This section is generated from cached city metrics and clearly labeled state-level benchmarks. It is meant to make the Columbia Falls page less generic and more useful for comparing housing, income, utilities, taxes, insurance, demographics, and nearby alternatives.
Affordability Summary
Population is 5,531, so Columbia Falls should be compared with similar-size places before using broader Montana averages. Median household income is $65,313, so the best affordability read for Columbia Falls is income versus housing, taxes, utilities, and insurance together.
Median home value is $346,700, so ownership costs in Columbia Falls should be checked with mortgage, property tax, insurance, and maintenance assumptions. Two-bedroom rent is $1,003/mo, so renters can compare Columbia Falls against ownership costs and nearby rental markets.
Housing and Income Context
For Columbia Falls, income sits in the middle range, making recurring bills worth watching. Home values sit in a moderate range where taxes and utilities still change the monthly math.
Use the home value, rent, and income fields together before deciding whether Columbia Falls looks more favorable for renting, buying, or comparing with Evergreen, MT.
Utility Cost Context
The residential electricity benchmark is $0.135/kWh, so Columbia Falls households should treat usage, home size, heating, and cooling as the practical bill drivers. The electricity value shown for Columbia Falls is a Montana state-level EIA benchmark, so it should not be read as a local provider tariff.
For Columbia Falls, utility planning is stronger when the electric benchmark is paired with home age, square footage, insulation, HVAC equipment, and household occupancy.
Property Tax Context
Median property tax paid is $2,601, so Columbia Falls buyers should still verify parcel-specific tax records before budgeting. Parcel boundaries, exemptions, school districts, and reassessment rules can move the actual bill for a Columbia Falls address.
Compare the property tax field with home value rather than reading it by itself; a lower tax bill can still pair with a different assessment base or exemption profile.
Insurance and Risk Context
Insurance costs in Columbia Falls depend on address-level factors such as roof condition, structure age, coverage limits, claims history, deductible choice, and carrier underwriting.
Home value, tax burden, and insurance exposure should be reviewed together for Columbia Falls, especially when comparing with Evergreen, MT.
Population and Demographics
Median age is 38.3, so Columbia Falls may have different school, commute, healthcare, and housing demand patterns than a statewide average. Bachelor+ share is 31.6%, so Columbia Falls education context can be useful when reading labor-market and school sections.
Unemployment is 3.5%, so Columbia Falls wage and job-market context should be compared with commute options and regional employment centers.
