Back to the results
The 2026 State of Montana survey
Every question, worded exactly as Montanans saw it. Montana State University mailed the survey and collected the answers.
- Fielded
- September 16 – October 23, 2026
- Responses
- 484
- Response rate
- 12.3%
- Margin of error
- ±4.4 points
Each row is one person’s anonymous answers. The Weight column is MSU’s adjustment so the results match Montana’s adults by age, gender, education and how rural their county is. For statewide figures, add up the weights instead of counting rows, which is how every chart on this site is calculated.
The future
Are you generally optimistic or generally pessimistic about each of the following?
- My own personal economic future over the next 2 years
- The future of Montana
- The future of the United States of America
- Generally pessimistic
- Generally optimistic
- Unsure
To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
- The American Dream is still attainable
- General advances in technology will positively affect my economic future
- Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) will positively affect my economic future
- Strongly disagree
- Disagree
- Somewhat disagree
- Somewhat agree
- Agree
- Strongly agree
- Unsure
Your town
My Town: Community Ratings
- Shared sense of belonging
- Shared culture
- Supportiveness and cooperation
- Very bad
- Bad
- Somewhat bad
- Somewhat good
- Good
- Very good
- Unsure
My Town: Economy Ratings
- Health of the economy overall
- Ease of finding a job
- As a place to build a business
- Very bad
- Bad
- Somewhat bad
- Somewhat good
- Good
- Very good
- Unsure
My Town: Family Ratings
- General safety
- Quality of schools
- Access to quality healthcare
- Access to quality childcare
- Very bad
- Bad
- Somewhat bad
- Somewhat good
- Good
- Very good
- Unsure
My Town: Affordability Ratings
- General affordability
- Affordability of available housing
- Very bad
- Bad
- Somewhat bad
- Somewhat good
- Good
- Very good
- Unsure
My Town: Walkability Ratings
- General walkability
- Ease of doing daily activities (groceries, work, school, coffee) by walking or biking
- Very bad
- Bad
- Somewhat bad
- Somewhat good
- Good
- Very good
- Unsure
Proposals for Montana
To what extent do you support of oppose each of the following in Montana?
- Allowing communities the option of applying a sales tax to tourist spending to support locals
- Increased property taxes on second homes to fund more affordable housing for others
- Community planning that prioritizes density over sprawl
- A childcare stipend for working parents for every child aged 0-5
- Increased funding to pay public school teachers with increased performance standards
- Limiting the influence of money in politics
- Limiting the role of political parties in our elections and institutions
- Constructing artificial intelligence (AI) data centers
- Ensuring public lands remain under public management
- Strongly oppose
- Oppose
- Somewhat oppose
- Somewhat support
- Support
- Strongly support
- Unsure
National proposals
To what extent do you support of oppose each of the following?
- American defense of democracy abroad
- A legal pathway to citizenship for immigrants who already live here and can meet certain conditions
- Government treating everyone equally regardless of their identity
- Addressing the federal debt with a bipartisan solution that must include spending cuts to core programs
- Strongly oppose
- Oppose
- Somewhat oppose
- Somewhat support
- Support
- Strongly support
- Unsure
About you
Were you born in Montana?
- No
- Yes
- Unsure
What is your gender?
- Male
- Female
- Other / prefer not to say
Do you own or rent your residence?
- Own
- Rent
- Other
How long have you lived in Montana?
- Less than 2 years
- 2-5 years
- 6-10 years
- 11-20 years
- 20+ years
- Don't know
Which of the following age categories applies to you?
- 18-34
- 35-44
- 45-54
- 55-64
- 65-74
- 75-84
- 85+
About what percent of your household income goes to housing each month?
- Less than 20%
- 20-29%
- 30-39%
- 40-49%
- 50% or more
- Unsure
What is the highest degree or level of school you have completed?
- Less than high school
- High school diploma/GED
- Associate/junior college degree
- Bachelor's degree
- Graduate degree
Which of the following best describes your current work situation?
- Work locally for a Montana employer
- Work remotely for an out-of-state employer
- Self-employed
- Retired
- Primarily a student
- Doing uncompensated work
- Not currently employed
Grading elected officials
What grade would you give each of the following elected officials for their job performance?
- Your local town mayor or equivalent
- Montana Governor Greg Gianforte
- U.S. Senator Steve Daines
- U.S. Senator Tim Sheehy
- U.S. President Donald Trump
- F
- D
- C
- B
- A
- Unsure
About you
Generally speaking, do you think of yourself as a Republican, a Democrat, an Independent, or something else?
- Republican
- Democrat
- Independent
- Something else
Where do you place yourself on the political ideology scale below?
- Extremely conservative
- Conservative
- Slightly conservative
- Moderate / middle of the road
- Slightly liberal
- Liberal
- Extremely liberal
In your own words
Finish the following. "Montana values are ... "
Written answer
What is one big idea you have that would improve your town or the state of Montana?
Written answer