Great Falls

About Great Falls

Great Falls is the third most populous city in the U.S. state of Montana and the county seat of Cascade County. The population was 60,442 according to the 2020 census. The city covers an area of 22.9 square miles (59 km2) and is the principal city of the Great Falls, Montana, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Cascade County. The Great Falls MSA's population was 84,414 according to the 2020 census.

A cultural, commercial and financial center in the central part of the state, Great Falls is located just east of the Rocky Mountains and is bisected by the Missouri River. It is 180 miles (290 km) from the eastern entrance to Glacier National Park in northern Montana, and 264 miles (425 km) from Yellowstone National Park in southern Montana and northern Wyoming. Interstate 15, which runs north-south, services the city.

Great Falls is named for a series of five waterfalls located on the Missouri River north and east of the city. The Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1805–1806 was forced to portage around a 10-mile (16 km) stretch of the river in order to bypass the falls; the company spent 31 days in the area, performing arduous labor to make the portage. Three of the waterfalls, known as Black Eagle, Rainbow and the Great Falls (or the Big Falls), are among the sites of five hydroelectric dams in the area, giving the city its moniker, "The Electric City". Other nicknames for Great Falls include "The River City" and "Western Art Capital of the World". The city is also home to two military installations: Malmstrom Air Force Base east of the city, which is the community's largest employer; and the Montana Air National Guard to the west, adjacent to Great Falls International Airport. The federally recognized Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana are located in Great Falls.

Great Falls is a popular tourist destination in Montana, with one million overnight visitors annually, who spend an estimated $185 million while visiting, according to the Great Falls Montana Tourism group. Among Montana cities, Great Falls boasts the greatest number of museums, with 10, including the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center near Giant Springs and the C. M. Russell Museum and Original Log Cabin Studio on the city's north side. Great Falls was the largest city in Montana from 1951 to 1970, when it was eclipsed by Billings in the 1970 census; Missoula assumed second place in 2000.

Text: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Great Falls weather: 7-day forecast

Source: National Weather Service (NOAA).

Live webcams in Great Falls

Webcams: Windy.com

Living in Great Falls

Median household income

$63,373

Median home value

$257,000

Median rent

$900/mo

Median age

39

Map of Great Falls

Tap any street on the map to see it in Street View below. Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Great Falls Street View

Drag the image to look around and tap the arrows on the ground to move. If it says there is no imagery, tap a nearby street on the map above.

Great Falls, MT population

Great Falls had 60,442 residents in the 2020 Census.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Decennial Census.

Great Falls at a glance

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Gazetteer, ZCTA), USGS GNIS, Wikidata.

Towns near Great Falls

• Black Eagle2.6 mi NE
• Gibson Flats3.8 mi SE
• Malmstrom AFB5.5 mi E
• Big Stone Colony8.3 mi SE
• Sun Prairie9.1 mi W
• Sand Coulee9.1 mi SE
• Tracy9.3 mi SE
• Centerville11.0 mi SE
• Ulm11.8 mi SW
• Stockett11.9 mi SE
• Vaughn12.7 mi W
• Pleasant Valley Colony16.5 mi SE

Straight-line distance between town centers.

Frequently asked questions about Great Falls