Best PlacesUniversity District, Missoula, MT Best Neighborhoods
2026–2027 edition · Data updated July 2026
Every neighborhood in and around University District, Missoula, scored on 40 measures of daily life and ranked to fit what matters to you. Costs and crime both read low, and the nearest big city is a drive away. To work out which city fits you best, start with the best places to live tool.
University District, Missoula ranks 1,729th of 5,983 U.S. neighborhoods on the BestNeighborhood index. It scores highest on biking by a wide margin, and distance from a big city ranks lowest.
The best neighborhoods in University District, Missoula
BestNeighborhood is the only ranking that scores 40 measures of daily life neighborhood by neighborhood and lets you re-weight every one of them yourself.
University District, Missoula's strengths and weaknesses
Where University District, Missoula ranks high
- BikingBetter than 96% of neighborhoods
- Heat safetyBetter than 96% of neighborhoods
- Air qualityBetter than 94% of neighborhoods
- Short commute18.0 minutes each way, better than 89% of neighborhoods
- Health outlookBetter than 89% of neighborhoods
Where University District, Missoula ranks low
- Big-city accessBetter than only 1% of neighborhoods
- Internet speedBetter than only 2% of neighborhoods
- Housing crash safetyBetter than only 4% of neighborhoods
- Local economyBetter than only 9% of neighborhoods
- Tree shadeBetter than only 22% of neighborhoods
What it costs to buy a home in University District, Missoula
A household needs to earn about $208,000 a year to comfortably buy the median University District, Missoula home, at 20% down and today's 30-year rate. That runs well above the area's median income of $84,091, so buying stretches a typical household.
Where the monthly payment goes
Assumes a 20% down payment, a 6.6% 30-year fixed rate, and a 28% share of income going to the payment. The rate is the 2026-07-23 30-year fixed average, series MORTGAGE30US from the St. Louis Fed, which publishes Freddie Mac's weekly survey. Against the median home value, property tax uses University District, Missoula's effective rate of 0.88%, and insurance is estimated at 0.4% of home value a year.
Renting versus buying
At today's prices and rents, renting stays cheaper than buying across the first 10 years here, so the case for buying rests on staying much longer or on prices rising faster than assumed. The chart tracks the running cost of each.
Who lives in University District, Missoula
University District, Missoula runs younger than the country, and households here run smaller than average.
Residents by age
Racial and ethnic makeup has its own map. See the race and diversity map for University District, Missoula.
Who works in University District, Missoula, and how
Work in University District, Missoula centers on education and hospitality & food. Unemployment runs well above the national rate, and the job base is shrinking.
Largest industries
How people get to work
- Drive or carpool 56%
- Work from home 16%
- Transit, walk, or bike 28%
Life in University District, Missoula
The map and measures below break down dining, culture, and green space by neighborhood across University District, Missoula.
What the weather is like in University District, Missoula, month by month
University District, Missoula sees roughly 121 pleasant days a year. July highs average about 91 degrees. January highs sit near 33, with lows near 16. The comfortable stretch runs June through September.
Show the monthly temperatures
| Month | Avg high | Avg | Avg low |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 33° | 24° | 16° |
| April | 60° | 45° | 31° |
| July | 91° | 71° | 51° |
| October | 60° | 44° | 32° |
Flying in and out of University District, Missoula
The nearest airport, Missoula Montana, is about 6 miles away and is a small airport. The nearest major hub is Boise Air Trml/Gowen Field, about 252 miles away.
The best schools in and around University District, Missoula
Schools across University District, Missoula average a B+, better than 77% of neighborhoods.
Top elementary schools
- Paxson SchoolA− · 58% proficient
- Lewis & Clark SchoolB+ · 55% proficient
Top middle schools
- Washington Middle SchoolB+ · 49% proficient
Top high schools
- Hellgate High SchoolB− · 44% proficient
- Sentinel High SchoolB− · 43% proficient
Grades come from K-12 test scores, with scores projected for schools missing data. See every University District, Missoula school and its grade on SchoolGrade.
University District, Missoula measure by measure
Cards are ordered by how much each measure matters to you, so the ones you weighted highest come first. Expand to see every measure. Percentages compare University District, Missoula against the other 5,982 neighborhoods.
Common questions about living in University District, Missoula
Is University District, Missoula a good place to live?
Using BestNeighborhood's default rankings, University District, Missoula ranks 1,729th of 5,983 neighborhoods. It scores highest on biking, heat safety, and clean air, and lowest on distance from a big city and internet speeds. How good it is for you depends on which of those you weight most, which the map lets you set.
Is University District, Missoula expensive to live in?
The median home is worth $787,831. The overall cost of living runs about 2% above the national average. Set against a $84,091 median income, cost of living beats 55% of neighborhoods.
Is University District, Missoula safe?
Yes, University District, Missoula is safer than 74% of neighborhoods. Safety varies a lot by neighborhood. Crime costs an estimated $441 per resident a year.
Compare University District, Missoula with other neighborhoods
Sources and methodology
Every measure on this page is scored for each neighborhood, then rolled up to University District, Missoula. Scores are absolute rather than ranked, which means a 60 in University District, Missoula represents the same real quantity as a 60 anywhere else, and the ranking is a weighted average of those absolutes. The map colors come from a national scale calibrated against a population weighted random sample of 5,000 neighborhoods. That absolute scoring is what no other places-to-live ranking does: it puts a single neighborhood, a town, a metro, and a state on one scale, so the same 40 measures answer both which metro to move to and which street inside it to buy on. Read the full methodology.
University District, Missoula detail on BestNeighborhood maps:
- Walk Grade for University District, Missoula: walkability, transit, and biking, measured on the real street network rather than by straight line distance.
- Noise in University District, Missoula: road, rail, and aviation sound modeling calibrated against federal ground truth measurements.
- Conservative vs liberal map of University District, Missoula: precinct level election results apportioned to neighborhoods.
- Mobile and cell coverage in University District, Missoula: carrier by carrier coverage behind the cell score.
University District, Missoula detail on related sites:
- CrimeGrade: neighborhood crime rates behind the crime safety score.
- ISPreports.org: provider by provider internet availability and advertised speeds.
- CoverageWatch: the car insurance premiums behind the cheap car insurance score.
Federal and public data:
- U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey: income, home value, rent, vacancy, commute time and mode, educational attainment, home age, age structure, household type, industry, and race.
- NOAA Global Surface Summary of the Day: the daily station record behind the monthly temperatures and the pleasant-day count.
- FAA Passenger Boarding Data: airport size and annual passenger counts.
- Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey: the 30-year fixed rate used in the cost-to-buy estimate.
- FBI Crime Data Explorer: reported offenses behind the tangible crime cost estimate.
- U.S. EPA Air Quality System: five year average air quality index.
- FEMA National Risk Index: expected annual loss from natural hazards.
- CDC PLACES: disease burden, preventable risk, and barriers to care.
- National Center for Education Statistics: school enrollment and assessment inputs behind the school grade.
- FCC National Broadband Map: internet and wireless availability.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: employment and job growth behind the local economy score.
- Religious activity uses a proprietary religious signal measurement.
Your priorities
Move a slider to say how much a measure matters. Zero turns it off.