Whitefish, MT Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Whitefish, MT Summary

Cost of living in Whitefish 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 Whitefish 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 Whitefish is 119, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Whitefish is 1.2x higher than the national average.

  • Whitefish ranks as the #23 cheapest in Montana out of 23.

  • Whitefish ranks as the #4,736 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Whitefish is $477,600.

  • The median income in Whitefish is $64,595.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
119
Whitefish's Overall Cost Of Living
1.2x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Whitefish, MT?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Whitefish has an overall cost of living index of 119, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Montana, Whitefish has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Montana's index of 103.

The standard of living in Whitefish ranks as #23 most affordable out of the 23 places we measured in Montana. By definition, that implies Whitefish ranks as the #0 most expensive place in the Treasure State.

For more reading on life in Whitefish, check out:

23 out of 23
In Montana
4,736 out of 6,412
In America

Whitefish Cost Of Living Vs. Montana

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

  • The Services index in Whitefish is 114.

  • The Groceries index in Whitefish is 102.

  • The Health index in Whitefish is 121.

  • The Housing index in Whitefish is 149.

  • The Transportation index in Whitefish is 109.

  • The Utilities index in Whitefish is 102.

Living Expense Whitefish Montana National Average
Overall 119 103 100
Services 114 102 100
Groceries 102 101 100
Health 121 98 100
Housing 149 107 100
Transportation 109 111 100
Utilities 102 89 100
For more reading on cost of living around Montana, check out:
Whitefish Cost of Living Vs. MT

Whitefish, 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 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Whitefish is $477,600.

  • The Median Rent in Whitefish is $991.

  • The Median Income in Whitefish is $64,595.

  • The Home Value To Income in Whitefish is 7.4x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Whitefish is 0.18x.

Statistic Whitefish Montana United States
Median Home Value $477,600 $263,700 $244,900
Median Rent $991 $886 $1,163
Median Income $64,595 $60,560 $69,021
Home Value To Income 7.4x 4.4x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.18x 0.18x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Whitefish, MT
$477,600
Median Home Value
$991
Median Rent
$64,595
Median Income

Whitefish, MT Costs By Category

Detailed Whitefish Services Costs Vs. Montana

Item Whitefish Montana
Shampoo $1.17 $1.06
Movie $13.73 $10.68
Bowling $17.07 $14.67
Haircut $21.08 $18.62
Beauty Salon $33.17 $39.05

Detailed Whitefish Groceries Costs Vs. Montana

Item Whitefish Montana
Ground Beef $4.02 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.36 $1.39
Milk $2.07 $2.05
Potatoes $2.82 $3.29
Pizza $11.89 $10.62
Beer $9.83 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.49 $2.34

Detailed Whitefish Health Costs Vs. Montana

Item Whitefish Montana
Optometrist $149.56 $108.57
Doctor $153.04 $116.17
Dentist $113.0 $99.13

Detailed Whitefish Transportation Costs Vs. Montana

Item Whitefish Montana
Gasoline $2.55 $2.22
Tire Balancing $49.64 $50.07

Detailed Whitefish Utilities Costs Vs. Montana

Item Whitefish Montana
All Electricity $163.0 $167.67
Phone $191.51 $175.64

Whitefish SnackAbility

8.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
7/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
4
Diversity
4
Safety
8
Amenities
8
Education
9
Commute
9.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Whitefish

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Whitefish. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Kalispell, MT has a cost of living index of 103, 0.9x Whitefish.

  • Evergreen, MT has a cost of living index of 94, 0.8x Whitefish.

  • Columbia Falls, MT has a cost of living index of 95, 0.8x Whitefish.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Whitefish
Kalispell, MT 24,260 103 0.9x
Evergreen, MT 7,988 94 0.8x
Columbia Falls, MT 5,304 95 0.8x

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