Great Falls, Montana, is the closest major city to Malmstrom. It has about 59,000 people, and is in Cascade County, which has a population of about 82,000 people. Other nearby small communities include Black Eagle, about 1,000 people, and Sun Prairie, about 1,600 people.

City and base border each other; it is about 5 miles from downtown Great Falls to Malmstrom; this takes about 15 minutes to commute, but the city is fairly spread out and travel times can vary. The average commute in Great Falls is about 15 minutes.

Local Housing Rental Prices: The average apartment rent in the Great Falls area ranges from $350 to $600 per month, with an average of about $500 per month.

Local Housing Purchase Prices: The average price for a house in Great Falls is about $180,000, one of the best housing values in Montana.

Short Description of the Area: Great Falls is the third largest city in Montana and is located on the western side of the rough center of the state. The city is named for the five falls nearby, the Great Falls of the Missouri, and the largest of these, also named the Great Falls. These falls presented a considerable challenge to the Lewis & Clark Expedition, who were following the Missouri across the Louisiana Purchase. Today, these falls produce a vast amount of electricity from hydroelectric dams, giving Great Falls the nickname The Electric City. The city is generally level, and has a strong grid street pattern, except for the more recent, outlying area. Overall, Great Falls is a fairly normal, typical small city.

Climate and Weather: The Great Falls area has a dry, cool climate, winter temperatures from the mid-30s to mid-teens and summer temperatures from the low 80s to low 50s. The area has spring and summer thunderstorms and rain showers, with most rain falling between April and September. Summers are warm and occasionally rainy. Winters are dry and somewhat snowy, with snowfall of 6 to 12 inches per month from November to April, with heaviest snow in March - March has a noticeable shift from snow to rain; the winters are generally not harsh, with warming winds moderating the climate, but cold snaps can drop temperatures below zero.