The Town FilesBridger, Montana
Town in Carbon County · population 662 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $250,000
- Household income
- $42,891
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 30 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 48.0
Bridger is a town of 662 people in Carbon County, Montana. The median home is worth $250,000, close to the typical Montana town ($249,800). It ranks easier by car than 93% of Montana towns, more of a college town than 83% of Montana towns, more walkable than 75% of Montana towns.
How Bridger 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 Bridger is worth $250,000, close to the typical Montana town ($249,800). Homes cost about 5.8 times the median household income of $42,891, which is more affordable than 30% of Montana towns. Median rent is $753 a month. 74.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bridger | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $250,000 | $249,800 |
| Median rent | $753 | $893 |
| Median household income | $42,891 | $63,249 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.8× | 4.2× |
| Homeownership | 74.4% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1964 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Bridger
| People | Bridger | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.0 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.5% | 19.6% |
| Under 18 | 18.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.4% | 25.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.0% | 10.9% |
| Veterans | 7.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 4.9% | 8.5% |
| Average commute | 21.4 min | 19.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 79.6% | 86.6% |
Weather in Bridger
July highs average 87.2°F and January lows 12.9°F. About 11.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 30.3 inches of snow (typical Montana town: 44.0 in). Expect about 35 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 179 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Bridger since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Montana town. The strongest, an F0, struck on March 23, 1988 about 3.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 23, 1988.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 15 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 26, 2018.
Severe weather in Carbon County since 1996
Carbon County has been included in 13 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 |
| October 11, 2023 | Flood | DR-4745: Flooding |
| June 16, 2022 | Flood | DR-4655: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| June 16, 2021 | Fire | FM-5392: Robertson Draw Fire |
| March 31, 2020 | Biological | DR-4508: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Carbon County
Carbon County had 3,052 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,497 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Bridger itself the ACS puts it at 7.1%.
Public schools in Bridger
3 public schools with 210 students, about 11.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bridger Elementary School | PK-6 | 125 | 13.9 |
| Bridger High School | 9-12 | 55 | 11.0 |
| Bridger 7-8 | 7-8 | 30 | 7.5 |
Towns near Bridger
- Joliet, MT13.4 mi · 577 people · home $235,500
- Red Lodge, MT17.7 mi · 2,257 people · home $380,700
- Pryor, MT20.4 mi · 637 people · home $90,700
- Park City, MT23.2 mi · 1,023 people · home $219,500
- Laurel, MT27.1 mi · 7,222 people · home $235,100
- Columbus, MT28.5 mi · 1,857 people · home $282,800
Bridger questions
Is Bridger, Montana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bridger scores better for retirees than 41% of Montana towns and quieter than 70%. 16.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.0).
How much does a house cost in Bridger?
The median owner-occupied home in Bridger is valued at $250,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $42,891, so homes cost about 5.8 times income. Median rent is $753 a month.
What is the weather like in Bridger?
July highs average 87.2°F and January lows 12.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 11.5 inches of precipitation a year and 30.3 inches of snow.
Does Bridger get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Bridger since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on March 23, 1988. 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)