Cheyenne vs Missoula
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $333,700 in Cheyenne and $473,100 in Missoula.
- Households earn more in Cheyenne ($78,839 vs $70,392 median).
- Cheyenne has the warmer winter: January highs of 40°F vs 32°F.
- Cheyenne gets far more snow: 63 inches a year vs 43.
- Missoula is growing faster: +6.4% since 2020 vs +1.7%.
- Wyoming has no state income tax on wages; Montana's top rate is 5.65%.
Side by side
| Cheyenne, WY | Missoula, MT | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 66,507 | 78,903 |
| Growth since 2020 | +1.7% | +6.4% |
| People per square mile | 1,823 | 2,253 |
| Median age | 38.9 | 34.7 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34% | 53% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $78,839 | $70,392 |
| Median home value | $333,700 | $473,100 |
| Home value to income | 4.2× | 6.7× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,118 | $1,189 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 96.5 | 96.4 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 89.8 | 94.9 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $72,400 | $72,300 |
| Homeowners | 67% | 47% |
| Top state income tax | None | 5.65% |
| Combined sales tax | 5.39% | 0% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 16.0 | 15.8 |
| Work from home | 8% | 15% |
| Take public transit | 0% | 2% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 3.7% | 3.8% |
| Poverty rate | 8.7% | 11.8% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 40° / 18° | 32° / 18° |
| July high / low | 84° / 56° | 85° / 52° |
| Precipitation per year | 15 in | 14 in |
| Snowfall per year | 63 in | 43 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 15 | 27 |
| Nights below freezing | 170 | 173 |
| Comfortable months | 4 | 4 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Low | Relatively Low |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 76.7 | 77.0 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 75% | 82% |
| Home prices, past year | +5.2% | +0.4% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +37.7% | +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: Cheyenne: June to September. Missoula: June to September.
Full monthly tables: Cheyenne 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 $72,400 in Cheyenne and $72,300 in Missoula. Moving from Cheyenne to Missoula, you would need about $75,000 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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