RANK #39 / 1001 NAT · POP 84,606
1YR FORECAST: +2.0%
5YR OUTLOOK: +39%
Cascade County, Montana, is defined by the Missouri River and its dramatic Great Falls, which Lewis and Clark were forced to portage around in 1805. The county seat, Great Falls, is Montana's third-largest city and serves as a regional hub, located about 180 miles from Glacier National Park. Commuting within Great Falls is typically short, with over 80% of residents traveling to work in under 20 minutes. The area offers extensive outdoor recreation, including over 50 miles of trails along the Missouri River for biking and hiking, and access to Giant Springs State Park, one of the largest freshwater springs in the country. The county's landscape blends rolling plains with parts of the Rocky, Little Belt, and Highwood Mountains, providing diverse scenery and recreational opportunities like fishing, hunting, and skiing.
Life in Cascade County offers a blend of community and access to nature. The public school system includes districts like Great Falls Elementary and Cascade Public Schools. While population growth has been steady, the county has seen recent economic activity driven by investments in data centers and energy sectors. Malmstrom Air Force Base is a significant employer in the area. The average commute time is 16.5 minutes, with most residents driving alone, though public bus services are available in Great Falls.
Cascade County's data profile doesn't fit any single market profile cleanly — its housing, labor, and demographic signals pull in different directions (home prices +4.1% YoY, population +0.0%, wages +5.3%). About 414 U.S. counties show this kind of mixed-signal pattern.
See all 414 Idiosyncratic Markets counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Moderate climate & terrain
Above national median (15x)
Housing looks overvalued at 10.6x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: CDC/NCHS vital statistics via County Health Rankings (2020–2022 avg). Rates per 100,000 population. Grade based on homicide rate relative to national average (~6.3). Learn more →
Source: EPA Air Quality System (2021–2023). Grade based on 3-year average median AQI. Learn about AQI →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Project Cardinal Data Center
TAC Data Centers
|
$600M | Planned |
|
Montana Wind Harness Project (multiple sites including Cascade County)
Ameresco Inc.
|
$150M | Planned |
|
Spion Kop Wind Farm
NorthWestern Energy (purchasing power)
|
$40M | Operating |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
Cascade County ranks #39 out of 1001 U.S. counties on the Boom Town Index with a score of 96/100. The composite score reflects long-term strength — housing, income, and migration patterns — but near-term hiring is soft (employment is down 0.9% year-over-year). Median household income here is $67,690.
Housing in Cascade County is roughly in line with national affordability norms. The median home costs $265,300 and the income-to-home-value ratio sits at 0.26, with rents averaging $939/month. Not a bargain, but not a stretch for most local earners either.
Population and employment in Cascade County are both close to flat — population +0.0% YoY and jobs -0.9%. Home values shifted +4.1% over the past 12 months. A steady-state county, neither expanding quickly nor shrinking.
There's a moderate stream of newcomers. About 2.26% of residents moved from another state, which is above average and suggests Cascade County has appeal as a relocation destination — though it's not among the highest-inflow counties nationally.