East Helena, MT vs Lolo, MT

East Helena is moderately more affordable than Lolo, with a 12.5% lower cost of living index. East Helena scores 84 compared to 96 for Lolo, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Lolo can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in East Helena is $1,020/month compared to $1,126/month in Lolo — a 9% difference. Home values follow the same pattern: East Helena is more affordable at $254,400 median vs $353,700.

Median household income in East Helena is $53,611 compared to $73,700 in Lolo (-27.3%). While Lolo is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of East Helena spend roughly 22.8% of their income on rent, more than the 18.3% in Lolo.

Climate-wise, both cities share similar average temperatures (45.5°F vs 45.2°F). Lolo receives more rainfall at 14.1" per year compared to 11.4" in East Helena.