The Town FilesGardiner, Montana
Community in Park County · population 833 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $633,400
- Household income
- $60,598
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 72 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 48.7
Gardiner is a community of 833 people in Park County, Montana. The median home is worth $633,400, above the typical Montana town ($249,800). It ranks better for retirees than 100% of Montana towns, better for a vacation home than 100% of Montana towns, better for young professionals than 99% of Montana towns.
How Gardiner 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 Gardiner is worth $633,400, above the typical Montana town ($249,800). Homes cost about 10.5 times the median household income of $60,598, which is more affordable than 0% of Montana towns. Median rent is $769 a month. 54.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Gardiner | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $633,400 | $249,800 |
| Median rent | $769 | $893 |
| Median household income | $60,598 | $63,249 |
| Home value ÷ income | 10.5× | 4.2× |
| Homeownership | 54.7% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1992 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 9.4% | — |
Who lives in Gardiner
| People | Gardiner | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.7 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.3% | 19.6% |
| Under 18 | 17.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 51.6% | 25.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.8% | 10.9% |
| Veterans | 2.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.6% | — |
| Work from home | 10.9% | 8.5% |
| Average commute | 18.6 min | 19.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 81.9% | 86.6% |
Weather in Gardiner
July highs average 87.2°F and January lows 16.9°F. About 13.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 71.5 inches of snow (typical Montana town: 44.0 in). Expect about 26 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 167 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Gardiner since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on June 1, 2025.
Severe weather in Park County since 1996
Park County has been included in 14 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 12, 2023 | Flood | DR-4726: Flooding |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Park County
Park County had 7,207 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,162 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Gardiner itself the ACS puts it at 4.2%.
Public schools in Gardiner
3 public schools with 137 students, about 12.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gardiner School | PK-6 | 62 | 15.5 |
| Gardiner High School | 9-12 | 48 | 12.0 |
| Gardiner 7-8 | 7-8 | 27 | 9.0 |
Towns near Gardiner
- Pray, MT25.6 mi · 790 people · home $629,600
Gardiner questions
Is Gardiner, Montana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Gardiner scores better for retirees than 100% of Montana towns and quieter than 74%. 24.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.7).
How much does a house cost in Gardiner?
The median owner-occupied home in Gardiner is valued at $633,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $60,598, so homes cost about 10.5 times income. Median rent is $769 a month.
What is the weather like in Gardiner?
July highs average 87.2°F and January lows 16.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 13.9 inches of precipitation a year and 71.5 inches of snow.
Does Gardiner get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Gardiner in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- 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)