Bozeman vs Flagstaff
The short version
- Flagstaff is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 2% lower than in the Bozeman area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $552,900 in Flagstaff and $687,900 in Bozeman.
- Households earn more in Bozeman ($85,747 vs $71,512 median).
- Flagstaff has the warmer winter: January highs of 43°F vs 34°F.
- Bozeman is growing faster: +9.7% since 2020 vs +0.5%.
Side by side
| Bozeman, MT | Flagstaff, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 58,814 | 77,260 |
| Growth since 2020 | +9.7% | +0.5% |
| People per square mile | 2,747 | 1,170 |
| Median age | 28.9 | 25.9 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 65% | 52% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $85,747 | $71,512 |
| Median home value | $687,900 | $552,900 |
| Home value to income | 8.0× | 7.7× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,717 | $1,645 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 102.5 | 100.3 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 139.2 | 109.0 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $76,900 | $75,200 |
| Homeowners | 45% | 42% |
| Top state income tax | 5.65% | 2.5% |
| Combined sales tax | 0% | 8.54% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 15.5 | 16.5 |
| Work from home | 16% | 13% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 2% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 3% | 5.7% |
| Poverty rate | 13.7% | 18.2% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 34° / 15° | 43° / 18° |
| July high / low | 82° / 52° | 82° / 51° |
| Precipitation per year | 20 in | 21 in |
| Snowfall per year | 91 in | 90 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 12 | 3 |
| Nights below freezing | 178 | 202 |
| Comfortable months | 4 | 4 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 81.0 | 94.2 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 98% | 70% |
| Home prices, past year | +4.1% | +2.9% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +42.3% | +46.7% |
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: Bozeman: June to September. Flagstaff: June to September.
Full monthly tables: Bozeman weather by month and Flagstaff weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $76,900 in Bozeman and $75,200 in Flagstaff. Moving from Bozeman to Flagstaff, you would need about $73,400 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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