Ann Arbor vs Missoula
The short version
- Missoula is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 4% lower than in the Ann Arbor area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $453,400 in Ann Arbor and $473,100 in Missoula.
- Households earn more in Ann Arbor ($82,212 vs $70,392 median).
- Ann Arbor gets far more snow: 59 inches a year vs 43.
- Missoula is growing faster: +6.4% since 2020 vs -1.3%.
- Commutes are shorter in Missoula (16 vs 20 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Ann Arbor, MI | Missoula, MT | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 122,233 | 78,903 |
| Growth since 2020 | -1.3% | +6.4% |
| People per square mile | 4,306 | 2,253 |
| Median age | 27.7 | 34.7 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 78% | 53% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $82,212 | $70,392 |
| Median home value | $453,400 | $473,100 |
| Home value to income | 5.5× | 6.7× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,649 | $1,189 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 100.9 | 96.4 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 125.3 | 94.9 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $75,700 | $72,300 |
| Homeowners | 46% | 47% |
| Top state income tax | 4.25% | 5.65% |
| Combined sales tax | 6% | 0% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 20.0 | 15.8 |
| Work from home | 29% | 15% |
| Take public transit | 7% | 2% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 3.9% | 3.8% |
| Poverty rate | 23.8% | 11.8% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 32° / 15° | 32° / 18° |
| July high / low | 84° / 57° | 85° / 52° |
| Precipitation per year | 30 in | 14 in |
| Snowfall per year | 59 in | 43 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 11 | 27 |
| Nights below freezing | 150 | 173 |
| Comfortable months | 5 | 4 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Low |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 89.3 | 77.0 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 69% | 82% |
| Home prices, past year | +3.4% | +0.4% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +40.3% | +45.9% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Ann Arbor: May to September. Missoula: June to September.
Full monthly tables: Ann Arbor weather by month and Missoula weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $75,700 in Ann Arbor and $72,300 in Missoula. Moving from Ann Arbor to Missoula, you would need about $71,700 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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