Find Jobs in the Best Places to Live in Montana

By Martina Mascali, Monster Contributor

Let us tempt you with the idea of finding a job in one of the best places to live in Montana. It’s a large but not overcrowded state with abundant open spaces, a solid and rapidly growing economy, very low unemployment rate and interesting job opportunities. Called “The Treasure State” because of its rich mineral reserves, in fact, it’s the only state with any significant production of gem-quality sapphires in the country. Montana is classified as a rural state due to most of its populated centers having fewer than 2,500 people. The median household income for these populations is $56,539 per year and the average housing value is $244,900.

A big blue sky, the impressive Glacier National Park, offering over one million acres of scenic beauty, and access to the world's first national park Yellowstone, are just three key reasons for nature lovers to make Montana their home. The cost of living in Montana is pretty reasonable compared to other parts of the country and goods and services in the state are less expensive than the nationwide average.

The top employment sectors in the best places to live in Montana include healthcare and education, leisure and hospitality, trade, and professional, scientific, and technical services. Many job opportunities are also available in the public sector and in the agriculture and food production industries.

Here are a few more interesting facts to compel you to find a job in one of the best places to live in Montana:

Considered by WalletHub one of the best 20 states to live in America and the fourth best state for doctors.
The whole state has more cattle than people and its producers won the Beef Quality Awards. Moreover, Northwest Montana has the largest concentration of grizzlies in the Lower 48 states.
It has the fifth largest population of Indigenous Americans in the country. .
Montana’s tax system is one of the best in the country.
Montana is the state with the most bookstores per capita.
It has been proclaimed one of the most beautiful states in the country, by multiple sources.

Now that you’ve learned the perks of living and working this great State overall, let’s look at the best places to live in Montana, along with their most profitable industries, popular jobs, average household income and more:

Billings

Ranked in among the top 10 in the Emerging Housing Market Index, Billings is the most populated town where to live in Montana and has the strongest and fastest growing economy. Fun activities you can enjoy in this town include the Billings Brew Trail, snowboarding and skiing at the Red Lodge Mountain, and visiting one of the many museums like the Western Heritage Center and the Yellowstone County Museum.

Billings is considered a regional hub for commerce, retail, business, healthcare, and education. Industries offering the most jobs in town are trade, transportation and utilities, education, health services, leisure and hospitality. The median house value in Billings is $233,700 and the average household income of its residents is $60,032 per year.

Browse all Billings, MT jobs on Monster.

Missoula

Known as the “Garden City” for its multitude of green spaces, Missoula is the artistic, musical, and cultural center of Montana and home to numerous creatives, artists, actors, musicians, and writers. There is a lot to do in this city all year round both indoors and outdoors. The McCormick Park, for example, has sports courts, fishing, access to the Currents Aquatics Center, and the MOBASH Skatepark.

At the Montana Museum of Art and Culture you can enjoy over 10,000 works of art, and at the Splash Montana waterpark you can cool off during the summer. Missoula can be considered one of the best places to live in Montana for families. The top three employment sectors in Missoula are education, healthcare, and retail, however there are also plenty of opportunities available in government, transportation, and finance. The median house value in Billings is $301,700 and the average household income of its residents is $50,947 per year.

Browse all Missoula, MT jobs on Monster.

Great Falls

Thanks to its numerous power plants and damns, Great Falls is also known as the "Electric City". Here you can enjoy hiking, kayaking and other outdoor adventures as well as art and cultural entertainment. Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center and First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park are musts to visit to find out more about the state’s heritage and history.

Like others in our list of best places to live in Montana, in Great Falls there is a high number of job opportunities in government. The Malmstrom Air Force Base alone employs approximately 4,000 people, with 12% being civilian employees. National brands employing people in Great Falls Cargill include Blue Cross Blue Shield and Centene but there are many companies here across different industries, with the strongest being healthcare and education, followed by trade and production. The median house value in Great Falls is $181,500 and the average household income of its residents is $49,809 per year.

Browse all Great Falls, MT jobs on Monster.

Bozeman

Bozeman is one of the best places to live in Montana if you want all the conveniences of city living with a small-town feeling. It is located only 10 miles from Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport, which has the highest passenger count in the state. Bozeman is also home to Montana State University, which is one of the largest and best employers in town along with Bozeman Health, Bozeman School District, Simms Fishing Products, and tech companies like Oracle Corporation and onX.

Bozeman’s strongest industries are manufacturing and professional services. Thriving sectors also include healthcare, construction, and tourism. If you choose to build a career here you can expect to pay around the median house value of $412,500 and earn an average household income of $59,695 per year.

Browse all Bozeman, MT jobs on Monster.