Now that we’re headed towards the next big election, we wanted to get a better sense of what parts of Montana would be the most likely to back Donald Trump again.
Specifically, which cities have the highest number of conservative voters in the Treasure State?
To do so, we used Saturday Night Science to measure how each city in Montana with populations greater than 5,000 voted in past elections. The cities with the highest percentage of voters who voted Republican were named the most conservative cities in the state.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 most conservative places in Montana for 2024
If you’re wondering, Missoula is the most liberal city in Montana of all those we measured.
And to be clear, we didn’t form this list based on our own biases — we relied on the cold hard data. For more on how we ran the numbers, keep on reading. Then we’ll take a closer look at each of our top 10 most conservative cities in Montana.
Additional reading about Montana and the most conservative places in the country:
The 10 Most Conservative Places In Montana For 2024
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Percent Republican: 82.8%
More on Sidney: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Percent Republican: 74.8%
More on Lewistown: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Percent Republican: 71.8%
More on Miles City: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Percent Republican: 63.9%
More on Whitefish: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Percent Republican: 63.9%
More on Kalispell: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Percent Republican: 63.9%
More on Columbia Falls: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Percent Republican: 60.6%
More on Laurel: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Percent Republican: 60.6%
More on Billings: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Percent Republican: 58.5%
More on Great Falls: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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Percent Republican: 56.1%
More on Polson: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
How we determined the most conservative cities in Montana for 2024
To find the most conservative places in Montana, we used Saturday Night Science – the argument you’d make at a bar – to find the cities with the most conservatives.
We started by making a list of every city in Montana over 5,000 people based on the 2018-2022 American Community Survey. That left us with 18 cities and towns.
We then measured the voting record and MIT election data to determine which places rock the most rightward in their allegiances by:
- Percentage Of Votes For The Republican President In 2020
Because no voting data exists at the city level, we used county-level election results from the 2020 election. We assigned every city in a county the percentage of votes that went to the Republicans, effectively extending the county’s results to the city level. In cases where larger cities encompassed an entire county, the election outcomes accurately reflected the city’s political landscape.
Next, we ranked each city from 1 to 18 for each criterion, where number one was the most conservative.
The winner, Sidney, is “The Most Conservative City in Montana For 2024”. The most liberal place in Montana was Missoula.
We updated this article for 2024. This report is our tenth time ranking the most conservative places to live in Montana.
Summing Up The Conservative Strongholds in Montana
Well, there you have it, the places in Montana that have the highest number of conservatives per capita, with Sidney ranking as the most conservative in the entire state.
The most conservative cities in Montana are Sidney, Lewistown, Miles City, Whitefish, Kalispell, Columbia Falls, Laurel, Billings, Great Falls, and Polson.
If you’re curious, here are the least conservative cities in Montana:
- Missoula
- Akaska
- Bozeman
For more Montana reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Montana
- Cheapest Places To Live In Montana
- Most Dangerous Cities In Montana
- Richest Cities In Montana
- Safest Places In Montana
- Worst Places To Live In Montana
- Most Expensive Places To Live In Montana
Most Conservative Places In Montana
| Rank | City | Population | % Conservative |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sidney, MT | 6,257 | 82.8% |
| 2 | Lewistown, MT | 5,988 | 74.8% |
| 3 | Miles City, MT | 8,432 | 71.8% |
| 4 | Whitefish, MT | 8,098 | 63.9% |
| 5 | Kalispell, MT | 25,473 | 63.9% |
| 6 | Columbia Falls, MT | 5,435 | 63.9% |
| 7 | Laurel, MT | 7,181 | 60.6% |
| 8 | Billings, MT | 117,093 | 60.6% |
| 9 | Great Falls, MT | 60,373 | 58.5% |
| 10 | Polson, MT | 5,218 | 56.1% |
| 11 | Havre, MT | 9,332 | 55.1% |
| 12 | Livingston, MT | 8,489 | 52.1% |
| 13 | Helena, MT | 32,529 | 50.7% |
| 14 | Anaconda-Deer Lodge County, MT | 9,435 | 44.7% |
| 15 | Belgrade, MT | 10,941 | 44.7% |
| 16 | Bozeman, MT | 53,500 | 44.7% |
| 17 | Akaska , MT | 34,638 | 41.5% |
| 18 | Missoula, MT | 74,627 | 36.9% |