Is being in an area of Montana that’s growing quickly a good thing or a bad thing?
Depends on who you ask.
Some want bigger, more exciting cities like Billings and Missoula, while others want peace and quiet like in Glendive and Polson, thank you very much.
But today, we’re going to put opinions aside and look at the cold, hard facts — since 2010, which cities in Montana have grown the fastest.
After getting knee-deep in the Census’s American Community Survey using Saturday Night Science, we emerged with this set of cities in the Treasure State that have people climbing over each other to get in.
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Montana For 2023
What’s the fastest growing city in Montana for 2023? Based on the most recent ACS data, Belgrade ranks as the fastest-growing city in Montana. If you happen to be a resident of Belgrade, you’re probably not surprised to find it on our list.
If you’re surprised — and you’re wondering why these places are a big deal — keep reading. We’ll tell you what makes each of these 10 places in Montana grow like weeds.
For more Montana state reading:
- Best Places To Live In The United States
- Fastest Growing States In The United States
- Best Places To Live In Montana
- Cheapest Places To Live In Montana
- Most Dangerous Cities In Montana
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Montana For 2023
1. Belgrade
/10
Population: 10,555
Rank Last Year: 3 (Up 2)
Population 2010: 7,281
Percent Growth 45.0%
Absolute Growth: 3,274
More on Belgrade: Real Estate | Data | Crime Report | Cost Of Living
2. Bozeman
/10
Population: 51,574
Rank Last Year: 1 (Down 1)
Population 2010: 36,440
Percent Growth 41.5%
Absolute Growth: 15,134
More on Bozeman: Real Estate | Data | Crime Report | Cost Of Living
3. Kalispell
/10
Population: 24,260
Rank Last Year: 5 (Up 2)
Population 2010: 19,298
Percent Growth 25.7%
Absolute Growth: 4,962
More on Kalispell: Real Estate | Data | Crime Report | Cost Of Living
4. Sidney
/10
Population: 6,240
Rank Last Year: 4 (No Change)
Population 2010: 5,052
Percent Growth 23.5%
Absolute Growth: 1,188
More on Sidney: Real Estate | Data | Crime Report | Cost Of Living
5. Whitefish
/10
Population: 7,783
Rank Last Year: 2 (Down 3)
Population 2010: 6,352
Percent Growth 22.5%
Absolute Growth: 1,431
More on Whitefish: Real Estate | Data | Crime Report | Cost Of Living
6. Helena
/10
Population: 32,060
Rank Last Year: 7 (Up 1)
Population 2010: 27,672
Percent Growth 15.9%
Absolute Growth: 4,388
More on Helena: Real Estate | Data | Crime Report | Cost Of Living
7. Polson
/10
Population: 5,161
Rank Last Year: 9 (Up 2)
Population 2010: 4,468
Percent Growth 15.5%
Absolute Growth: 693
More on Polson: Real Estate | Data | Crime Report | Cost Of Living
8. Columbia Falls
/10
Population: 5,304
Rank Last Year: 6 (Down 2)
Population 2010: 4,626
Percent Growth 14.7%
Absolute Growth: 678
More on Columbia Falls: Real Estate | Data | Crime Report | Cost Of Living
9. Livingston
/10
Population: 8,110
Rank Last Year: 10 (Up 1)
Population 2010: 7,094
Percent Growth 14.3%
Absolute Growth: 1,016
More on Livingston: Real Estate | Data | Crime Report | Cost Of Living
10. Billings
/10
Population: 115,689
Rank Last Year: 11 (Up 1)
Population 2010: 101,549
Percent Growth 13.9%
Absolute Growth: 14,140
More on Billings: Real Estate | Data | Crime Report | Cost Of Living
Methodology: How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Treasure State for 2023
To figure out which cities are growing the most, we used Saturday Night Science to look at the growth rates for cities since the beginning of the decade, according to the American Community Survey put out by the census every year. Specifically:
- Current Population
- Population in 2010
- Growth rate from 2010 to Current (The latest available data which came out in Dec 2021)
We ranked all 18 Montana cities with a population over 4,000 people from highest growth rate to lowest.
The city with the highest growth rate during this time was crowned the fastest-growing city in the Treasure State.
And for those of you who are a little rusty with their statistics, you can calculate the growth rate by the following formula:
[Current Population – Population 2010] / [Population 2010]
The data has been updated for 2023. This report is our tenth time ranking the fastest growing cities in Montana.
Here’s a graph of the cities in Montana with the most significant percent increase in population:
Summary: These Places Grew Up So Fast In Montana, You Know?
So there you have it, the fastest growing cities in Montana are led by Belgrade which has been growing at a blistering pace this decade relative to other cities and towns around the state.
It’ll be interesting to see if these places can keep growing at the same rate over the next couple of years. We’ll be here to let you know!
These places have been growing (or shrinking) the slowest (fastest):
- Lewistown
- Glendive
- Anaconda-Deer Lodge County
For more Montana reading, check out:
Detailed List Of Fastest Growing Places In Montana For 2023
| Rank | City | Growth |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Belgrade | 45.0% |
| 2 | Bozeman | 41.5% |
| 3 | Kalispell | 25.7% |
| 4 | Sidney | 23.5% |
| 5 | Whitefish | 22.5% |
| 6 | Helena | 15.9% |
| 7 | Polson | 15.5% |
| 8 | Columbia Falls | 14.7% |
| 9 | Livingston | 14.3% |
| 10 | Billings | 13.9% |
