The Town FilesColstrip, Montana
City in Rosebud County · population 2,096 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $194,900
- Household income
- $82,500
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 37 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 44.2
Colstrip is a city of 2,096 people in Rosebud County, Montana. The median home is worth $194,900, below the typical Montana town ($249,800). It ranks easier by car than 96% of Montana towns, better for first-time buyers than 88% of Montana towns, better for cycling than 77% of Montana towns.
How Colstrip 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 Colstrip is worth $194,900, below the typical Montana town ($249,800). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $82,500, which is more affordable than 89% of Montana towns. Median rent is $659 a month. 82.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Colstrip | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $194,900 | $249,800 |
| Median rent | $659 | $893 |
| Median household income | $82,500 | $63,249 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 4.2× |
| Homeownership | 82.8% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1983 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.8% | — |
Who lives in Colstrip
| People | Colstrip | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.2 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.5% | 19.6% |
| Under 18 | 27.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.9% | 25.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.4% | 10.9% |
| Veterans | 21.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.6% | — |
| Work from home | 2.6% | 8.5% |
| Average commute | 10.7 min | 19.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.5% | 86.6% |
Weather in Colstrip
July highs average 85.0°F and January lows 13.5°F. About 16.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 36.6 inches of snow (typical Montana town: 44.0 in). Expect about 24 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 162 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Colstrip since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Montana town. The strongest, an F0, struck on June 29, 1991 about 9.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 29, 1991.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 41 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on June 14, 2006.
Severe weather in Rosebud County since 1996
Rosebud 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 |
| September 30, 2021 | Fire | DR-4623: Richard Spring Fire |
| August 10, 2021 | Fire | FM-5406: Richard Spring Fire |
| September 3, 2020 | Fire | FM-5345: Snider/Rice Fire Complex |
| March 31, 2020 | Biological | DR-4508: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Rosebud County
Rosebud County had 3,607 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $63,780 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Colstrip itself the ACS puts it at 8.2%.
Public schools in Colstrip
3 public schools with 508 students, about 12.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pine Butte Elementary Sch | PK-5 | 225 | 14.1 |
| Colstrip High School | 9-12 | 157 | 10.5 |
| Frank Brattin Middle Schl | 6-8 | 126 | 11.5 |
Towns near Colstrip
- Lame Deer, MT19.1 mi · 1,897 people · home $111,100
- Muddy, MT22.9 mi · 646 people · home $163,800
- Forsyth, MT25.9 mi · 1,647 people · home $208,400
- Ashland, MT26.0 mi · 773 people · home $85,000
Colstrip questions
Is Colstrip, Montana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Colstrip scores better for retirees than 15% of Montana towns and quieter than 31%. 13.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.2).
How much does a house cost in Colstrip?
The median owner-occupied home in Colstrip is valued at $194,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $82,500, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $659 a month.
What is the weather like in Colstrip?
July highs average 85.0°F and January lows 13.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 16.4 inches of precipitation a year and 36.6 inches of snow.
Does Colstrip get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Colstrip since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on June 29, 1991. 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)