Ashland, MT vs Colstrip, MT

Ashland is moderately more affordable than Colstrip, with a 6.5% lower cost of living index. Ashland scores 63 compared to 68 for Colstrip, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Colstrip can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Ashland is $638/month compared to $632/month in Colstrip — a 1% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Colstrip has cheaper rent, Ashland actually has lower median home values ($137,500 vs $193,700).

Median household income in Ashland is $39,429 compared to $86,000 in Colstrip (-54.2%). While Colstrip is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Ashland spend roughly 19.4% of their income on rent, more than the 8.8% in Colstrip.