The Town FilesChoteau, Montana
City in Teton County · population 1,721 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $206,000
- Household income
- $51,632
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 48 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 49.3
Choteau is a city of 1,721 people in Teton County, Montana. The median home is worth $206,000, below the typical Montana town ($249,800). It ranks better for retirees than 93% of Montana towns, hipper than 93% of Montana towns, better transit than 93% of Montana towns.
How Choteau 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 Choteau is worth $206,000, below the typical Montana town ($249,800). Homes cost about 4.0 times the median household income of $51,632, which is more affordable than 59% of Montana towns. Median rent is $697 a month. 63.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Choteau | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $206,000 | $249,800 |
| Median rent | $697 | $893 |
| Median household income | $51,632 | $63,249 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.0× | 4.2× |
| Homeownership | 63.8% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1954 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.7% | — |
Who lives in Choteau
| People | Choteau | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.3 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 29.6% | 19.6% |
| Under 18 | 16.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.5% | 25.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.7% | 10.9% |
| Veterans | 9.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.5% | — |
| Work from home | 8.6% | 8.5% |
| Average commute | 17.3 min | 19.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.1% | 86.6% |
Weather in Choteau
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 13.4°F. About 11.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 47.5 inches of snow (typical Montana town: 44.0 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 177 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Choteau since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Montana town. The strongest, unrated, struck on June 5, 1963 about 8.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 5, 1963.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 25 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 7, 2022.
Severe weather in Teton County since 1996
Teton County has been included in 12 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 |
| July 18, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4801: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| March 31, 2020 | Biological | DR-4508: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3476: Covid-19 |
| September 12, 2017 | Fire | FM-5212: Strawberry Fire |
Jobs and pay in Teton County
Teton County had 1,784 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $43,842 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Choteau itself the ACS puts it at 0.7%.
Public schools in Choteau
3 public schools with 432 students, about 14.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Choteau School | PK-8 | 268 | 15.8 |
| Choteau High School | 9-12 | 110 | 11.0 |
| Choteau 7-8 | 7-8 | 54 | 18.0 |
Towns near Choteau
- Fairfield, MT16.5 mi · 759 people · home $217,400
- Conrad, MT27.1 mi · 2,318 people · home $188,900
Choteau questions
Is Choteau, Montana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Choteau scores better for retirees than 93% of Montana towns and quieter than 80%. 29.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.3).
How much does a house cost in Choteau?
The median owner-occupied home in Choteau is valued at $206,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $51,632, so homes cost about 4.0 times income. Median rent is $697 a month.
What is the weather like in Choteau?
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 13.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 11.9 inches of precipitation a year and 47.5 inches of snow.
Does Choteau get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Choteau 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)