The Town FilesHarlem, Montana
City in Blaine County · population 769 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $100,800
- Household income
- $82,596
- Jan low / Jul high
- 5° / 85°
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 35.8
Harlem is a city of 769 people in Blaine County, Montana. The median home is worth $100,800, below the typical Montana town ($249,800). It ranks better for young professionals than 99% of Montana towns, more of a college town than 99% of Montana towns, better for first-time buyers than 97% of Montana towns.
How Harlem 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 Harlem is worth $100,800, below the typical Montana town ($249,800). Homes cost about 1.2 times the median household income of $82,596, which is more affordable than 99% of Montana towns. Median rent is $824 a month. 62.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Harlem | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $100,800 | $249,800 |
| Median rent | $824 | $893 |
| Median household income | $82,596 | $63,249 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.2× | 4.2× |
| Homeownership | 62.3% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1956 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Harlem
| People | Harlem | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.8 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.7% | 19.6% |
| Under 18 | 25.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.4% | 25.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.7% | 10.9% |
| Veterans | 6.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.8% | — |
| Work from home | 10.6% | 8.5% |
| Average commute | 14.7 min | 19.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.7% | 86.6% |
Weather in Harlem
July highs average 85.0°F and January lows 5.0°F. About 12.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year. Expect about 30 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 192 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Harlem since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 11 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 25, 2007.
Severe weather in Blaine County since 1996
Blaine County has been included in 13 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 |
| July 18, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4801: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| August 12, 2023 | Flood | DR-4726: Flooding |
| March 31, 2020 | Biological | DR-4508: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3476: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Blaine County
Blaine County had 1,319 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,033 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Harlem itself the ACS puts it at 10.9%.
Public schools in Harlem
4 public schools with 624 students, about 13.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harlem Elementary School | PK-6 | 364 | 14.0 |
| Harlem High School | 9-12 | 165 | 15.0 |
| Harlem 7-8 | 7-8 | 92 | 11.5 |
| North Harlem Elementary | PK-8 | 3 | 3.0 |
Towns near Harlem
- Fort Belknap Agency, MT8.5 mi · 1,567 people · home $72,700
- Chinook, MT20.8 mi · 1,185 people · home $214,700
Harlem questions
Is Harlem, Montana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Harlem scores better for retirees than 89% of Montana towns and quieter than 18%. 16.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.8).
How much does a house cost in Harlem?
The median owner-occupied home in Harlem is valued at $100,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $82,596, so homes cost about 1.2 times income. Median rent is $824 a month.
What is the weather like in Harlem?
July highs average 85.0°F and January lows 5.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 12.5 inches of precipitation a year.
Does Harlem get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Harlem 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)