The Town FilesCircle, Montana
Town in McCone County · population 591 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $171,900
- Household income
- $75,417
- Jan low / Jul high
- 8° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 24 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 46.2
Circle is a town of 591 people in McCone County, Montana. The median home is worth $171,900, below the typical Montana town ($249,800). It ranks quieter than 97% of Montana towns, better for a vacation home than 91% of Montana towns, better for families than 86% of Montana towns.
How Circle 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 Circle is worth $171,900, below the typical Montana town ($249,800). Homes cost about 2.3 times the median household income of $75,417, which is more affordable than 90% of Montana towns. Median rent is $547 a month. 84.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Circle | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $171,900 | $249,800 |
| Median rent | $547 | $893 |
| Median household income | $75,417 | $63,249 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.3× | 4.2× |
| Homeownership | 84.6% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1958 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 8.4% | — |
Who lives in Circle
| People | Circle | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.2 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.5% | 19.6% |
| Under 18 | 16.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.2% | 25.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.3% | 10.9% |
| Veterans | 3.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.3% | — |
| Work from home | 6.0% | 8.5% |
| Average commute | 15.0 min | 19.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.6% | 86.6% |
Weather in Circle
July highs average 87.1°F and January lows 7.8°F. About 14.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 23.7 inches of snow (typical Montana town: 44.0 in). Expect about 32 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 183 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Circle since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Montana town. The strongest, an F0, struck on August 13, 1993 about 6.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 13, 1993.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 42 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 4, 2000.
Severe weather in McCone County since 1996
McCone County has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, other, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2026 | Straight-Line Winds | DR-4902: Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| August 13, 2021 | Other | DR-4608: Straight-Line Winds |
| March 31, 2020 | Biological | DR-4508: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3476: Covid-19 |
| May 24, 2019 | Flood | DR-4437: Flooding |
Jobs and pay in McCone County
McCone County had 552 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,884 a year. Unemployment was 2% in 2023; in Circle itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Circle
4 public schools with 191 students, about 11.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Circle High School | 9-12 | 64 | 10.7 |
| Bo Peep School | PK-3 | 59 | 11.8 |
| Redwater School | 4-6 | 34 | 8.5 |
| Redwater 7-8 | 7-8 | 34 | 17.0 |
Circle questions
Is Circle, Montana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Circle scores better for retirees than 69% of Montana towns and quieter than 97%. 25.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.2).
How much does a house cost in Circle?
The median owner-occupied home in Circle is valued at $171,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $75,417, so homes cost about 2.3 times income. Median rent is $547 a month.
What is the weather like in Circle?
July highs average 87.1°F and January lows 7.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 14.4 inches of precipitation a year and 23.7 inches of snow.
Does Circle get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Circle since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on August 13, 1993. 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)