Missoula vs Pasco
The short version
- Missoula is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 4% lower than in the Pasco area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $376,300 in Pasco and $473,100 in Missoula.
- Households earn more in Pasco ($85,586 vs $70,392 median).
- Pasco has the warmer winter: January highs of 41°F vs 32°F.
- Missoula gets far more snow: 43 inches a year vs 2.
- Pasco has more scorching days: 55 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 27.
- Commutes are shorter in Missoula (16 vs 23 minutes each way).
- Washington has no state income tax on wages; Montana's top rate is 5.65%.
Side by side
| Missoula, MT | Pasco, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 78,903 | 82,848 |
| Growth since 2020 | +6.4% | +7.1% |
| People per square mile | 2,253 | 2,126 |
| Median age | 34.7 | 30.3 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 53% | 21% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $70,392 | $85,586 |
| Median home value | $473,100 | $376,300 |
| Home value to income | 6.7× | 4.4× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,189 | $1,227 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 96.4 | 100.1 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 94.9 | 94.8 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $72,300 | $75,100 |
| Homeowners | 47% | 71% |
| Top state income tax | 5.65% | None |
| Combined sales tax | 0% | 9.57% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 15.8 | 22.5 |
| Work from home | 15% | 8% |
| Take public transit | 2% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 3.8% | 5.3% |
| Poverty rate | 11.8% | 12.6% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 32° / 18° | 41° / 28° |
| July high / low | 85° / 52° | 93° / 57° |
| Precipitation per year | 14 in | 8 in |
| Snowfall per year | 43 in | 2 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 27 | 55 |
| Nights below freezing | 173 | 112 |
| Comfortable months | 4 | 3 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Low | Relatively Low |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 77.0 | 72.5 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 82% | 79% |
| Home prices, past year | +0.4% | +1.9% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +45.9% | +33.2% |
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: Missoula: June to September. Pasco: May to June and September.
Full monthly tables: Missoula weather by month and Pasco weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $72,300 in Missoula and $75,100 in Pasco. Moving from Missoula to Pasco, you would need about $77,800 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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