Polson, MT Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Polson, MT Summary

Cost of living in Polson 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 Polson 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 Polson is 95, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Polson is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Polson ranks as the #4 cheapest in Montana out of 25.

  • Polson ranks as the #1,954 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Polson is $563,761.

  • The median income in Polson is $51,463.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
95
Polson's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Polson, MT?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Polson has an overall cost of living index of 95, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Montana, Polson has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Montana's index of 101.

The standard of living in Polson ranks as #4 most affordable out of the 25 places we measured in Montana. By definition, that implies Polson ranks as the #21 most expensive place in the Treasure State.

For more reading on life in Polson, check out:

4 out of 25
In Montana
1,954 out of 6,489
In America

Polson Cost Of Living Vs. Montana

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Polson. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Polson is 88.

  • The Groceries index in Polson is 101.

  • The Health index in Polson is 94.

  • The Housing index in Polson is 97.

  • The Transportation index in Polson is 102.

  • The Utilities index in Polson is 93.

Living Expense Polson Montana National Average
Overall 95 101 100
Services 88 104 100
Groceries 101 102 100
Health 94 99 100
Housing 97 100 100
Transportation 102 107 100
Utilities 93 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around Montana, check out:
Polson Cost of Living Vs. MT

Polson, MT Housing Cost Breakdown

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 Polson is $563,761.

  • The Median Rent in Polson is $921.

  • The Median Income in Polson is $51,463.

  • The Home Value To Income in Polson is 11.0x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Polson is 0.21x.

Statistic Polson Montana United States
Median Home Value $563,761 $460,050 $303,400
Median Rent $921 $1,031 $1,348
Median Income $51,463 $69,922 $78,538
Home Value To Income 11.0x 6.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.21x 0.18x 0.21x
$563,761
Median Home Value
$921
Median Rent
$51,463
Median Income

Polson, MT Costs By Category

Detailed Polson Services Costs Vs. Montana

Item Polson Montana
Shampoo $1.16 $1.28
Movie $12.99 $12.13
Bowling $16.78 $18
Haircut $15.71 $24.26
Beauty Salon $37.87 $45.56

Detailed Polson Groceries Costs Vs. Montana

Item Polson Montana
Ground Beef $6.31 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.59 $1.57
Milk $4.55 $4.67
Potatoes $4.61 $4.93
Pizza $12.03 $12.09
Beer $10.57 $10.41
Toothpaste $4.19 $3.7

Detailed Polson Health Costs Vs. Montana

Item Polson Montana
Optometrist $105.94 $125.68
Doctor $115.67 $135.78
Dentist $112.63 $113.29

Detailed Polson Transportation Costs Vs. Montana

Item Polson Montana
Gasoline $3.37 $3.46
Tire Balancing $69.17 $59.92

Detailed Polson Utilities Costs Vs. Montana

Item Polson Montana
All Electricity $176.82 $193.99
Phone $182.36 $192.25

Polson SnackAbility

5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
7
Affordability
4
Diversity
8.5
Safety
4
Amenities
7
Education
8.5
Commute
9.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Polson

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Polson. 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, 1.0x Polson.

  • Evergreen, MT has a cost of living index of 102, 1.1x Polson.

  • Columbia Falls, MT has a cost of living index of 97, 1.0x Polson.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Polson
Forest Hill, TX 13,923 95 1.0x
Evergreen, MT 8,908 102 1.1x
Columbia Falls, MT 5,531 97 1.0x

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