The Town FilesColumbia Falls, Montana
City in Flathead County · population 5,308 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $384,400
- Household income
- $75,766
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 54 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 36.6
Columbia Falls is a city of 5,308 people in Flathead County, Montana. The median home is worth $384,400, above the typical Montana town ($249,800). It ranks more walkable than 87% of Montana towns, more vibrant than 85% of Montana towns, hipper than 76% of Montana towns.
How Columbia Falls 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 Columbia Falls is worth $384,400, above the typical Montana town ($249,800). Homes cost about 5.1 times the median household income of $75,766, which is more affordable than 35% of Montana towns. Median rent is $1,016 a month. 56.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Columbia Falls | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $384,400 | $249,800 |
| Median rent | $1,016 | $893 |
| Median household income | $75,766 | $63,249 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.1× | 4.2× |
| Homeownership | 56.0% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 9.4% | — |
Who lives in Columbia Falls
| People | Columbia Falls | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.6 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.9% | 19.6% |
| Under 18 | 24.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.1% | 25.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.2% | 10.9% |
| Veterans | 9.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.5% | — |
| Work from home | 14.8% | 8.5% |
| Average commute | 19.8 min | 19.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.2% | 86.6% |
Weather in Columbia Falls
July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 16.3°F. About 16.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 54.4 inches of snow (typical Montana town: 44.0 in). Expect about 14 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 187 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Columbia Falls since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Montana town. The strongest, an F0, struck on September 10, 2000 about 7.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 10, 2000.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 19 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 13, 2006.
Severe weather in Flathead County since 1996
Flathead 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 |
| June 16, 2022 | Flood | DR-4655: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| March 31, 2020 | Biological | DR-4508: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3476: Covid-19 |
| June 17, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-1996: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Flathead County
Flathead County had 50,611 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,339 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Columbia Falls itself the ACS puts it at 5.6%.
Public schools in Columbia Falls
6 public schools with 2,444 students, about 15.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia Falls High Schl | 9-12 | 688 | 15.6 |
| Ruder Elementary | PK-5 | 546 | 14.8 |
| Columbia Falls Jr HS | 6-8 | 543 | 15.1 |
| Glacier Gateway Elem | PK-5 | 496 | 15.0 |
| Deer Park School | PK-5 | 125 | 13.9 |
| Deer Park 6-8 | 6-8 | 46 | 15.3 |
Towns near Columbia Falls
- Whitefish, MT8.5 mi · 7,751 people · home $684,300
- Evergreen, MT10.5 mi · 8,149 people · home $340,800
- Kalispell, MT12.4 mi · 24,558 people · home $428,000
- Bigfork, MT20.8 mi · 5,118 people · home $674,600
- Lakeside, MT24.5 mi · 2,705 people · home $720,100
Columbia Falls questions
Is Columbia Falls, Montana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Columbia Falls scores better for retirees than 13% of Montana towns and quieter than 22%. 11.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.6).
How much does a house cost in Columbia Falls?
The median owner-occupied home in Columbia Falls is valued at $384,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $75,766, so homes cost about 5.1 times income. Median rent is $1,016 a month.
What is the weather like in Columbia Falls?
July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 16.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 16.8 inches of precipitation a year and 54.4 inches of snow.
Does Columbia Falls get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Columbia Falls since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on September 10, 2000. 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)