Montana's Economy Is Better Than Most: Here's Why

According to a recent Wallet Hub article comparing the best states to live in, Montana ranked 15th overall. One metric, they used was our economy, where Montana ranks third. I reached out to Wallet Hub to find out more about the reasons for the ranking.

I spoke with Chip Lupo from Wallet Hub about their findings. He explained some of the economic metrics that were used in their report. There are a few places where Montana ranks very high, and that is enough for us to be ranked 3rd when it comes to economy. Chip said:

Montana finished first in unemployment. Other metrics are the share of the population living in poverty; and median debt per median earnings. Another area where Montana did very well is population growth ranked at 7.

There are a few places where Montana doesn't rank as high. When it comes to the "wealth gap" Montana ranked 19th. Our share of the "population in poverty" ranked us at 30. Where Montana ranked the lowest was in building permits, for both residential and commercial, coming in at 49 out of 50 (per capita).

Montana's Rankings Outside of Economy

Outside of the economy, there are areas where Montana ranks high and that helps make us one of the best states to live. Montana ranks number 1 for people over the age of 25 with a high school diploma. We also rank number 2 when it comes to the "quality of the public hospital system". We have some very good hospitals in Montana.

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Montana doesn't rank high when it comes to the amount of trails for biking, walking and out weather, but we do have low commute times. Chip pointed out that Montana's rankings line up with our neighbors, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, and North and South Dakota all are in the top twenty for best states to live.

These Are The Most Popular Restaurants In Montana

Montana is jam packed with some of the best food in the country. From fine dining to small, local joints - it's natural that a state with so many locally sourced foods would have such great restaurants.

Gallery Credit: mwolfe

The Top 11 Most Valuable Crops Grown In Montana

Montana is one of the most productive states in the country, with a diverse number of products that we export. Most are agricultural, but certainly not all of them. But the crops that are grown in our backyard add up to an amazing amount of money. Here, we'll count down the 11 most valuable crops that are grown in Montana, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation.

Gallery Credit: mwolfe