The Town FilesBigfork, Montana
Community in Flathead County · population 5,118 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $674,600
- Household income
- $85,307
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 51 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 53.9
Bigfork is a community of 5,118 people in Flathead County, Montana. The median home is worth $674,600, above the typical Montana town ($249,800). It ranks more upscale than 91% of Montana towns, better for retirees than 88% of Montana towns, better for a vacation home than 85% of Montana towns.
How Bigfork 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 Bigfork is worth $674,600, above the typical Montana town ($249,800). Homes cost about 7.9 times the median household income of $85,307, which is more affordable than 10% of Montana towns. Median rent is $1,016 a month. 79.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bigfork | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $674,600 | $249,800 |
| Median rent | $1,016 | $893 |
| Median household income | $85,307 | $63,249 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.9× | 4.2× |
| Homeownership | 79.7% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1995 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 20.2% | — |
Who lives in Bigfork
| People | Bigfork | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 53.9 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 32.9% | 19.6% |
| Under 18 | 17.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50.4% | 25.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.7% | 10.9% |
| Veterans | 10.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.0% | — |
| Work from home | 17.7% | 8.5% |
| Average commute | 21.3 min | 19.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.3% | 86.6% |
Weather in Bigfork
July highs average 81.0°F and January lows 18.3°F. About 19.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 50.6 inches of snow (typical Montana town: 44.0 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 179 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bigfork since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Montana town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on November 4, 2013 about 7.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on November 4, 2013.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 20 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 17, 2013.
Severe weather in Flathead County since 1996
Flathead 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 |
| June 16, 2022 | Flood | DR-4655: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Flathead County
Flathead County had 50,611 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,339 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Bigfork itself the ACS puts it at 1.8%.
Public schools in Bigfork
5 public schools with 1,130 students, about 15.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bigfork Elementary | PK-6 | 445 | 15.9 |
| Bigfork High School | 9-12 | 352 | 16.0 |
| Bigfork 7-8 | 7-8 | 153 | 17.0 |
| Swan River School | PK-5 | 111 | 13.9 |
| Swan River 6-8 | 6-8 | 69 | 17.3 |
Towns near Bigfork
- Lakeside, MT9.4 mi · 2,705 people · home $720,100
- Evergreen, MT14.2 mi · 8,149 people · home $340,800
- Kalispell, MT15.5 mi · 24,558 people · home $428,000
- Columbia Falls, MT20.8 mi · 5,308 people · home $384,400
- Polson, MT27.6 mi · 5,148 people · home $356,300
- Whitefish, MT27.9 mi · 7,751 people · home $684,300
Bigfork questions
Is Bigfork, Montana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bigfork scores better for retirees than 88% of Montana towns and quieter than 62%. 32.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 53.9).
How much does a house cost in Bigfork?
The median owner-occupied home in Bigfork is valued at $674,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $85,307, so homes cost about 7.9 times income. Median rent is $1,016 a month.
What is the weather like in Bigfork?
July highs average 81.0°F and January lows 18.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 19.2 inches of precipitation a year and 50.6 inches of snow.
Does Bigfork get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bigfork since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on November 4, 2013. 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)