Uprootmap
Lewiston vs Missoula
Lewiston 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 Lewiston to Missoula
IRS migration on this site does not list a filed flow from Lewiston to Missoula above the cutoff in 2022-2023.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $1,009 in Lewiston and $1,210 in Missoula. Lewiston 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 91% in Lewiston.
Missoula averages 189 sunny days, with July highs around 88°F and January nights around 21°F. Lewiston is 194 sunny days, 92°F in July, 24°F in January. Commutes average 19 minutes in Missoula and 17 in Lewiston.
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.
Who already made this move
The IRS did not publish a large enough Lewiston → Missoula pair for 2022-2023. That usually means fewer than a few dozen tax returns, not that nobody moved.
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 Lewiston and Missoula changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.
What the move itself costs
About 166 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $1,700–$3,200
- Container or pod
- $1,150–$2,150
- Rent a truck
- $450–$800
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Dig into Missoula
Questions
Is Missoula cheaper than Lewiston after tax and rent?
No. Missoula leaves about $84 less a month, so the cost of living is higher there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $1,009 in Lewiston and $1,210 in Missoula.
Does Missoula have state income tax?
Missoula is in Montana, which taxes wage income.
Did people actually move from Lewiston 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.