Over the last few years, Montana has become one of those states of the has and has not.  As the wealthy continue to flock here, it's caused home prices to skyrocket, which in turn has caused a whole lot of hard-working Montanans to struggle to make ends meet.

I was recently talking to a friend of mine that's in the real estate business and he told me that 7 years ago they were selling 3 bed/2 bath homes for 250 to 300 thousand dollars and today that's what a small piece of land to build a home is going for.

Throw in the fact that the cost of everything has increased and it's easy to see why folks aren't as comfortable as they once were.

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Having said that, I was still taken aback when I ran across some information from Stacker talking about the poorest cities in Montana. For this study, a city is considered anything with a population of over 10 thousand people.

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According to Stacker's data, here is a look at the Top 5 Poorest Cities in Montana.

Helena

The state's capitol comes in 5th for the poorest city in Montana. Some of the factors include the fact that over 20 percent of those under 18 years old are living in poverty. Helena has a median income of just over 61 thousand dollars a year.

Great Falls

Great Falls is another city that has a high percentage of under 18 living in poverty.  While not as high as Helena, Great Falls still comes in at 18 percent in the category. On a positive note, home prices are still somewhat affordable, especially when compared to other cities on this list. Great Falls has a median income of just over 46 thousand dollars.

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Butte

The once thriving city of Butte has fallen some hard times in the last few decades, however, things are on the rise. The city has several historic buildings and many of those are going through a transformation. According to the numbers, just over 17 percent of adults are living in poverty. Butte has a median income of just over 45 thousand dollars.

Missoula

Home of the University of Montana, Missoula comes in 2nd for the poorest cities in Montana. Home and rent prices have increased significantly over the last few years, and with just over 17 percent of adults and 15 percent of those under 18 living in poverty, things have become difficult for many living in Missoula. Missoula has a median income of just over 47 thousand dollars.

Bozeman

Bozeman is the poorest city in Montana according to the research.  At first, that seems ridiculous, but then when you drive around and see there are streets filled with people living in their cars and old RVs, you start to realize that it might not be too far-fetched. Out of all of the towns and cities across Montana, Bozeman has certainly seen the biggest jump in the cost of living over the last few years. With home and rental prices doubling and often tripling compared to other areas in the state, many Bozemanites struggle. Bozeman's median income is just over 55 thousand dollars a year.

A couple of other cities that were just outside of the Top 5 include Billings and Kalispell.

Here's The Top 10 Tourists Sites For Those Visiting Montana

Montana is known by several nicknames. Big Sky Country, The Treasure State, and the Last Best Place to name just a few. Each year, millions of folks travel to Montana to partake in its beauty, while often seeking adventure in the outdoors. From skiing to rafting, fly fishing, to snowmobiling, Montana can certainly be described as an outdoor paradise.

No matter the season, there is always something to see and do in Montana. Here's a look at The Top 10 Tourists Sites For Those Visiting Montana.

LOOK: Here is the richest town in each state

Just saying the names of these towns immediately conjures up images of grand mansions, luxury cars, and ritzy restaurants. Read on to see which town in your home state took the title of the richest location and which place had the highest median income in the country. Who knows—your hometown might even be on this list.

LOOK: Here are the best small towns to live in across America

 

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