The Town FilesDeer Lodge, Montana
City in Powell County · population 2,938 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $247,600
- Household income
- $60,302
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 75 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 49.8
Deer Lodge is a city of 2,938 people in Powell County, Montana. The median home is worth $247,600, close to the typical Montana town ($249,800). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 86% of Montana towns, quieter than 81% of Montana towns, better for young professionals than 75% of Montana towns.
How Deer Lodge 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 Deer Lodge is worth $247,600, close to the typical Montana town ($249,800). Homes cost about 4.1 times the median household income of $60,302, which is more affordable than 55% of Montana towns. Median rent is $852 a month. 68.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Deer Lodge | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $247,600 | $249,800 |
| Median rent | $852 | $893 |
| Median household income | $60,302 | $63,249 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.1× | 4.2× |
| Homeownership | 68.1% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1956 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.5% | — |
Who lives in Deer Lodge
| People | Deer Lodge | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.8 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.7% | 19.6% |
| Under 18 | 16.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.8% | 25.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.2% | 10.9% |
| Veterans | 15.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.8% | — |
| Work from home | 5.2% | 8.5% |
| Average commute | 14.3 min | 19.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.5% | 86.6% |
Weather in Deer Lodge
July highs average 79.1°F and January lows 10.7°F. About 14.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 75.1 inches of snow (typical Montana town: 44.0 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 231 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Deer Lodge since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Montana town. The strongest, an F1, struck on June 28, 1982 about 3.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 28, 1982.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 12 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 3, 1988.
Severe weather in Powell County since 1996
Powell County has been included in 17 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 |
| August 26, 2025 | Fire | FM-5611: Windy Rock Fire |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Powell County
Powell County had 2,468 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,435 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Deer Lodge itself the ACS puts it at 3.3%.
Public schools in Deer Lodge
3 public schools with 607 students, about 12.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| O D Speer School | PK-6 | 326 | 13.6 |
| Powell County High School | 9-12 | 183 | 10.8 |
| E F Duvall 7-8 | 7-8 | 98 | 16.3 |
Towns near Deer Lodge
- Anaconda-Deer Lodge County, MT28.7 mi · 9,421 people · home $231,700
Deer Lodge questions
Is Deer Lodge, Montana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Deer Lodge scores better for retirees than 62% of Montana towns and quieter than 81%. 24.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 49.8).
How much does a house cost in Deer Lodge?
The median owner-occupied home in Deer Lodge is valued at $247,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $60,302, so homes cost about 4.1 times income. Median rent is $852 a month.
What is the weather like in Deer Lodge?
July highs average 79.1°F and January lows 10.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 14.6 inches of precipitation a year and 75.1 inches of snow.
Does Deer Lodge get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Deer Lodge since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on June 28, 1982. 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)