The map above shows Montana and North Dakota side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Montana vs North Dakota Geography
Land area
- Montana has a land area of 145,550 square miles (376,973 km²), while North Dakota has 68,994 square miles (178,694 km²).
- Montana's land area is 2.1 times (111%) larger than North Dakota's.
Total area
- Montana: 147,043 square miles (380,840 km²) vs North Dakota: 70,699 square miles (183,109 km²), including inland and coastal water.
- Montana's total area is 2.1 times (108%) larger than North Dakota's.
Length
- Montana is 319 miles (514 km) long from north to south; North Dakota is 338 miles (544 km).
- North Dakota's north-south length is 1.1 times (6%) longer than Montana's.
Width
- Montana spans 607 miles (976 km) east to west; North Dakota spans 408 miles (657 km).
- Montana's east-west width is 1.5 times (49%) wider than North Dakota's.
Highest point
- Montana's highest point is Granite Peak at 12,767 feet (3,891 m); North Dakota's is White Butte at 3,500 feet (1,067 m).
- Granite Peak is 9,267 feet higher than White Butte.
Lowest point
- Montana's lowest point is Kootenai River at 1,805 feet; North Dakota's is Red River of the North at 754 feet.
- North Dakota's lowest point is 1,051 feet lower.
Montana vs North Dakota Population and History
Population
- Montana has a population of 1,137,233 (2024), while North Dakota has 796,568 (2024).
- Montana's population is 1.4 times (43%) larger than North Dakota's.
Population density
- Montana: 7.8 people per square mile vs North Dakota: 11.5.
- North Dakota's population density is 1.5 times (47%) higher than Montana's.
Biggest city
- Montana's biggest city is Billings with 121,483 people; North Dakota's is Fargo with 136,285.
- Fargo's population is 1.1 times (12%) larger than Billings'.
Largest metro area
- Montana's largest metropolitan area is Billings, MT metro area (192,531 people) vs North Dakota's Fargo, ND-MN metro area (267,793).
- Fargo, ND-MN metro area's population is 1.4 times (39%) larger than Billings, MT metro area's.
History
- Montana: Admitted to the Union on November 8, 1889, as the 41st state.
- North Dakota: Admitted to the Union on November 2, 1889, as the 39th state.
Montana vs North Dakota Economy
GDP
- Montana's GDP is $78.4 billion (2024) vs North Dakota's $80.1 billion.
- Montana and North Dakota have about the same economic output.
GDP per capita
- Montana: $68,975 per person vs North Dakota: $100,504.
- North Dakota's GDP per capita is 1.5 times (46%) higher than Montana's.
Average income
- Montana: $69,240 vs North Dakota: $71,749 average income per person (per capita personal income).
- Montana and North Dakota have about the same average income.
Montana vs North Dakota Counties
Number of counties
- Montana has 56 counties, while North Dakota has 53.
- Montana's county count is 1.1 times (6%) higher than North Dakota's.
Biggest county by area
- Montana's largest county is Beaverhead County at 5,543 square miles; North Dakota's is McKenzie County at 2,760 square miles.
- Beaverhead County's land area is 2.0 times (101%) larger than McKenzie County's.
Smallest county by area
- Montana: Silver Bow County (718 sq mi) vs North Dakota: Eddy County (630 sq mi).
- Silver Bow County's land area is 1.1 times (14%) larger than Eddy County's.
Most populous county
- Montana: Yellowstone County (171,583 people) vs North Dakota: Cass County (200,945 people).
- Cass County's population is 1.2 times (17%) larger than Yellowstone County's.
Least populous county
- Montana: Petroleum County (525 people) vs North Dakota: Slope County (660 people).
- Slope County's population is 1.3 times (26%) larger than Petroleum County's.
Richest county
- Montana: Gallatin County ($94,573 per capita income) vs North Dakota: Dunn County ($99,793).
- Dunn County's income is 1.1 times (6%) richer than Gallatin County's.
Poorest county
- Montana: Blaine County ($37,554 per capita income) vs North Dakota: Sioux County ($33,782).
- Blaine County's income is 1.1 times (11%) richer than Sioux County's.
Montana vs North Dakota Taxes
State income tax
- Montana has a top income tax rate of 5.65%, while North Dakota has a top income tax rate of 2.5%.
- Montana's top rate is 3.15 percentage points higher.
Property tax
- Montana: 0.69% effective rate vs North Dakota: 0.96% of home value per year.
- North Dakota's rate is 0.27 percentage points higher.
Sales tax
- Montana: 0% combined state and average local rate vs North Dakota: 7.09%.
- North Dakota's combined rate is 7.09 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Montana official website · North Dakota official website
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More Size Comparisons
All Montana size comparisons · All North Dakota size comparisons
Area, elevation and boundary figures come from official national statistics and US Census Bureau and Natural Earth boundary data; US state population, economic, county and tax figures come from the US Census Bureau, the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Tax Foundation. Figures are rounded and for general reference.