Missoula Named Healthiest City in Montana

There's some irony in my writing this article because I'm not the healthiest person around.

That being said, I'm not the unhealthiest person around. I do my best to watch what I eat and get some regular exercise, but I also like beer, ice cream and being lazy.

It's a real double-edged sword.

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Apparently, it's not enough to bring Missoula's overall health down, since it ranked the healthiest city in the state.

Missoula Ranks As Healthiest Montana City

The financial website WalletHub analyzed the healthiest & unhealthiest cities in 2026.

“Staying healthy is a personal responsibility, and everyone should strive to eat nutritious food, exercise regularly, and look after their mental health. However, where people live can have a big influence on how successful they are at staying in good health, so the best cities are the ones that provide the greatest access to high-quality healthcare, green spaces, recreation centers, and healthy food.” - Chip Lupo, WalletHub Analyst

Missoula clocked in as the healthiest in Montana and 41st in the country. The only other Montana city to make the list was Billings at 95.

The study says Missoula is in the top 10 in the country in health care, but barely in the top 100 in fitness at 99.

The fitness ranking had me squinting my eyes. I don't agree with Missoula barely eclipsing the top 100 when we are a very active town with all of the hiking trails and ski resorts.

San Francisco was the healthiest city, while Brownsville, Texas, was the unhealthiest city.

Source: WalletHub