The Town FilesBelt, Montana
Town in Cascade County · population 510 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $171,700
- Household income
- $73,929
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 68 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 45.9
Belt is a town of 510 people in Cascade County, Montana. The median home is worth $171,700, below the typical Montana town ($249,800). It ranks better for a vacation home than 95% of Montana towns, easier by car than 87% of Montana towns, better for families than 85% of Montana towns.
How Belt 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 Belt is worth $171,700, below the typical Montana town ($249,800). Homes cost about 2.3 times the median household income of $73,929, which is more affordable than 90% of Montana towns. Median rent is $900 a month. 75.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Belt | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $171,700 | $249,800 |
| Median rent | $900 | $893 |
| Median household income | $73,929 | $63,249 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.3× | 4.2× |
| Homeownership | 75.0% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1964 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.1% | — |
Who lives in Belt
| People | Belt | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.9 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.3% | 19.6% |
| Under 18 | 17.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.0% | 25.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.2% | 10.9% |
| Veterans | 9.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.5% | — |
| Work from home | 0.9% | 8.5% |
| Average commute | 20.9 min | 19.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 80.8% | 86.6% |
Weather in Belt
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 16.6°F. About 21.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 67.5 inches of snow (typical Montana town: 44.0 in). Expect about 14 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 165 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Belt since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Montana town. The strongest, unrated, struck on June 29, 1961 about 8.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 29, 1961.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 18 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 28, 1982.
Severe weather in Cascade County since 1996
Cascade County has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 31, 2020 | Biological | DR-4508: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3476: Covid-19 |
| June 17, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-1996: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3253: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| August 30, 2000 | Fire | DR-1340: Wildfires |
Jobs and pay in Cascade County
Cascade County had 36,513 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,412 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Belt itself the ACS puts it at 6.2%.
Public schools in Belt
4 public schools with 367 students, about 15.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belt School | PK-6 | 195 | 16.3 |
| Belt High School | 9-12 | 98 | 14.0 |
| Belt 7-8 | 7-8 | 49 | 16.3 |
| Pleasant Valley School | PK-8 | 25 | 12.5 |
Towns near Belt
- Malmstrom AFB, MT14.5 mi · 4,131 people · home —
- Black Eagle, MT18.3 mi · 949 people · home $190,400
- Great Falls, MT19.1 mi · 60,442 people · home $257,000
- Ulm, MT28.0 mi · 723 people · home $369,400
- Sun Prairie, MT28.1 mi · 1,615 people · home $164,100
Belt questions
Is Belt, Montana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Belt scores better for retirees than 77% of Montana towns and quieter than 69%. 19.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.9).
How much does a house cost in Belt?
The median owner-occupied home in Belt is valued at $171,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $73,929, so homes cost about 2.3 times income. Median rent is $900 a month.
What is the weather like in Belt?
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 16.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 21.6 inches of precipitation a year and 67.5 inches of snow.
Does Belt get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Belt since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events). The typical Montana town has had 1.
- 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)