Bozeman, MT Crime Map

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions: Bozeman, MT Crime & Safety (2026)

Is Bozeman, MT safe in 2026?

Yes — Bozeman earns an overall crime grade of A, placing it in the Very Safe category for 2026. Across all 14 neighborhoods analyzed, every single one received a Grade A or higher, meaning 100% of Bozeman neighborhoods are rated safe. That is an unusually strong result; most comparably sized cities see at least a handful of neighborhoods dip into the B or C range. Areas like Southeast Neighborhood, New Hyalite View, and Valley Unit earned the top Grade A+ distinction, while even the neighborhoods with the relatively highest activity levels — Bogert Park, South Central, and Northeast — still hold solid Grade A ratings. For context, a Grade A means crime levels are well below national averages for cities of similar population and density. Residents and visitors can feel confident moving through virtually every part of the city.

What is the crime rate in Bozeman, MT?

Bozeman's city-wide safety rating is Very Safe (Grade A). Rather than citing raw numeric scores, the most meaningful way to understand Bozeman's crime picture is through its grade distribution: 100% of analyzed neighborhoods — all 14 — received a Grade A, and zero neighborhoods fell into the B, C, D, or F tiers. The neighborhoods with the highest relative activity, such as South Central and Northeast, still hold Grade A ratings, meaning even the busiest corridors of the city remain well within safe thresholds. Bozeman's low unemployment rate of 3.5% and a median household income of $59,695 are consistent with the socioeconomic conditions that tend to support lower crime environments. Property crime — particularly vehicle-related incidents and opportunistic theft — represents the most commonly reported category in Montana college towns, so securing vehicles and valuables remains a practical precaution despite the strong overall grades.

What are the safest neighborhoods in Bozeman?

Ten Bozeman neighborhoods achieved the highest possible designation of Grade A+ in 2026. Here is how the top performers break down:

• Southeast Neighborhood — Grade A+ | Median income: $118,549 | Population: 458. The highest-income neighborhood in the analysis and consistently among the city's safest.
• New Hyalite View — Grade A+ | Median income: $84,377 | Population: 711. A growing residential area with strong safety metrics.
• Valley Unit — Grade A+ | Median income: $97,121 | Population: 1,585. One of the larger A+ neighborhoods, combining size with very low crime activity.
• Bozeman Ponds — Grade A+ | Median income: $90,610 | Population: 1,860. The most populous A+ neighborhood, demonstrating that safety scales well here even in denser residential clusters.
• Cooper Park — Grade A+ | Median income: $52,797 | Population: 2,138. Notably, this is the largest neighborhood analyzed and still achieves A+ status — a strong indicator of community-wide safety culture.
• The Knolls — Grade A+ | Median income: $71,209 | Population: 42. A very small enclave with top-tier safety grades.
• Loyal Gardens — Grade A+ | Median income: $67,683 | Population: 144.
• Flanders Creek — Grade A+ | Median income: $67,722 | Population: 246.
• Marwyn-Landley — Grade A+ | Median income: $66,697 | Population: 48.
• University Neighborhood — Grade A+ | Median income: $49,804 | Population: 923. Earning A+ status in a college neighborhood is particularly notable, as university districts in many cities trend higher in crime.

The four neighborhoods graded A (rather than A+) — Bogert Park, South Central, Northeast, and Bozeman Creek — are still considered very safe and represent only marginally higher relative activity within what is already a low-crime city.

Is Bozeman a good place to live?

By nearly every measurable indicator, Bozeman ranks as an excellent place to live in 2026. Consider the key data points together: a city-wide crime grade of A (Very Safe), an unemployment rate of just 3.5%, a median household income of $59,695, and 100% of neighborhoods holding a Grade A safety rating. The median home value of $411,730 reflects strong demand, and median rent of $1,145 is competitive for a city of this desirability. The poverty rate of 17.2% is worth noting — it is elevated relative to Bozeman's income levels, likely influenced by the large student population at Montana State University, which skews household income data in neighborhoods like University Neighborhood (median income $49,804) while that area still maintains a Grade A+ safety rating. Population density sits at a manageable 905 residents per square mile, contributing to the open, livable character of neighborhoods like Bozeman Ponds and Cooper Park. For families, professionals, students, and retirees alike, Bozeman's combination of low crime, economic opportunity, and outdoor access makes it one of Montana's most compelling cities.

Which Bozeman neighborhoods have the highest crime?

Even framing this as a "highest crime" question requires important context: in Bozeman, no neighborhood falls below a Grade A. The neighborhoods with relatively higher activity compared to the city's A+ areas are Bogert Park, South Central, Northeast, and Bozeman Creek — all rated Grade A. This means that Bozeman's so-called higher-crime areas would be considered safe or very safe in most other U.S. cities. South Central and Northeast are worth monitoring for property crime trends given their more commercial and transit-adjacent character, but neither presents elevated risk for residents going about daily life. The absence of any Grade B, C, D, or F neighborhoods — out of 14 analyzed — is a statistically rare outcome that underscores just how uniformly low crime is distributed across Bozeman.