You don’t feel the need to lock your door at night. Parent / teacher conferences happen sometimes spontaneously at the farmers market. That good ol’ community feeling is alive and well in Libby. And the health care is some of the best in the nation. Yep, people agree that things are a bit different here. Good different. Like, spend a bit of time here and you-won’t-want-to-leave different.

Cost of living

Libby’s cost of living is 8.5 percent lower than the national average and considerably lower than other mountain towns. In comparison to Montana, Libby is still 2.2 percent less expensive. With a median home cost of about $120,000, The Kootenai is a beautiful, comfortable place to live without the usual “mountain tax.”

Cost of living indexes
Grocery Housing Utilities Health Care Overall
Libby, Montana 102.6 63.7 92.2 113.9 91.5
Sandpoint,Idaho 102.6 117.6 92.2 113.9 108.8
Bonners Ferry, Idaho 102.6 107.2 92.2 113.9 105.5
Kalispell, Montana 104.7 97.2 90.6 109.5 100
Whitefish, Montana 104.7 166.8 90.6 109.5 122.2

100 = National Average

 

Health care

State-of-the-art facilities and caring, highly trained professional staff — these are a few of Libby’s points of pride in its strong health care system.

This is health care right at home. Including:

– Cabinet Peaks Medical Center

This 25‐bed critical access hospital was named one of the Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals in the United States in 2017 by iVantage Health Analytics and The Chartis Center for Rural Health. Cabinet Peaks Medical Center offers a significant number of in‐patient services in addition to stabilizing patients for transport to either Kalispell, Montana, or Spokane, Washington, for further care. CPMC provides a broad range of services including labor and delivery, surgery, chemotherapy, dialysis, a sleep lab, an emergency care center that is staffed 24/7 with board-certified physicians, a clinical laboratory with a 24-hour blood bank, and radiology. In addition, CPMC provides a number of outpatient services, including respiratory therapy, nutrition services, rehabilitation services (physical, occupational, speech therapy and cardiac rehab) and home health / hospice.

– Northwest Community Health Center

Northwest Community Health Center operates on a sliding scale based on family income. In addition to medical and dental services, Northwest CHC also houses family planning and WIC services for Lincoln County residents. The organization anticipates enhancing its behavioral health services in the near future.

– Libby Care Center

Libby’s 101-bed skilled nursing facility offers a wide variety of services. These include short-term rehab, 24-hour skilled nursing care, comprehensive post-acute care, rehabilitation services (physical, occupational and speech therapies), discharge planning program, long-term care services, and Alzheimer’s and dementia care.

– Cabinet Mountain Home Care

In-home health care for the elderly and disabled in Lincoln County is also available. Cabinet Mountain Home Care provides personal care assistance.

Education

Home of the Libby Loggers, the Libby School District comprises one elementary school, one middle school, one alternative school and one high school. These schools strive to develop self-motivated, lifelong learners. Strong student-teacher ratios, a wide array of extracurricular activities and special programs, top-notch teachers and challenging upper-level courses are the secret to success. Libby Elementary School has received many accolades in recent years, including the 2016 National Distinguished Principal Award for Montana.

Libby also houses Flathead Valley Community College’s Lincoln County campus. Offering the same educational opportunities as the main campus in Kalispell, Montana, students can jumpstart their undergraduate degree, earn a technical degree, retrain for a new profession through workforce development or explore personal interests with non-credit courses.

Real estate

In Libby, everything you’re after is right out your back door — once you’ve picked a back door. With some of the most beautiful real estate in the Northwest, your most difficult decision will be which view you’re after. Whether that turns you toward a cabin on a lake or a family home in town, Libby has many friendly and knowledgeable real estate agents who can guide you through the process from start to finish.

Volunteer

No task is too down and dirty here. Help build a stronger community by supporting top business, civic and social priorities in The Kootenai, where you have access to a network of nonprofits, organizations and individuals that welcome volunteers. The Libby Area Chamber of Commerce also provides ample opportunities for individuals and businesses to make a difference by connecting them to important community issues. So take an active role and make your town a better place to live, work and play.

Climate

What you get from The Kootenai depends on what you put into it. With four seasons — each with its own pursuits for pleasure — there is the potential for huge return on your investment. Warm to hot summers and cold, powder-filled winters characterize the area, though precipitation is usually well distributed through the year.

On average, there are 152 sunny days per year in Libby. The July high is around 84 degrees, and average January low is 21 degrees. Libby gets approximately 22 inches of rain per year, and our snowfall average is 45 inches. The average number of days with any measurable precipitation is 112.

Public transportation

Lincoln County Public Transportation is offered to all ages (children under 12 years must be accompanied by an adult) and has handicapped-accessible buses and vans. Routes are available across Lincoln County and even to Kalispell, Montana, at affordable prices.