In this article, we will explore some of the most liberal cities in Montana, where progressive ideas and inclusive attitudes flourish.
If you’re looking to move to Montana and want to know where the majority of Montanans lean left, you’ve come to the right place.
Specifically, we wanted to know which cities have the highest number of liberal voters in the Treasure State.
To do so, we analyzed how the people in each city in Montana with a population greater than 5,000 voted during the last presidential election. The cities with the highest percentage of voters who voted Democrat were named the most liberal cities in the state.
60.6% Democrat vote · #1 most liberal in Montana
Located in
Missoula County, MontanaMissoula is a city in the U.S. state of Montana and is the county seat of Missoula County. It is located along the Clark Fork River near its confluences with the Bitterroot and Blackfoot Rivers in western Montana and at the convergence of five mountain ranges, thus is often described as the “hub of five valleys”. In 2016, the United States Census Bureau estimated the city’s population at 72,364 and the population of the Missoula Metropolitan Area at 116,130. In the 1990s, Missoula overtook GreatFalls as Montana-s secondlargest city, behind Billings. Missoula is home to the University of Montana, a public research university.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
55.7% Democrat vote · #2 most liberal in Montana
52.4% Democrat vote · #3 most liberal in Montana
Deer Lodge County is a county in the U.S. state of Montana. As of the 2010 census, the population was 9,298. It forms a consolidated city-county government with its county seat of Anaconda. The county was founded in 1865.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
52.2% Democrat vote · #4 most liberal in Montana
Located in
Gallatin County, MontanaBozeman is a city in and the seat of Gallatin County, Montana, United States. Located in southwest Montana, the 2010 census put Bozeman’s population at 37,280 and by 2016 the population rose to 45,250, making it the fourth largest city in Montana. It is the principal city of the Bozeman, MT Micropolitan Statistical Area, consisting of all of Gallatin County with a population of 97,304. It is the largest Micropolitan Statistical Area in Montana and is the third largest of all of Montana-s statistical areas.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
52.2% Democrat vote · #4 most liberal in Montana
Located in
Gallatin County, MontanaData | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
46.7% Democrat vote · #6 most liberal in Montana
Located in
Lewis and Clark County, MontanaHelena is the state capital of the U.S. state of Montana and the county seat of Lewis and Clark County.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
45.7% Democrat vote · #7 most liberal in Montana
Located in
Park County, MontanaLivingston is a city and the county seat of Park County, Montana, United States. Livingston is located in southwestern Montana, on the Yellowstone River, north of Yellowstone National Park. The population was 7,044 at the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
41.6% Democrat vote · #8 most liberal in Montana
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
41.5% Democrat vote · #9 most liberal in Montana
Located in
Hill County, MontanaHavre is the county seat and largest town in Hill County, Montana, in the United States. It is said to be named after the city of Le Havre in France. As of the 2010 census the population was 9,310, and in 2016 the estimated population was 9,846.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
38.8% Democrat vote · #10 most liberal in Montana
Located in
Cascade County, MontanaGreat Falls is a city in and the county seat of Cascade County, Montana, United States. The 2015 census estimate put the population at 59,638. The population was 58,505 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Great Falls, Montana Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Cascade County and has a population of 82,278. Great Falls was the largest city in Montana from 1950 to 1970, when Billings surpassed it. Great Falls remained the second largest city in Montana until 2000, when it was passed by Missoula. Since then Great Falls has been the third largest city in the state.
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
Mapping the liberal strongholds in Montana
Saturday Night Science
How we determined the most liberal cities in Montana for 2026
To find the most liberal places in Montana, we used Saturday Night Science – the argument you’d make at a bar – to find the cities with the most liberals.
We started by making a list of every city in Montana over 5,000 people based on the 2020-2024 American Community Survey. That left us with 19 cities and towns.
We then measured the voting record and MIT election data to determine which places lean the most leftward in their allegiances by:
- Percentage Of Votes For Democratic President In 2020
Because no voting data exists at the city level, we used county-level election results from the 2020 election. We assigned every city in a county the percentage of votes that went to the Democrats, effectively extending the county’s results to the city level. In cases where larger cities encompassed an entire county, the election outcomes accurately reflected the city’s political landscape.
The winner, Missoula, is “The Most liberal City in Montana For 2026”. The most conservative place in Montana was Sidney.
We updated this article for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking the most liberal places to live in Montana.
The full plate
Most Liberal Places In Montana
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Population | % Liberal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Missoula | 76,514 | 60.6% |
| 2 | Akaska | 35,052 | 55.7% |
| 3 | Anaconda-Deer Lodge County | 9,597 | 52.4% |
| 4 | Bozeman | 56,114 | 52.2% |
| 4 | Belgrade | 11,872 | 52.2% |
| 6 | Helena | 33,639 | 46.7% |
| 7 | Livingston | 8,780 | 45.7% |
| 8 | Polson | 5,428 | 41.6% |
| 9 | Havre | 9,258 | 41.5% |
| 10 | Great Falls | 60,329 | 38.8% |
| 11 | Billings | 119,434 | 36.6% |
| 11 | Laurel | 7,215 | 36.6% |
| 14 | Kalispell | 28,504 | 33.8% |
| 14 | Whitefish | 8,749 | 33.8% |
| 14 | Columbia Falls | 5,615 | 33.8% |
| 16 | Hamilton | 5,101 | 30.7% |
| 17 | Miles City | 8,407 | 25.8% |
| 18 | Lewistown | 6,087 | 23.0% |
| 19 | Sidney | 6,171 | 15.1% |
Source: county-level 2020 election results, U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024. 19 cities with more than 5,000 residents.
Summary
Summing Up The Liberal Snowflakes in Montana
Well, there you have it, the places in Montana that have the highest number of liberals per capita, with Missoula ranking as the least conservative in the entire state.
The most liberal cities in Montana are Missoula, Akaska , Anaconda-Deer Lodge County, Bozeman, Belgrade, Helena, Livingston, Polson, Havre, and Great Falls.
If you’re curious, here are the least liberal cities in Montana. Not sold on Montana? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
