Montana’s largest cities are gateways to the wild: mountain views, rivers that run through downtown, and a pace of life that feels refreshingly unhurried. Each one offers its own blend of frontier spirit and community pride.
I’m sipping coffee in Missoula as kayakers drift down the Clark Fork River—and minutes later, I’m hiking a pine-covered trail right outside the city.
Billings tops the list as Montana’s largest city, with a growing downtown, rimrock views, and access to Yellowstone. Missoula follows with a college-town buzz, strong arts scene, and riverside charm. Great Falls honors its military roots and Lewis & Clark history with museums and Missouri River trails. In the northwest, Bozeman combines tech, ski-town vibes, and stunning mountain backdrops. And Butte rounds out the list with mining heritage, striking architecture, and a gritty-cool personality that’s uniquely Montana.
"From mountain towns to prairie skies—Montana’s cities are few in number but rich in character."
The Largest City:
1. Discover Big Sky Adventures and Urban Charm in Billings
Billings is located in the southern central part of Montana in Yellowstone County, of which it is the county seat. Billings measures up at around 43.5 square miles and has an approximate population of around 109,000 people, with over 170,000 living in the surrounding metropolitan area. This city has a history dating all the way back to 1877 when it was founded, in the Yellowstone Valley, by a lawyer and landowner named Frederick H. Billings.
The city of Billings has played an interesting role throughout history, especially back in the days of the Old West as one of the early railroad towns. Thanks to the power of the railroad, Billings earned the nickname 'Magic City' as it saw a lot of rapid development and growth. Nowadays, it's the main financial and cultural hub of Montana and is home to some interest theaters, live entertainment venues, museums, and special annual events like Skyfest and the Montana Fair. Map
Other Large Cities:
2. Embrace the Artsy, Outdoorsy Spirit of Missoula
Missoula is the 2nd largest city in Montana. It's located in Missoula County in the west of Montana and is actually the county seat. Missoula measures up at around 29 square miles, but its metropolitan area extends to over 2,600 square miles. This city is home to around 73,000 people, with a total over 117,000 when taking into account the entire metro area of Missoula.
Missoula was founded in 1866, but was the site of human habitation for many thousands of years before the European settlers first arrived on American soil. It was actually the famed Lewis and Clark Expedition that helped to put this city on the map, with the expedition stopping twice in the Missoula area. The city of Missoula has been nicknamed 'Garden City' due to its many parks and green spaces, with around 400 acres of parks and 5,000 acres of conservation land in total. Map
3. If You’re Chasing Waterfalls and Western History, Explore Great Falls
Great Falls is the third largest city in Montana. This city is located in Cascade County, of which it is the county seat, in the central-western part of Montana. Great Falls covers an area of a little over 22 square miles and is home to around 58,000 people, with over 82,000 in the metro area.
Founded back in the 1800s, the area that would eventually become Great Falls was inhabited by Paleo-Indians thousands of years ago and was actually visited by Merlwether Lewis as part of the famous Lewis and Clark Expedition in the early 19th century. The city is named due to the fact that several waterfalls on the Missouri River basin can be found nearby. Great Falls is home to various museums, education institutions, and plenty of parks and natural spaces. Map
4. Dive into Outdoor Thrills and Cool Culture in Bozeman
Bozeman is the 4th biggest city in Montana. This city is located in the southwestern section of Montana in Gallatin County. Bozeman is the county seat of Gallatin County and measures up at 19 square miles in area, being home to an approximate population of 46,000 people, with over 100,000 in the full metro area.
The area that would become Bozeman was visited by William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1806, but the city wasn't founded until the 1860s when a pioneer named John Bozeman opened up a branch on the Oregon Trail called the Bozeman Trail which led through the Gallatin Valley, where Bozeman would be founded a short while after. Map
5. If You Love Mining History and Local Flavor, Roam Butte’s Storied Streets
Butte is the 5th biggest city in Montana. This city is located in Silver Bow County, of which it is the county seat, in the southwestern part of Montana. Butte stretches out across more than 700 square miles of land due to its status as a consolidated city-county and is home to around 33,000 people.
Butte has appeared in a lot of films and TV shows over the years and is perhaps best-known as being the hometown of world famous daredevil Evel Knievel . Some of the films in which Butte has appeared include The Killer Inside Me and Runaway Train, and the city is also known for its beautiful historic district and for being the home of Montana Tech university. Map
I get asked this a lot so I decided to include it:
- Q: How large is Montana compared to other U.S. states?
- A: Montana is the 4th biggest state in physical size in the United States.
- Q: How populated is Montana?
- A: Montana has the 8th smallest population overall, making it one of the least densely populated states.
- Q: Why is Montana's population so sparse?
- A: The relatively low population of Montana is partly due to the fact that about half of the state is covered with vast mountain ranges, which make it difficult to develop settlements.
- Q: What major mountain range is found in Montana?
- A: Montana is home to the Rocky Mountains, which cover a significant portion of the state.
- Q: How does Montana's terrain impact settlement?
- A: The rugged terrain of mountain ranges makes the development of settlements and cities quite challenging in Montana.
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