Polson, MT Cost Of Living

The latest cost of living statistics for Polson. Includes statistics on rent, mortgages, healthcare, and other costs for Polson compared to the state and national averages.

Cost of living in Polson, Montana

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:

99 Cost of living index 1.0x lower vs US
#5 Cheapest in Montana (of 26)
#2,364 Cheapest in the U.S. (of 6,489)
$560,670 Median home value
$912 Median rent
$53,418 Median income
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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 99, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Montana, Polson has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Montana's index of 102.

The standard of living in Polson ranks as #5 most affordable out of the 26 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:

Polson Cost Of Living Vs. Montana

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

  • The Services index in Polson is 106.

  • The Groceries index in Polson is 105.

  • The Health index in Polson is 101.

  • The Housing index in Polson is 96.

  • The Transportation index in Polson is 103.

  • The Utilities index in Polson is 104.

Living Expense Polson Montana National Average
Overall 99 102 100
Services 106 104 100
Groceries 105 103 100
Health 101 101 100
Housing 96 99 100
Transportation 103 105 100
Utilities 104 100 100

Polson Cost Of Living Compared To Montana Averages

Services
Polson 106
Montana avg 104
Groceries
Polson 105
Montana avg 103
Health
Polson 101
Montana avg 101
Housing
Polson 96
Montana avg 99
Transportation
Polson 103
Montana avg 105
Utilities
Polson 104
Montana avg 100

Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.

For more reading on cost of living around Montana, check out:

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Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100

Polson, MT Housing Cost Breakdown

$560,670Median Home Value
$912Median Rent
$53,418Median Income

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 2020-2024. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Polson is $560,670.

  • The Median Rent in Polson is $912.

  • The Median Income in Polson is $53,418.

  • The Home Value To Income in Polson is 10.5x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Polson is 0.2x.

Statistic Polson Montana United States
Median Home Value $560,670 $466,916 $332,700
Median Rent $912 $1,081 $1,413
Median Income $53,418 $72,509 $80,734
Home Value To Income 10.5x 6.4x 4.1x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.2x 0.18x 0.21x

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

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

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 93, 0.9x Polson.

  • Evergreen, MT has a cost of living index of 106, 1.1x Polson.

  • Columbia Falls, MT has a cost of living index of 102, 1.0x Polson.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Polson
Forest Hill, TX 14,062 93 0.9x
Evergreen, MT 9,611 106 1.1x
Columbia Falls, MT 5,615 102 1.0x