The Town FilesAshland, Montana
Community in Rosebud County · population 773 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $85,000
- Household income
- $45,607
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 40 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 37.3
Ashland is a community of 773 people in Rosebud County, Montana. The median home is worth $85,000, below the typical Montana town ($249,800). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 77% of Montana towns, better for cycling than 74% of Montana towns.
How Ashland ranks
Percentile among Montana towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Montana towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Ashland is worth $85,000, below the typical Montana town ($249,800). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $45,607, which is more affordable than 95% of Montana towns. Median rent is $621 a month. 23.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ashland | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $85,000 | $249,800 |
| Median rent | $621 | $893 |
| Median household income | $45,607 | $63,249 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 4.2× |
| Homeownership | 23.8% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.1% | — |
Who lives in Ashland
| People | Ashland | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.3 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.8% | 19.6% |
| Under 18 | 23.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.9% | 25.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 29.7% | 10.9% |
| Veterans | 4.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.7% | — |
| Work from home | 3.1% | 8.5% |
| Average commute | 11.9 min | 19.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 72.0% | 86.6% |
Weather in Ashland
July highs average 89.8°F and January lows 10.7°F. About 15.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 40.4 inches of snow (typical Montana town: 44.0 in). Expect about 45 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 178 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Ashland since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 31 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 8, 2006.
Severe weather in Rosebud County since 1996
Rosebud County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2026 | Straight-Line Winds | DR-4902: Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| September 30, 2021 | Fire | DR-4623: Richard Spring Fire |
| August 10, 2021 | Fire | FM-5406: Richard Spring Fire |
| September 3, 2020 | Fire | FM-5345: Snider/Rice Fire Complex |
| March 31, 2020 | Biological | DR-4508: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Rosebud County
Rosebud County had 3,607 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $63,780 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Ashland itself the ACS puts it at 3.4%.
Public schools in Ashland
2 public schools with 76 students, about 7.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashland School | PK-6 | 62 | 7.8 |
| Ashland 7-8 | 7-8 | 14 | 7.0 |
Towns near Ashland
- Lame Deer, MT15.3 mi · 1,897 people · home $111,100
- Muddy, MT23.1 mi · 646 people · home $163,800
- Colstrip, MT26.0 mi · 2,096 people · home $194,900
Ashland questions
Is Ashland, Montana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ashland scores better for retirees than 32% of Montana towns and quieter than 24%. 12.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.3).
How much does a house cost in Ashland?
The median owner-occupied home in Ashland is valued at $85,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $45,607, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $621 a month.
What is the weather like in Ashland?
July highs average 89.8°F and January lows 10.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 15.5 inches of precipitation a year and 40.4 inches of snow.
Does Ashland get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Ashland in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)