Not Surprisingly, Montana Now Has #1 Fun Town In America

If you're looking for the best towns in America to have fun as a young person, a Montana town is going to be at the top of that list. Montana offers several very decent 'fun towns for young people" with so many outdoor activities available. 

The list of Fun Towns For Young People was put together for the Class of 2023, from the perspective of 'where would young grads want to hang out?' Well, that's simple. They want to hang out with other young people with similar experiences and they probably want an active social life.

The Montana town that was named the #1 Fun Town in America for Young People has some interesting stats. It's certainly a college town. With over 10,300 enrolled students, the town's university has just seen "the largest single year of percentage gain in enrollment since 2009".

Missoula, Montana is the second largest city in Montana with a population of about 117,900 people in it's metro area. 18% of Missoula's population is aged between 20 and 29 years old. That was a major factor in determining this list from SmartAsset to begin with.

Also, Missoula has a high percentage of entertainment venues, restaurants, and bars per capita - making that social life factor much easier. Anyone who has spent time in Missoula (young or old!) knows that it's a very easy place to have a good time. And that's why Missoula earned the top spot on the list.

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Reassuringly, there's a healthy job market in Missoula, too. The top industries are health care and social assistance, retail trade, and accommodation and food services (hotels/service), according to DataUSA. With the University of Montana as an economic and social anchor, Missoula has a lot to offer.

What does Missoula's population look like? Well, like most large Montana towns - it's not very diverse. According to DataUSA's latest numbers: "The 5 largest ethnic groups in Missoula, MT are White (Non-Hispanic) (86.7%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (4.41%), White (Hispanic) (2.11%), American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic) (1.86%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (1.69%).

The median tuition cost in Missoula, Montana for the University of Montana is $5,352 for in-state students and $26,112 for out-of-state students. (Data also from DataUSA) With reasonable college tuition costs, Missoula is naturally attractive for young people.

But throw in all the live music, a river literally running through it, the outdoor activities (in-town and out), and gorgeous scenery - you've got yourself the #1 Fun Town in America for Young People. That's an award we can get behind.