Butte uptown · WikiCapa (talk) (Uploads) / Public domainButte Mining Museum town (366057299) · Núria i JC from Vilanova i la Geltrú, Catalonia / CC BY-SA 2.0Silver Bow County Courthouse, Granite Street and Montana Street, Butte, MT - 53782167766 · w_lemay / CC BY-SA 2.0Butte Montana (15667252674) · Washington State Library from Tumwater, WA, USA / Public domain
Butte-Silver Bow is a small city of 34,638 in Montana, with a median household income of $56,522
and a 4.5% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 92 (US average = 100), which is
8% below the national average.
Strengths:
Butte-Silver Bow stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B-), short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Butte-Silver Bow is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Butte-Silver Bow city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 91.6
Butte-Silver Bow's overall cost of living index is 91.6,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Butte-Silver Bow costs roughly 8% less than the average American city.
Metric
Butte-Silver Bow, MT
National Avg
Median Home Value
$197,200
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$786
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
70.2%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$56,522
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Crime data for Butte-Silver Bow is not currently available from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. Not all local agencies report to the UCR each year.
Schools & Education
Butte-Silver Bow is served primarily by Butte Elem.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.9:1
(better than the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Butte-Silver Bow, MT
National Avg
School District
Butte Elem
—
Elementary Schools
6
—
Middle Schools
1
—
High Schools
N/A
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.9:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
27.8%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
93.5%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Butte-Silver Bow sees average highs of 32.1°F in January
and 81.3°F in July,
with 12.8 inches of annual precipitation
and 15.2 inches of snow per year.
Butte-Silver Bow's cost of living index is 92, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Butte-Silver Bow roughly 8% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $197,200 and median rent is $786/month.
Crime data for Butte-Silver Bow is not available in the current FBI UCR reporting year. Not all jurisdictions submit data annually.
Public schools in Butte-Silver Bow are operated by Butte Elem.
The district has 6 elementary, 1 middle, and several high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.9:1. 27.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Butte-Silver Bow, MT has a population of 34,638, a median household income of $56,522, and an unemployment rate of 4.5%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Butte-Silver Bow averages 32.1°F in January and 81.3°F in July. Annual rainfall is 12.8 inches
with about 15.2 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Butte-Silver Bow, MT is covered by 6 ZIP codes: 59701, 59727, 59750, 59759, 59748, 59743.
The population of Butte-Silver Bow, Montana is 34,638 with a median age of 40.2. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Butte-Silver Bow: cost of living index 92 (100 = US average), median home $197,200, median household income $56,522, schools rated B-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Butte-Silver Bow side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
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