California vs Montana
California comes out ahead of Montana on 411 of 785 statistics where one end is better, to 357 with 17 ties. California leads on Health, Law and Crime & Safety and 8 more categories. Montana leads on Agriculture, Infrastructure & Energy and Sports and 2 more categories.
785 statistics with a better end, compared
Each counts once for the place that ranks better; 17 ties. Totals that mostly track population are left out.
- Wins
- 411
- Avg. percentile
- 54
- Categories led
- 11
- Wins
- 357
- Avg. percentile
- 48
- Categories led
- 5
At a glance
Headline statistics, each ranked among all US states.
| Statistic | California | Montana |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 39,345,844 1st of 51 | 1,151,831 43rd of 51 |
| Median Household IncomeHousing, Income and Commutes by State (Census) | $99,122 6th of 51 | $72,509 37th of 51 |
| Unemployment Rate (%)Unemployment Rate by State (BLS) | 5.5% 50th of 51 | 3.3% 9th of 51 |
| Poverty Rate (%)Housing, Income and Commutes by State (Census) | 12.0% 29th of 51 | 11.5% 24th of 51 |
| Price Level (All Items)Cost of Living by State (Regional Price Parities) | 110.7 51st of 51 | 94.6 22nd of 51 |
| Real Personal Income per Person (2017 Dollars)Real Personal Income by State | $63,028 13th of 51 | $59,203 20th of 51 |
| Average Annual Wage, All JobsAverage Wage by State (BLS) | $80,690 5th of 51 | $60,880 38th of 51 |
| Median Rent (Monthly, Capped at $3,501)Housing, Income and Commutes by State (Census) | $2,036 51st of 51 | $1,081 18th of 51 |
| Violent Crime Rate (per 100K)Crime Rates by State (FBI) | 432.7 44th of 51 | 419.1 42nd of 51 |
| Heating Degree Days per YearClimate by State (1991–2020 Averages) | 2,814 9th of 48 | 8,549 47th of 48 |
By category
Average percentile on each category's widely ranked statistics.
- AgricultureMontana · 17 statistics
- HealthCalifornia · 177 statistics
- LawCalifornia · 63 statistics
- Infrastructure & EnergyMontana · 33 statistics
- SportsMontana · 16 statistics
- Crime & SafetyCalifornia · 72 statistics
- Tech & BusinessCalifornia · 47 statistics
- Facts & TriviaMontana · 18 statistics
- EnvironmentMontana · 39 statistics
- Politics & GovernmentCalifornia · 120 statistics
- EconomicsCalifornia · 285 statistics
- CultureCalifornia · 77 statistics
- PopulationCalifornia · 120 statistics
- EducationCalifornia · 51 statistics
- GeographyCalifornia · 25 statistics
- TravelCalifornia · 29 statistics
Biggest differences
The 30 statistics where their rankings differ most, among rankings of at least 26 US states.
| Statistic | California | Montana |
|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile WageTeacher Pay by State | $60,640 2nd of 51 | $28,970 51st of 51 |
| 25th Percentile WageTeacher Pay by State | $74,390 2nd of 51 | $38,250 51st of 51 |
| Average Teacher Starting SalaryTeacher Pay by State | $58,409 2nd of 51 | $35,674 51st of 51 |
| Average EarningsLawyer-Friendly States | $171,550 2nd of 48 | $88,600 48th of 48 |
| Local Street Accidents 2018-2022Jaywalking Laws By State | 3.5% 1st of 44 | 66.7% 43rd of 44 |
| Linguistic DiversityMost Diverse US States | 1st 1st of 50 | 48th 48th of 50 |
| Average Wind SpeedWindiest States in the U.S. | 13.54 mph 50th of 51 | 21.03 mph 3rd of 51 |
| Opportunity & Competition RankBest States for Teachers | 2nd 2nd of 51 | 49th 49th of 51 |
| Supplies RankBest States for Fishing | 48th 48th of 51 | 1st 1st of 51 |
| Avg Annual SalaryMedical Billing and Coding Salary by State | $76,695 1st of 50 | $54,396 47th of 50 |
| Avg Hourly WageMedical Billing and Coding Salary by State | $36.87 1st of 50 | $26.15 47th of 50 |
| Costs RankFarming-Friendly States | 50th 50th of 50 | 4th 4th of 50 |
| # Change in Prison Pop. 2021-2022Prison Population by State | -3.8 3rd of 50 | 8.8 49th of 50 |
| Annual Cost IncreaseGrocery Prices by State | 3.4% 2nd of 50 | 9.5% 48th of 50 |
| Higher Education QualityPublic School Rankings by State | 2nd 2nd of 50 | 48th 48th of 50 |
| Richest Person AgeRichest Person by State | 40 46th of 47 | 90 3rd of 47 |
| % of Pop. with Less Than High School DiplomaMost Educated U.S. States | 15.1% 51st of 51 | 5.5% tied 4th of 51 |
| Chat GPT Messages per Capita RankChatGPT Usage by State | 4th 4th of 51 | 50th 50th of 51 |
| Price Level (Utilities)Cost of Living by State (Regional Price Parities) | 158.9 50th of 51 | 72.3 4th of 51 |
| Average New Car Price With Tax And FeesCar Registration Fees by State | $53,936 47th of 50 | $50,276 2nd of 50 |
| Cultural DiversityLeast Diverse States in the US | 1st 1st of 50 | 46th 46th of 50 |
| Entry LevelHVAC Salary by State | $53,100 1st of 50 | $43,000 tied 45th of 50 |
| Senior 4-6 YearsHVAC Salary by State | $71,900 1st of 50 | $58,200 tied 45th of 50 |
| Supervisor 7+ YearsHVAC Salary by State | $96,400 1st of 50 | $78,100 tied 45th of 50 |
| Estimated Max PriceRadio Ad Prices by State | $899 48th of 51 | $25.00 tied 1st of 51 |
| Sales Tax RankBest State To Incorporate In | 47th 48th of 51 | 3rd 3rd of 51 |
| Utilities Costs IndexCost of Living Index by State | 142.0 48th of 51 | 81.5 3rd of 51 |
| Cultural Diversity RankMost Diverse US States | 1st 1st of 50 | 45th 45th of 50 |
| Gun Law Rank (Giffords)Gun Laws by State | 1st 1st of 50 | 45th 45th of 50 |
| Gun Laws Strength RankStrictest Gun Laws by State | 1st 1st of 50 | 45th 45th of 50 |
Quick answers
- Which is better, California or Montana?
- California comes out ahead of Montana on 411 of 785 statistics where one end is better, to 357 with 17 ties. California leads on Health, Law and Crime & Safety and 8 more categories. Montana leads on Agriculture, Infrastructure & Energy and Sports and 2 more categories. Statistics where neither end is better, and totals that mostly track population, are not counted.
- Which has more people, California or Montana?
- California has a population of 39,345,844 (1st of 51 US states) and Montana has 1,151,831 (43rd of 51).
- How do California and Montana compare on Median Household Income?
- Median Household Income: California $99,122 (6th of 51), Montana $72,509 (37th of 51) among US states. California ranks better.
- How do California and Montana compare on Unemployment Rate (%)?
- Unemployment Rate (%): California 5.5% (50th of 51), Montana 3.3% (9th of 51) among US states. Montana ranks better.
- Where does California beat Montana most clearly?
- California ranks far ahead on 10th Percentile Wage (Teacher Pay by State): $60,640 vs $28,970; 25th Percentile Wage (Teacher Pay by State): $74,390 vs $38,250; Average Teacher Starting Salary (Teacher Pay by State): $58,409 vs $35,674.
- Where does Montana beat California most clearly?
- Montana ranks far ahead on Average Wind Speed (Windiest States in the U.S.): 21.03 mph vs 13.54 mph; Supplies Rank (Best States for Fishing): 1st vs 48th; Costs Rank (Farming-Friendly States): 4th vs 50th.
More matchups
Other comparisons with California or Montana.
- Alabama vs California
- Alaska vs California
- Arizona vs California
- Arkansas vs California
- California vs Colorado
- California vs Connecticut
- California vs Delaware
- California vs District of Columbia
- Alabama vs Montana
- Alaska vs Montana
- Arizona vs Montana
- Arkansas vs Montana
- Colorado vs Montana
- Connecticut vs Montana
- Delaware vs Montana
- District of Columbia vs Montana