Great Falls helped build the American West by transporting agricultural freight along the Montana Central Railway Railway. Plus, The Boston and Montana Consolidated Copper and Silver Mining Company built their “Big Stack” smelter right here, bringing more industry to the city. “It’s a blue-collar town,” says Jim Dea, owner of ERA Advantage Realty and lifelong Great Falls resident. “There’s a very working man’s attitude in Great Falls – pull yourself up by your bootstraps and get to work.” Since the “Big Stack” shut down in the 1980s, the city has been experiencing economic hardship. “We’re still climbing out,” says Dea. Today, the city is defined by growth and maintains its working spirit. “I’ve never seen the economy this strong,” says Dea. Restaurants and businesses are opening in Downtown Great Falls, and a 100-acre development called “The Falls” will bring housing, restaurants and nature trails to the east of the city over the next 20 years. Five hydroelectric generators power the city, making it known as the "Electric City." The river also generates outdoor adventure and is used for fishing and pontoon boating, while the land along the riverbank is lined with 53 miles of nature trails.
Great Falls’ economy is based on tourism, manufacturing and healthcare. Benefis Health operates a hospital 3 miles from Downtown Great Falls and is a major employer in the city. Plus, companies like ADF Structural Steel and Calumet Montana produce renewable diesel fuel for aircraft. “There’s a lot of working-class folks in Great Falls,” says Dea. The city is also home to two military installations, the Great Falls Air National Guard Base and Malmstrom Air Force Base, which also provide many jobs.
Great Falls is known for it's dams that create the majority of the city's electricity
Great falls rests right on the edges of the Missouri River.
Great Falls is full of various breweries which bring delicious local beer to residents.
Glacier Park attracts tourism to Great Falls in winter and summer.
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Outdoor activity on the Missouri River
Other than being known as the "Electric City," Great Falls is also known as the “Basecamp of Montana, because it is located between Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks, two of the largest parks in the state. The Missouri River has 53 miles of nature trails and they're used for hiking, biking and running. It's also common to see kayaks and pontoon boats on the river. About 70 miles south, the Little Belt Mountains are full of hunting and backpacking opportunities. There are various parks in city limits with playgrounds and open green spaces, like Lion's Park off 10th Avenue South and indoor spaces like the Great Falls Rec Center and the Black Falls Community Center. Showdown Montana is a go-to for skiing and is just 70 miles south. In the winter, the city receives heavy snow and cold temperatures, so snow tires and salted sidewalks are part of life.
Riverside Park in Great falls has an amazing outdoor gym right on the edge of the Missouri River.
Riverside Park on the Missouri River has amazing viewpoints to watch sunsets in Great Falls.
Gibson Park has numerous playgrounds to play right by the Missouri River in Great Falls.
Gibson Park has an amazing basketball court right on the edge of the Missouri River in Great Falls.
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Downtown Great Falls is growing
Great Falls is one of Montana's mainstays for the arts and culture. It was home to Charles Marion Russell, also known as the cowboy artist, who was primarily known for painting scenes of the American West. The Charles Marion Russell Museum complex has more than 2,000 of his artwork and artifacts on display. The city is a hotspot for museums, including the Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art, the Children's Museum of Montana, and the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center. The city has a long-standing Native American history and is surrounded by several reservations and state tribes. Great Falls hosts the "Gathering of Families," where tribal leaders and members from Native American communities across the state gather for a week of events, traditional games, storytelling and a conference. Downtown Great Falls is becoming a bustling restaurant district, offering a mix of casual restaurants, breweries and coffee shops.
Downtown Great Falls is full of families enjoying shopping in afternoons.
Downtown Great Falls has dozens of delicious restaurants to choose from for fun date nights.
Downtown Great Falls is full of vibrant murals that bring life to the neighborhood.
Downtown Great Falls is home to historic brick buildings that give an old western vibe to the city.
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Growth in Great Falls housing prices
Housing prices in Great Falls have doubled since 2018. The median home price is $335,000, which is $85,000 lower than the national average of $420,000 and around $115,000 lower than the average cost in Montana. “We’re fairly affordable compared to the rest of the state, but it’s still crazy for people around here,” says Dea. Downtown Great Falls has historic Victorian properties overlooking the Missouri River, and a mix of ranch and craftsman homes are popular in suburban neighborhoods throughout the rest of the city. The Great Falls Development Authority shows that Great Falls's cost of living is about 13% lower than the national and state average. Housing prices are expected to rise as growth and development continue throughout the city.
Modern condominiums decorate the streets in Great Falls.
Great Falls has stunning modern housing developments which help raise surrounding property values.
It's common to find brand new town homes in Great Falls.
Old Victorian homes add history to the streets in Great Falls.
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Great Falls Public Schools
The city is served by Great Falls Public Schools. On Niche, the district is separated into two parts: the Great Falls Elementary School District, which has a B rating, and the Great Falls High School District, which has a B-plus rating. The city has 14 elementary schools, two middle schools, two elementary schools and four alternative campuses. C.M. Russel High School, named for the famed Great Falls artist, has a notable art program.
C.M. Russell High School is one of the many high schools in Great Falls.
Chief Joseph Elementary School offers safe grounds for students in Great Falls.
Great Falls High School has a beautiful large brick building campus in Great Falls.
East Middle School offers quality education for students in Great Falls.
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Getting around Great Falls
U.S. Route 87 and Interstate 15 are the main routes in the city and around the region. Interstate 15 leads to the Great Falls International Airport on the city’s lower west side. Great Falls Transit offers several bus routes, along with paratransit options.
Crime in Cascade County
Great Falls is the Cascade County Seat, where property crime increased by 3% and violent crime increased by 13%, according to the Montana Board of Crime Control.
Written By
Conor Lobb
Photography Contributed By
Teal Mandzik
Video By
Chris Freeman
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GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
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On average, homes in Great Falls, MT sell after 66 days on the market compared to the national average of 52 days. The median sale price for homes in Great Falls, MT over the last 12 months is $390,000, down 4% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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