7% more likely to be obese
In Montana, 31.8% of adults are obese as of 2022. In North Dakota, that number is 37.1% of people as of 2022.
be 13.9% more likely to have diabetes
In Montana, 7.9% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In North Dakota, that number is 9.0% as of 2022.
Economy
make 49.7% more money
Montana has a GDP per capita of $52,945 as of 2024, while in North Dakota, the GDP per capita is $79,272 as of 2024.
be 32.4% less likely to be unemployed
In Montana, 3.7% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In North Dakota, that number is 2.5% as of 2025.
be 12.3% less likely to live below the poverty line
In Montana, 11.4% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In North Dakota, however, that number is 10.0% as of 2023.
Safety
be 40.1% 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 North Dakota, that number is 262 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 28.7% less for a home
The median home value in Montana is $338,100 as of 2023, compared to $241,100 in North Dakota as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 1.2 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Montana takes 19.2 minutes as of 2023. In North Dakota, it takes 18.0 minutes as of 2023.
be 20.0% less likely to be uninsured
In Montana, 8.0% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In North Dakota, that number is 6.4% as of 2023.
be 2.5 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 North Dakota, that number is 2.5% as of 2023.
be 35.4% less likely to be food insecure
In Montana, 8.2% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In North Dakota, that number is 5.3% as of 2021.
be 15.5% more likely to be physically inactive
In Montana, 20.7% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In North Dakota, that number is 23.9% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 4.5 years older on average
The median age in Montana is 40.2 years as of 2023. In North Dakota, the median age is 35.7 years as of 2023.
live in an area that is 46.7% more densely populated
Montana has a population density of 3.0 people per sq km as of 2023. In North Dakota, that number is 4.4 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 11.2% less 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 North Dakota, that number is 20.6% 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.
