California
CA • West
Quality of Life Score
50.49
State Comparison
California vs Montana
Montana is cheaper overall, while $100 goes further in Montana, California has higher incomes, Montana has lower state income tax, and California gets more sunshine.
California
13
/ 31
metrics won
Score
VS
Montana
18
/ 31
metrics won
MT wins Housing
MT wins Quality of Life
CA wins Climate
MT wins Income
Quality of Life
Composite score — income, affordability, education, health, and safety.
California
vs
Montana
winner
Montana scores higher on quality of life — 4.72 points difference.
Overview
Key differences overview
These cards keep the comparison factual first, so the biggest tradeoffs in affordability, housing, taxes, politics, climate, and day-to-day living are easy to scan.
Overall Affordability
Montana is 33.3 points cheaper overall
Montana has the lower cost-of-living index. Montana is at 105.2, while California is at 138.5.
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Real Dollar Value
$100 goes $14.84 further in Montana
After BEA price-level adjustments, $100 has about $107.15 of local buying power in Montana, versus $92.31 in California.
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Income
California income is 33.0% higher
California has the higher median household income at $84,097, compared with $63,249 in Montana.
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Jobs
California minimum wage is $5.95 higher
California has the higher statewide minimum wage at $16.50/hr, compared with $10.55/hr in Montana.
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Housing
California homes cost about 1.8x more
Montana has the lower median home value at $376,200, versus $693,700 in California.
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Taxes
Montana has lower state income tax
Montana has the lower state income tax rate. Its top rate is 6.75%, compared with 13.30% in California.
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What's Your Salary Really Worth?
Enter your gross income to see real purchasing power and the cost-of-living equivalent in both states.
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California
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (top rate 13.3%)
- —
- After state tax
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- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
- —
Montana
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (top rate 6.8%)
- —
- After state tax
- —
- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
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Cost-of-Living Equivalent
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* "After state tax" uses the top marginal rate — actual effective rate is lower for most incomes. Real buying power uses BEA Regional Price Parity (113.4 for California, 97.2 for Montana). COL equivalent uses the MERIC/C2ER composite index.
Tradeoffs
Pros and cons for each state
A fast scan of the biggest advantages and drawbacks pulled from affordability, housing, income, taxes, safety, health, education, jobs, and weather.
California
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: California
- California shows higher median income.
- California has lower property tax rates on average.
- California health access/outcomes proxy is higher.
- California health coverage access proxy is stronger.
- California education proxy is higher.
- California has more sunny days.
Cons
- California has a higher overall cost of living.
- California has a higher housing cost index.
- California has higher median home values.
- California has a higher violent crime rate.
- California job growth trend is weaker.
Montana
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: Montana
- Montana has a lower overall cost of living.
- Montana has a lower housing cost index.
- Montana has lower median home values.
- Montana has a lower violent crime rate.
- Montana job growth trend is stronger.
Cons
- Montana shows lower median income.
- Montana has higher property tax rates on average.
- Montana health access/outcomes proxy is lower.
- Montana health coverage access proxy is weaker.
- Montana education proxy is lower.
- Montana has fewer sunny days.
Full Comparison
Pick a category to focus on. General shows the most important facts at a glance.
| Metric |
CA
|
MT
|
|---|---|---|
|
Capital City
|
Sacramento | Helena |
|
State Color
|
Solid Blue | Solid Red |
|
Population
|
39,538,223
|
1,084,225
|
|
Median Income
|
$84,097
|
$63,249
|
|
Cost of Living
|
138.5
|
105.2
|
|
Median Housing Value
|
$693,700
|
$376,200
|
|
Property Tax
|
0.70%
|
0.72%
|
|
State Income Tax
|
13.30%
|
6.75%
|
|
Minimum Wage
|
$16.50/hr
|
$10.55/hr
|
|
Gas Price
|
$5.929/gal
|
$3.796/gal
|
|
Electricity Rates
|
30.29 c/kWh
|
12.86 c/kWh
|
|
Livability Score
|
50.49
|
55.21
|
|
Average Temperature
|
59.4°F
|
42.7°F
|
|
Sunny Days
|
146 days
|
82 days
|
|
Land Area
|
163,696 sq mi
|
147,040 sq mi
|
|
Population Density
|
241.5 per sq mi
|
7.4 per sq mi
|
|
Statehood
|
September 9, 1850 (#31)
|
November 8, 1889 (#41)
|
Intent-Oriented
Which state fits your priorities better?
Use these cards as decision shortcuts for common goals like saving money, buying a home, finding better weather, or optimizing for work and family life.
6
of
18
shown
Saving Money
Montana is cheaper overall
Overall cost-of-living index: 105.2 vs 138.5 in California. On a national baseline of 100, the lower score usually means cheaper day-to-day expenses.
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Gas Price
Montana is cheaper at the pump
Average regular gas price: $3.796/gal in Montana vs $5.929/gal in California. Lower pump prices can cut everyday driving costs.
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Minimum Wage
California has the higher minimum wage
State minimum wage: $16.50/hr in California vs $10.55/hr in Montana. That matters most for hourly, entry-level, and part-time workers.
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Electricity Rates
Montana has cheaper electricity
Average residential electricity rate: 12.86 c/kWh in Montana vs 30.29 c/kWh in California. Lower cents-per-kWh pricing can help keep utility bills down.
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Buying a Home
Montana is more attainable for buyers
Home-value-to-income ratio: 5.95x in Montana vs 8.25x in California. A lower ratio means the median home is easier to afford on a median income.
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Renting
Montana is easier for renters
Rent-to-income ratio: 18.5% in Montana vs 26.5% in California. A lower percentage means rent takes a smaller bite out of a typical household budget.
See full dataExplore by Category
Dive Deeper
Each link opens a full one-on-one breakdown for that metric — national rankings, charts, and context.
Population
California has a larger population than Montana by 38,453,998 people.
Population Density
California is more densely populated than Montana.
Bachelor's Degree
California has a higher college-educated share than Montana.
Advanced Degree
California has a higher advanced-degree share than Montana.
People Also Ask
California vs Montana - Common Questions
Q Is California cheaper to live in than Montana?
Montana has the lower cost of living. On the national index (100 = average), Montana scores 105.2 versus 138.5 for California - a gap of 33.3 points.
Q Where does $100 go further - California or Montana?
$100 goes further in Montana. After BEA regional price adjustments, $100 is worth about $107.15 in Montana, compared with $92.31 in California.
Q Which state is bigger - California or Montana?
California is larger, covering 163,696 sq mi compared with 147,040 sq mi for Montana - roughly 1.1x the size.
Q Does California or Montana have more people?
California has the larger population at 39,538,223, compared with 1,084,225 in Montana.
Q Which state has higher household income - California or Montana?
California has the higher median household income at $84,097, versus $63,249 in Montana.
Q Which state has lower income taxes - California or Montana?
Montana has the lower state income tax top rate at 6.75%, compared with 13.30% in California.
Q Is housing cheaper in California or Montana?
Homes are cheaper in Montana, where the median home value is $376,200, versus $693,700 in California.
Q Which state is more densely populated - California or Montana?
California is more densely populated at 241.5 per sq mi people per sq mi. Montana is more spread out at 7.4 per sq mi people per sq mi.
Related Comparisons
Methodology
All figures are sourced from U.S. government datasets and updated annually. Page last updated: April 2026.
Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files and statehood dates from the National Archives. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset; purchasing-power figures use BEA Regional Price Parities. Minimum wage data comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker. See our editorial policy for how we review and update these pages.