Cost of living in Kalispell research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Kalispell is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Montana, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Kalispell is 109, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Kalispell is 1.1x higher than the national average.
Kalispell ranks as the #18 cheapest in Montana out of 25.
Kalispell ranks as the #3,556 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Kalispell is $549,043.
The median income in Kalispell is $61,590.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Kalispell has an overall cost of living index of 109, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Montana, Kalispell has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Montana's index of 101.
The standard of living in Kalispell ranks as #18 most affordable out of the 25 places we measured in Montana. By definition, that implies Kalispell ranks as the #7 most expensive place in the Treasure State.
For more reading on life in Kalispell, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Kalispell. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Kalispell is 101.
The Groceries index in Kalispell is 110.
The Health index in Kalispell is 110.
The Housing index in Kalispell is 117.
The Transportation index in Kalispell is 119.
The Utilities index in Kalispell is 99.
| Living Expense | Kalispell | Montana | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 109 | 101 | 100 | |
| Services | 101 | 104 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 110 | 102 | 100 | |
| Health | 110 | 99 | 100 | |
| Housing | 117 | 100 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 119 | 107 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 99 | 95 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Montana, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Kalispell is $549,043.
The Median Rent in Kalispell is $1,019.
The Median Income in Kalispell is $61,590.
The Home Value To Income in Kalispell is 8.9x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Kalispell is 0.2x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Kalispell. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Forest Hill, TX has a cost of living index of 95, 0.9x Kalispell.
Evergreen, MT has a cost of living index of 102, 0.9x Kalispell.
Whitefish, MT has a cost of living index of 133, 1.2x Kalispell.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Kalispell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forest Hill, TX | 13,923 | 95 | 0.9x |
| Evergreen, MT | 8,908 | 102 | 0.9x |
| Whitefish, MT | 8,422 | 133 | 1.2x |
| Columbia Falls, MT | 5,531 | 97 | 0.9x |