Saco Montana Panorama 2 · I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby publish it under the following license: / CC BY-SA 3.0Saco Mercantile (2013) - Phillips County, Montana · Robstutz / CC BY-SA 3.0Saco Montana Panorama 1 · I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby publish it under the following license: / CC BY-SA 3.0Saco Montana Park · I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby publish it under the following license: / CC BY-SA 3.0
Saco is a small town of 162 in Montana, with a median household income of $48,000
and a 1.2% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 85 (US average = 100), which is
15% below the national average.
Strengths:
Saco stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (A-).
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Saco is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Saco 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: 85.2
Saco's overall cost of living index is 85.2,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Saco costs roughly 15% less than the average American city.
Metric
Saco, MT
National Avg
Median Home Value
$56,500
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$763
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
72.9%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$48,000
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Near National Average
Saco's violent crime rate is 784.0 per 100,000 residents
— 106% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
784.0 /100k
Property Crime
581.7 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Saco is served primarily by Saco Elem.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 6.2:1
(better than the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Saco, MT
National Avg
School District
Saco Elem
—
Elementary Schools
1
—
Middle Schools
1
—
High Schools
N/A
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
6.2:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
17.9%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
97.9%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Saco sees average highs of 25.6°F in January
and 82.8°F in July,
with 13.4 inches of annual precipitation
and 25.2 inches of snow per year.
Saco's cost of living index is 85, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Saco roughly 15% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $56,500 and median rent is $763/month.
Saco's violent crime rate is 784.0 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 581.7 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Saco are operated by Saco Elem.
The district has 1 elementary, 1 middle, and several high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 6.2:1. 17.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Saco, MT has a population of 162, a median household income of $48,000, and an unemployment rate of 1.2%.
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.
Saco averages 25.6°F in January and 82.8°F in July. Annual rainfall is 13.4 inches
with about 25.2 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Saco, MT is covered by 1 ZIP code: 59261.
The population of Saco, Montana is 162 with a median age of 27.0. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Saco: cost of living index 85 (100 = US average), median home $56,500, median household income $48,000, crime index 135 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Saco side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
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