There are more dangerous things in Montana than grizzly bears, frigid temperatures in Havre, and rodeos in Kalispell on a Friday night.
Big Sky Country has its fair share of dangerous cities.
How did we determine Montana’s dangerous cities? We used Saturday Night Science to analyze the FBI’s latest crime report for violent and property crime rates for the 32 cities with over 2,000 residents.
The areas surrounding Montana’s largest cities, Billings and Missoula, have seen an increase in crime over the years. But, to be fair, the Treasure State has pockets of dangerous places across the state.
1,032 violent crimes /100k · 4,660 property crimes /100k · #1 most violent in Montana
You’ve heard the expression “good things come in small packages?” Well, it can go the other way as well. Just look at Cut Bank, Montana. It’s a town of 3,004 people that still tops the list of the state’s most dangerous places.
Located about 30 miles south of the Canadian border, Cut Bank gets its name from a nearby gorge. However, the designation could suggest something a little darker: the violent nature of town. In an area with just a few thousand people people, Cut Bank suffered 31 violent crimes (including 4 rapes). That’s a violent crime rate of 1,032/100k, the highest rate in the state.
Cut Bank is a little better when it comes to property crime. The town reported 140 property crimes during the year, or a rate of 4,660/100k. That pace puts it at highest on the state’s list for property crime.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
988 violent crimes /100k · 3,120 property crimes /100k · #2 most violent in Montana
Situated in the northwestern corner of Montana, Polson is located within the Flathead Indian Reservation. Unfortunately, life in this relatively small town (population: 5,770) comes with its challenges. It ranks as the 2 most dangerous place in Montana, suffering 180 property crimes and 57 violent crimes over the course of the year.
In raw numbers, those might not seem particularly scary. But it’s important to put those figures into perspective. Putting it in terms of population, Polson has per-capita rate of violent crime of 988/100k. That’s about the same as Great Falls, Montana, a city with about 11 times more people.
Looking at property crimes, the rate comes in at 3,120/100k. This gives Polson the sixth highest pace in Montana.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
597 violent crimes /100k · 3,629 property crimes /100k · #6 most violent in Montana
Located in
Missoula County, MontanaHaving a population of 78,911 might not seem like much compared to places like New York City and San Francisco. But, for Montana, that number allows Missoula to rank among the biggest cities in the state. That size comes with a dark side, though. Missoula also holds the dubious distinction of being one of the murder capitals of Montana.
The city reported 2 murders over a year, out of 471 violent crimes for the 12-month period. In a small-population state, where everyone’s spread out over a huge area, this ranks as the most killings for any municipality. Missoula also suffered 84 rapes during the year.
In addition to this violent streak, Missoula has a significant problem with property crime. The city saw 2,864 such occurrences during the year, ranking third highest ing burglaries and seventh highest in car thefts. In terms of rate, Missoula had a per-capita pace of property crimes of 3,629/100k – the second highest pace in Montana.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
746 violent crimes /100k · 3,083 property crimes /100k · #3 most violent in Montana
Located in
Yellowstone County, MontanaBuilt along the Yellowstone River in the south-central part of Montana, Billings represents a key urban area in an otherwise predominantly rural area. Beside the gorgeous natural vistas you can appreciate just outside of town, the community itself features loads of cultural attractions, like the Yellowstone Art Museum or the Western Heritage Center.
However, like any urban area, Billings attracts its share of bad characters. As a result, this ranks as the number 4 most dangerous spot in Montana. Property crime represents a major problem, with high rates of burglary, robbery, and car thefts. The city of 122,105 residents also faced 9 murders last year.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
543 violent crimes /100k · 3,605 property crimes /100k · #10 most violent in Montana
Located in
Yellowstone County, MontanaLaurel, located in Yellowstone County, Montana, ranks as the fifth most dangerous place to live in the state for 2026. This ranking is based on crime statistics, including property and violent crime rates. With a population of 7,185 people, Laurel reported 39 cases of violent crime. The property crime rate was also significant, with 259 reported cases, including several burglaries.
Despite these concerning statistics, it’s important to note that with collective effort, things can improve. Situated in the Yellowstone Valley as an east-west terminal division point of the Burlington-Northern Railroad, Laurel has historical significance as a transportation hub. It is home to a Cenex Harvest States oil refinery and Montana Rail Link’s Laurel Yard, making it a vital part of the Billings Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
579 violent crimes /100k · 3,291 property crimes /100k · #8 most violent in Montana
Located in
Hill County, MontanaDespite being located in bowels of the far west, built along the Milk River in north-central Montana, Havre gets its name from a spot in France, the port city of Le Havre. Ooo la la. But don’t worry: this Havre has its share of old-fashioned American grit, booming as a railroad town around the turn of the 20th century. (The French connection comes from its close proximity to Canada and the fact that one of its early town leaders came from Quebec.)
Maybe to prove its still got that Wild West spirit, despite its European name, Havre struggles a crime problem. This includes both high rates of property crime and violence. This town of 9,328 residents reported 39 assaults last year.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
574 violent crimes /100k · 3,426 property crimes /100k · #9 most violent in Montana
Located in
Cascade County, MontanaHistorically an important industrial and transportation center in the state, Great Falls boasts the 3rd highest population in Montana, with 60,414 residents. Unfortunately, a large population (a large population for Montana, anyway) often comes with some downsides. In this case, residents of Great Falls have to contend with the fourth highest rate of property crime in the state.
The city reported 2,070 property crimes over the course of a year. Putting that into perspective, it equates to a per-capita pace of 3,426/100k. With this epidemic of property crime, Great Falls also ranks fifth highest in the state in overall crime, with a pace of 4,001/100k.
One bright(ish) spot: Great Falls is a little better when it comes to violent crime. While it did have 347 of those during the year. As a result, it ranked only ninth highest in the state in its violent-crime rate.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
535 violent crimes /100k · 2,720 property crimes /100k · #11 most violent in Montana
Part of the Flathead Indian Reservation in the northwest section of Montana, Ronan sports a population of just 2,243 people. However, on a per-capita basis, it ranks as one of the most dangerous spots in the state, coming in at 11th highest on that unfortunate list.
During the course of a year, the residents of Ronan suffered 61 property crimes. That equates to a rate of 2,720/100k – enough to put it at eighth highest in Montana.
The true danger in Ronan comes as a result of violence. The small town saw 12violent crimes during the year. Comparing that to the total population, and you get a per-capita pace of 535/100k, enough to rank 11th highest in the state as a whole. Aggravated assaults made up most of the violent crimes in the area.
644 violent crimes /100k · 1,208 property crimes /100k · #5 most violent in Montana
Located in
Fergus County, MontanaLewistown is a city in and the county seat of Fergus County, Montana, United States. The population was 5,901 at the 2010 census. Lewistown is located in central Montana, the geographic center of the state, southeast of Great Falls. First planned in 1882, it was the site of an 1880s gold rush.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
514 violent crimes /100k · 2,582 property crimes /100k · #12 most violent in Montana
Located in
Lewis and Clark County, MontanaEvery elementary-school student can name Helena as the political capital of Montana. Sadly, it’s also the state’s capital of something else: rape. The city of 35,238 people (the 5th highest population in the state) reported 41 rapes during the year. That’s one for every 859.5 inhabitants – by far the highest rate in the Big Sky state.
Total violent crimes reached 181 during the year, putting Helena 12th highest in the state in that category. The city also suffered 910 property crimes over the course of 12 months. That pace projects to a figure of about 2,582/100k – the ninth highest rate in Montana.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Montana’s statewide median.
On the map
Where crime hits hardest in Montana
Saturday Night Science
How we determined the most dangerous cities in Montana for 2026?
Every year the FBI release two crime datasets on cities in Montana. First a preliminary dataset limited to the biggest cities in Montana, followed by a more detailed release at the end of the year.
For our analysis, we focused on the 2024 data, specifically the 2024 Crime In The United States Report for Montana.
So what criteria did we use? Have a look:
- Violent Crimes Per Capita
- Property Crimes Per Capita
In order to make the analysis as apples to apples as possible, we only considered Montana cities over 2,000 in population. That left us with 32 cities in Montana.
We then ranked each city from 1 to 32 for the two criteria with a #1 ranking being the most dangerous for the particular criteria.
Next, we averaged the two rankings into one “Dangerous Index”.
Finally, we ranked every city on the “Dangerous Index” with the lowest index being the most dangerous in Montana — Cut Bank. Any ties went to the smaller city.
This article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment. It is our eleventh time ranking the most dangerous places to live in Montana and is updated for 2026.
The full plate
Crime By City In Montana
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Dangerous Index | Population | Total Crimes Per 100K | Violent Crimes Per 100K | Property Crimes Per 100K | Murders |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cut Bank | 1.00 | 3,004 | 5,692 | 1,032 | 4,660 | 1 |
| 2 | Polson | 4.00 | 5,770 | 4,107 | 988 | 3,120 | 1 |
| 3 | Missoula | 4.00 | 78,911 | 4,226 | 597 | 3,629 | 2 |
| 4 | Billings | 5.00 | 122,105 | 3,829 | 746 | 3,083 | 9 |
| 5 | Laurel | 6.50 | 7,185 | 4,148 | 543 | 3,605 | 0 |
| 6 | Havre | 6.50 | 9,328 | 3,870 | 579 | 3,291 | 0 |
| 7 | Great Falls | 6.50 | 60,414 | 4,001 | 574 | 3,426 | 0 |
| 8 | Ronan City | 9.50 | 2,243 | 3,255 | 535 | 2,720 | 0 |
| 9 | Lewistown | 10.50 | 6,210 | 1,852 | 644 | 1,208 | 0 |
| 10 | Helena | 10.50 | 35,238 | 3,096 | 514 | 2,582 | 1 |
| 11 | Livingston | 11.00 | 9,057 | 1,921 | 596 | 1,325 | 0 |
| 12 | Glendive | 12.00 | 4,774 | 1,592 | 670 | 922 | 0 |
| 13 | Bozeman | 14.50 | 58,509 | 2,189 | 434 | 1,755 | 0 |
| 14 | Hamilton | 15.00 | 5,463 | 2,691 | 329 | 2,361 | 0 |
| 15 | Glasgow | 15.50 | 3,175 | 1,606 | 504 | 1,102 | 0 |
| 16 | Kalispell | 16.50 | 31,754 | 2,519 | 293 | 2,226 | 0 |
| 17 | Belgrade | 18.00 | 13,184 | 1,494 | 341 | 1,153 | 1 |
| 18 | Columbia Falls | 18.50 | 5,838 | 1,867 | 274 | 1,593 | 0 |
| 19 | Deer Lodge | 19.00 | 3,032 | 1,220 | 462 | 759 | 0 |
| 20 | East Helena | 21.00 | 2,206 | 1,813 | 136 | 1,677 | 0 |
| 21 | Sidney | 21.00 | 6,031 | 1,161 | 464 | 696 | 0 |
| 22 | Wolf Point | 21.50 | 2,479 | 968 | 484 | 484 | 0 |
| 23 | Miles City | 23.00 | 8,464 | 1,052 | 307 | 744 | 0 |
| 24 | Manhattan | 23.50 | 2,115 | 993 | 189 | 804 | 0 |
| 25 | Dillon | 24.50 | 4,278 | 771 | 421 | 351 | 0 |
| 26 | Whitefish | 24.50 | 9,648 | 1,213 | 124 | 1,088 | 0 |
| 27 | Conrad | 25.00 | 2,434 | 986 | 247 | 740 | 1 |
| 28 | Libby | 25.50 | 3,306 | 907 | 151 | 756 | 0 |
| 29 | Hardin | 26.50 | 3,677 | 843 | 190 | 653 | 0 |
| 30 | Stevensville | 27.50 | 2,278 | 790 | 44 | 746 | 0 |
| 31 | Red Lodge | 28.50 | 2,736 | 585 | 183 | 402 | 0 |
| 32 | Colstrip | 32.00 | 2,044 | 98 | 0 | 98 | 0 |
Source: FBI UCR 2024. 32 cities with more than 2,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: Locking It All Up In Montana
So what is the most dangerous city in Montana? After analyzing 32 cities in Montana, Cut Bank takes the top spot as the most dangerous city in Montana based on the most recently reported FBI data — 2024.
The latest FBI crime data shows that Cut Bank ranks as the most dangerous city in Montana for 2026.
The most dangerous cities in Montana are Cut Bank, Polson, Missoula, Billings, Laurel, Havre, Great Falls, Ronan City, Lewistown, and Helena.
We want to point out again that there’s still safes places in Cut Bank and that this isn’t a comment on the people that live there. So please don’t beat us up. Not sold on Montana? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
Questions and answers
Most Dangerous Places To Live In Montana FAQs
Is Montana a dangerous state?
Yes, Montana is a dangerous state as it ranks as the #12 most dangerous state in the United States based on our analysis of the latest FBI Crime Data. The violent crime rate in Montana ranks 11th most dangerous in the United States — 27.05% worse than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the Treasure State ranks 22nd most dangerous in the United States — 8.51% worse than US average property crime rate. The latest reporting year from the FBI was 2022.
Is Billings, MT a dangerous city?
Yes, Billings is a dangerous city. Billings ranks as the #37 most dangerous out of 328 major cities over 100,000 people in the United States based on our analysis of the latest FBI Crime Data. Keep in mind that are always safe and dangerous parts of any city, so even though Billings might be considered dangerous you still need to be aware of where you are.
Compared to other big cities, the violent crime rate in Billings ranks 48th highest in America — 67.84% worse than US average violent crime rate. The property crime rate in the ranks 38th highest in the United States — 58.19% worse than US average property crime rate. Note the latest reporting year from the FBI was 2022 and that no city in America is ‘dangerous’. Despite the uptick in murders, it’s nothing like you’d see in Tijuana or Caracas where the murder rate is 2x any American city.
