Uprootmap
Boise vs Missoula
Boise and Missoula
Photo: ATOTHEJPiano / Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.
Other cities
So you know: homicide deaths in Missoula are under the US rate in this release, 3.2 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).
Why people look at Boise to Missoula
In 2022-2023, 41 households filed a move from Boise to Missoula (about 61 people, average adjusted gross income $62,878). 35 households went the other way. Source: IRS migration.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $1,383 in Boise and $1,210 in Missoula. Boise has a state tax on wages. Missoula has a state tax on wages. Local pay in Missoula is 86% of the national level for the same work, against 90% in Boise.
Missoula averages 189 sunny days, with July highs around 88°F and January nights around 21°F. Boise is 206 sunny days, 91°F in July, 25°F in January. Commutes average 19 minutes in Missoula and 21 in Boise.
These figures are projections built from available public data. Conditions change, and the numbers may not reflect current prices, taxes, or immigration rules. Check official sources before you make decisions.
+$227 / mo
Who already made this move
In 2022-2023, 41 households moved Boise → Missoula (about 61 people, average AGI $62,878). 35 households went the other way.
Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.
The monthly number is take-home pay minus rent and the other bills. The gap between Boise and Missoula changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.
What the move itself costs
About 354 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $1,900–$3,600
- Container or pod
- $1,300–$2,450
- Rent a truck
- $550–$1,050
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Dig into Missoula
Questions
Is Missoula cheaper than Boise after tax and rent?
Yes. Missoula leaves about $227 more a month, so the cost of living is lower there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $1,383 in Boise and $1,210 in Missoula.
Does Missoula have state income tax?
Missoula is in Montana, which taxes wage income.
Did people actually move from Boise to Missoula?
Yes, when the IRS published that flow. The count and their average income are on this page. Leftover prices the same household in both cities.