Life Expectancy
Montana's average life expectancy at birth is about 77.9 years, slightly below the U.S. average, ranking near 35th nationally.
Age-adjusted death rate, all causes
1999–2017CDC National Center for Health Statistics, leading causes of death (1999–2017), all causes, age-adjusted.
Total deaths, all causes
1999–2017CDC National Center for Health Statistics, leading causes of death (1999–2017).
| Indicator | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 77.9 | 78.4 |
- •Rural counties in eastern Montana report notably lower life expectancy than Missoula and Gallatin counties.
- •Health disparities among Montana's Native American reservations remain a key driver of the state's average.
Healthcare Access
Montana has about 56 primary care physicians per 100,000 residents, and 46 of its 56 counties are federally designated health professional shortage areas.
Residents without health insurance
2009–2024Census American Community Survey 1-year estimates, civilian noninstitutionalized population, B27010 (2020 not released).
| Indicator | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Shortage-area counties (%) | 82 | 65 |
- •Montana has 48 critical access hospitals, one of the highest counts per capita in the nation, to serve its frontier communities.
Hospitals
Montana has 62 hospitals statewide, including 48 critical access hospitals, serving a population spread across 380,831 square kilometers.
Hospital jobs
1990–2025BLS Current Employment Statistics, NAICS 622, annual average (FRED SMU30000006562200001).
Health care jobs (ambulatory, hospitals and nursing)
1990–2025BLS Current Employment Statistics, NAICS 621–623, annual average (FRED SMU30000006562000001).
| Indicator | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Hospital beds per 100k | 345 | 250 |
- •Billings Clinic, based in Montana's largest city, is the primary referral hospital for much of the northern Rocky Mountain region.
Insurance Coverage
About 92.8% of Montanans had health insurance coverage in 2023, leaving roughly 7.2% uninsured, close to the national rate.
Adults with any health care coverage
2011–2020CDC BRFSS, adults 18+ (question discontinued after 2020).
| Indicator | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Uninsured rate (%) | 7.2 | 7.9 |
- •Montana expanded Medicaid in 2016, cutting the uninsured rate nearly in half over the following decade.
Obesity
Montana's adult obesity rate is about 28.3%, among the lower rates in the country, ranking Montana around 8th-lowest nationally.
Adults with obesity
2011–2025CDC BRFSS via Chronic Disease Indicators, adults 18+.
| Indicator | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Adult obesity rate (%) | 28.3 | 33.4 |
- •Montana consistently ranks among the ten states with the lowest adult obesity rates in CDC surveys.
Public Health Indicators
Montana faces elevated suicide and drug overdose rates relative to the nation, with a suicide rate near 26.9 per 100,000, among the highest in the U.S.
Adults who currently smoke
2011–2025CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, adults 18+.
| Indicator | Montana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Suicide rate (per 100k) | 26.9 | 14.2 |
- •Montana has ranked among the top five states for suicide rate for over a decade, driven partly by rural isolation and firearm access.