Great Falls, MT vs Helena, MT: cost of living compared
Price levels from BEA (2024); rent and home values from Zillow (September 2026).
The short answer
- Overall, Helena, MT is 1.2% less expensive than Great Falls, MT (BEA, 2024).
- To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Great Falls works out to about $74,100 in Helena, before taxes.
- Most of the difference is housing, which costs 7.2% less in Helena. Goods are 0.0% higher and other services 0.0% higher.
- Typical asking rent is $1,646 a month in Helena and $1,428 in Great Falls, $2,616 a year more in Helena (Zillow, September 2026).
- A typical home is valued at about $473,000 in Helena and $340,000 in Great Falls.
- The gap has narrowed since 2019, when Helena was 4.4% more expensive than Great Falls.
derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) and Zillow data. Based on an average household's spending; taxes not included. How we calculate.
Category by category
Both cities against the US average (100). The gap in each row is what matters for a move.
Housing drives the gap: 7.2% lower in Helena than in Great Falls
Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.
- Great Falls, MT
- Helena, MT
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Great Falls, MT | Helena, MT | |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 96.8 | 95.7 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 96.0 |
| Housing (rents) | 97.1 | 90.1 |
| Utilities | 73.0 | 72.6 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 98.7 |
| Category | Great Falls | Helena | Helena vs Great Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 96.8 | 95.7 | −1.2% |
| Goods | 96.0 | 96.0 | 0.0% |
| Housing (rents) | 97.1 | 90.1 | −7.2% |
| Utilities | 73.0 | 72.6 | −0.6% |
| Other services | 98.7 | 98.7 | 0.0% |
| Typical asking rent | $1,428 | $1,646 | +15.3% |
| Typical home value | $340,000 | $473,000 | +39.2% |
| Salary to match $75,000 in Great Falls | $75,000 | $74,100 | −1.2% |
Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Rent and home values: Data Provided by Zillow Group, September 2026.
How the gap has changed since 2008
The price gap between Great Falls and Helena has narrowed since 2008: 10.7 points then, 1.2 now
Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.
- Great Falls, MT
- Helena, MT
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Great Falls, MT | Helena, MT | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 85.3 | 96.0 |
| 2009 | 89.3 | 93.4 |
| 2010 | 85.0 | 92.5 |
| 2011 | 91.8 | 93.8 |
| 2012 | 92.3 | 92.0 |
| 2013 | 91.9 | 93.3 |
| 2014 | 92.1 | 95.8 |
| 2015 | 90.1 | 94.9 |
| 2016 | 88.0 | 95.6 |
| 2017 | 90.2 | 94.0 |
| 2018 | 91.8 | 90.5 |
| 2019 | 88.8 | 92.8 |
| 2020 | 87.0 | 92.0 |
| 2021 | 86.9 | 90.8 |
| 2022 | 91.2 | 90.5 |
| 2023 | 93.4 | 92.1 |
| 2024 | 96.8 | 95.7 |
Goods
- Great Falls, MT
- Helena, MT
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Great Falls, MT | Helena, MT | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 94.9 | 101.6 |
| 2009 | 100.7 | 99.3 |
| 2010 | 98.0 | 99.7 |
| 2011 | 99.4 | 99.7 |
| 2012 | 99.5 | 97.1 |
| 2013 | 98.1 | 95.3 |
| 2014 | 96.4 | 97.5 |
| 2015 | 95.9 | 103.1 |
| 2016 | 92.7 | 104.8 |
| 2017 | 98.7 | 102.9 |
| 2018 | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| 2019 | 98.9 | 98.9 |
| 2020 | 95.9 | 95.9 |
| 2021 | 96.8 | 96.8 |
| 2022 | 96.4 | 96.4 |
| 2023 | 96.5 | 96.5 |
| 2024 | 96.0 | 96.0 |
Housing (rents)
- Great Falls, MT
- Helena, MT
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Great Falls, MT | Helena, MT | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 38.9 | 76.6 |
| 2009 | 46.0 | 68.5 |
| 2010 | 40.1 | 72.5 |
| 2011 | 54.0 | 71.3 |
| 2012 | 59.8 | 67.1 |
| 2013 | 61.2 | 76.4 |
| 2014 | 60.7 | 84.4 |
| 2015 | 57.2 | 72.7 |
| 2016 | 53.7 | 79.6 |
| 2017 | 51.8 | 69.3 |
| 2018 | 73.8 | 66.9 |
| 2019 | 56.0 | 72.8 |
| 2020 | 54.1 | 76.0 |
| 2021 | 55.5 | 75.9 |
| 2022 | 77.8 | 73.8 |
| 2023 | 89.1 | 81.7 |
| 2024 | 97.1 | 90.1 |
Utilities
- Great Falls, MT
- Helena, MT
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Great Falls, MT | Helena, MT | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 80.4 | 75.8 |
| 2009 | 78.3 | 75.4 |
| 2010 | 85.1 | 79.2 |
| 2011 | 87.5 | 84.6 |
| 2012 | 89.4 | 83.1 |
| 2013 | 87.2 | 83.5 |
| 2014 | 89.4 | 82.4 |
| 2015 | 89.9 | 84.5 |
| 2016 | 86.2 | 86.9 |
| 2017 | 81.2 | 84.1 |
| 2018 | 76.1 | 77.2 |
| 2019 | 78.9 | 79.4 |
| 2020 | 79.2 | 79.5 |
| 2021 | 73.5 | 75.4 |
| 2022 | 72.9 | 72.9 |
| 2023 | 72.7 | 72.6 |
| 2024 | 73.0 | 72.6 |
Other services
- Great Falls, MT
- Helena, MT
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Great Falls, MT | Helena, MT | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 98.8 | 101.4 |
| 2009 | 101.3 | 99.3 |
| 2010 | 100.1 | 97.3 |
| 2011 | 102.9 | 98.7 |
| 2012 | 102.3 | 97.5 |
| 2013 | 100.7 | 99.4 |
| 2014 | 100.8 | 99.3 |
| 2015 | 100.1 | 99.2 |
| 2016 | 99.8 | 95.9 |
| 2017 | 100.2 | 99.0 |
| 2018 | 96.6 | 96.6 |
| 2019 | 97.3 | 97.3 |
| 2020 | 96.3 | 96.3 |
| 2021 | 92.5 | 92.5 |
| 2022 | 92.7 | 92.7 |
| 2023 | 93.6 | 93.6 |
| 2024 | 98.7 | 98.7 |
Rent and home values
Typical asking rent: $1,646 in Helena vs $1,428 in Great Falls
Typical asking rent for a new lease, dollars per month. Quarterly.
- Great Falls, MT
- Helena, MT
- United States
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (typical asking rent, all homes, smoothed), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| Great Falls, MT | Helena, MT | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | – | – | $1,145 |
| Jun 2015 | – | – | $1,170 |
| Sep 2015 | – | – | $1,181 |
| Dec 2015 | – | – | $1,182 |
| Mar 2016 | – | – | $1,195 |
| Jun 2016 | – | – | $1,219 |
| Sep 2016 | – | – | $1,225 |
| Dec 2016 | – | – | $1,222 |
| Mar 2017 | – | – | $1,245 |
| Jun 2017 | – | – | $1,270 |
| Sep 2017 | $823 | – | $1,276 |
| Dec 2017 | $814 | – | $1,275 |
| Mar 2018 | $826 | – | $1,296 |
| Jun 2018 | $832 | – | $1,320 |
| Sep 2018 | $842 | – | $1,327 |
| Dec 2018 | $823 | – | $1,329 |
| Mar 2019 | $836 | – | $1,349 |
| Jun 2019 | $857 | – | $1,376 |
| Sep 2019 | $862 | – | $1,383 |
| Dec 2019 | $857 | – | $1,381 |
| Mar 2020 | $861 | – | $1,402 |
| Jun 2020 | $890 | – | $1,406 |
| Sep 2020 | $907 | – | $1,410 |
| Dec 2020 | $906 | – | $1,407 |
| Mar 2021 | $934 | – | $1,443 |
| Jun 2021 | $992 | – | $1,512 |
| Sep 2021 | $1,058 | – | $1,590 |
| Dec 2021 | $1,039 | – | $1,622 |
| Mar 2022 | $1,114 | – | $1,661 |
| Jun 2022 | $1,151 | – | $1,721 |
| Sep 2022 | $1,207 | – | $1,748 |
| Dec 2022 | $1,265 | – | $1,735 |
| Mar 2023 | $1,238 | – | $1,757 |
| Jun 2023 | $1,221 | $1,443 | $1,785 |
| Sep 2023 | $1,247 | $1,439 | $1,797 |
| Dec 2023 | $1,224 | $1,442 | $1,786 |
| Mar 2024 | $1,254 | $1,462 | $1,807 |
| Jun 2024 | $1,288 | $1,544 | $1,837 |
| Sep 2024 | $1,336 | $1,530 | $1,845 |
| Dec 2024 | $1,314 | $1,523 | $1,836 |
| Mar 2025 | $1,341 | $1,555 | $1,860 |
| Jun 2025 | $1,357 | $1,584 | $1,880 |
| Sep 2025 | $1,373 | $1,592 | $1,881 |
| Dec 2025 | $1,367 | $1,560 | $1,873 |
| Mar 2026 | $1,390 | $1,581 | $1,894 |
| Jun 2026 | $1,429 | $1,613 | $1,921 |
| Sep 2026 | $1,428 | $1,646 | $1,932 |
Typical home value: $473,000 in Helena vs $340,000 in Great Falls
Typical home value, dollars. Quarterly.
- Great Falls, MT
- Helena, MT
- United States
Source: Zillow Home Value Index (typical home value, middle tier, smoothed, seasonally adjusted), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| Great Falls, MT | Helena, MT | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | $164K | $210K | $189K |
| Jun 2015 | $166K | $215K | $192K |
| Sep 2015 | $168K | $219K | $195K |
| Dec 2015 | $170K | $224K | $199K |
| Mar 2016 | $171K | $228K | $202K |
| Jun 2016 | $172K | $229K | $204K |
| Sep 2016 | $172K | $229K | $206K |
| Dec 2016 | $174K | $231K | $209K |
| Mar 2017 | $174K | $234K | $213K |
| Jun 2017 | $176K | $238K | $216K |
| Sep 2017 | $177K | $242K | $219K |
| Dec 2017 | $179K | $246K | $223K |
| Mar 2018 | $180K | $249K | $227K |
| Jun 2018 | $183K | $251K | $230K |
| Sep 2018 | $186K | $254K | $234K |
| Dec 2018 | $188K | $257K | $236K |
| Mar 2019 | $190K | $262K | $239K |
| Jun 2019 | $192K | $266K | $242K |
| Sep 2019 | $194K | $270K | $244K |
| Dec 2019 | $195K | $273K | $247K |
| Mar 2020 | $198K | $279K | $252K |
| Jun 2020 | $200K | $284K | $255K |
| Sep 2020 | $204K | $292K | $260K |
| Dec 2020 | $211K | $309K | $271K |
| Mar 2021 | $219K | $329K | $282K |
| Jun 2021 | $231K | $354K | $296K |
| Sep 2021 | $240K | $370K | $306K |
| Dec 2021 | $248K | $382K | $314K |
| Mar 2022 | $263K | $405K | $330K |
| Jun 2022 | $277K | $430K | $346K |
| Sep 2022 | $278K | $428K | $348K |
| Dec 2022 | $278K | $422K | $345K |
| Mar 2023 | $279K | $413K | $343K |
| Jun 2023 | $289K | $425K | $347K |
| Sep 2023 | $295K | $432K | $352K |
| Dec 2023 | $298K | $433K | $354K |
| Mar 2024 | $303K | $439K | $357K |
| Jun 2024 | $307K | $445K | $361K |
| Sep 2024 | $310K | $448K | $361K |
| Dec 2024 | $318K | $453K | $363K |
| Mar 2025 | $325K | $458K | $364K |
| Jun 2025 | $328K | $457K | $362K |
| Sep 2025 | $331K | $459K | $362K |
| Dec 2025 | $334K | $465K | $364K |
| Mar 2026 | $339K | $472K | $366K |
| Jun 2026 | $340K | $472K | $365K |
| Sep 2026 | $340K | $473K | $366K |
More about each city
What this comparison leaves out
- Taxes. State and local income, sales and property taxes can change the result a lot, especially between states.
- Neighborhoods. These are metro-wide averages; a city center and its outer suburbs can differ by more than two metros do.
- Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider above if rent is a bigger share of your budget.
- Timing. BEA price levels are for 2024; Zillow figures are monthly and newer.