The Town FilesCarlton, Montana
Community in Missoula County · population 721 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $712,500
- Household income
- $107,155
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 36 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 56.7
Carlton is a community of 721 people in Missoula County, Montana. The median home is worth $712,500, above the typical Montana town ($249,800). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 98% of Montana towns, more of a college town than 91% of Montana towns, better for families than 89% of Montana towns.
How Carlton 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 Carlton is worth $712,500, above the typical Montana town ($249,800). Homes cost about 6.6 times the median household income of $107,155, which is more affordable than 18% of Montana towns. 100.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Carlton | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $712,500 | $249,800 |
| Median rent | — | $893 |
| Median household income | $107,155 | $63,249 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.6× | 4.2× |
| Homeownership | 100.0% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1997 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Carlton
| People | Carlton | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 56.7 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.0% | 19.6% |
| Under 18 | 1.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.1% | 25.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.3% | 10.9% |
| Veterans | 12.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.4% | — |
| Work from home | 5.0% | 8.5% |
| Average commute | 53.8 min | 19.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.4% | 86.6% |
Weather in Carlton
July highs average 85.3°F and January lows 18.9°F. About 12.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 35.6 inches of snow (typical Montana town: 44.0 in). Expect about 28 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 175 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Carlton since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 13 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 8, 2003.
Severe weather in Missoula County since 1996
Missoula County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2026 | Straight-Line Winds | DR-4902: Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| August 23, 2024 | Straight-Line Winds | DR-4813: Straight-Line Winds |
| March 31, 2020 | Biological | DR-4508: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3476: Covid-19 |
| October 31, 2018 | Flood | DR-4405: Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Missoula County
Missoula County had 65,649 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,583 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Carlton itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Towns near Carlton
- Florence, MT4.0 mi · 821 people · home $486,000
- Lolo, MT6.0 mi · 4,399 people · home $431,800
- Orchard Homes, MT11.3 mi · 5,377 people · home $553,700
- Missoula, MT12.8 mi · 73,489 people · home $473,100
- Stevensville, MT12.8 mi · 2,002 people · home $377,300
- East Missoula, MT14.1 mi · 2,465 people · home $358,500
- Bonner-West Riverside, MT15.3 mi · 1,690 people · home $210,900
- Clinton, MT17.1 mi · 1,018 people · home $386,600
Carlton questions
Is Carlton, Montana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Carlton scores better for retirees than 55% of Montana towns and quieter than 37%. 23.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 56.7).
How much does a house cost in Carlton?
The median owner-occupied home in Carlton is valued at $712,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $107,155, so homes cost about 6.6 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Carlton?
July highs average 85.3°F and January lows 18.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 12.4 inches of precipitation a year and 35.6 inches of snow.
Does Carlton get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Carlton 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)