The Town FilesHarlowton, Montana
City in Wheatland County · population 955 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $180,500
- Household income
- $55,600
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 20 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 50.5
Harlowton is a city of 955 people in Wheatland County, Montana. The median home is worth $180,500, below the typical Montana town ($249,800). It ranks better for a vacation home than 87% of Montana towns, better transit than 87% of Montana towns, better for families than 85% of Montana towns.
How Harlowton 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 Harlowton is worth $180,500, below the typical Montana town ($249,800). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $55,600, which is more affordable than 74% of Montana towns. Median rent is $742 a month. 75.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Harlowton | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $180,500 | $249,800 |
| Median rent | $742 | $893 |
| Median household income | $55,600 | $63,249 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 4.2× |
| Homeownership | 75.2% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1945 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 9.9% | — |
Who lives in Harlowton
| People | Harlowton | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.5 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 35.3% | 19.6% |
| Under 18 | 23.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.6% | 25.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.6% | 10.9% |
| Veterans | 13.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.8% | — |
| Work from home | 8.2% | 8.5% |
| Average commute | 14.2 min | 19.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 81.2% | 86.6% |
Weather in Harlowton
July highs average 83.9°F and January lows 13.3°F. About 13.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 19.6 inches of snow (typical Montana town: 44.0 in). Expect about 21 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 191 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Harlowton since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Montana town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 20, 1964 about 3.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 24, 1978.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 26 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on June 24, 2007.
Severe weather in Wheatland County since 1996
Wheatland County has been included in 10 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 |
| March 31, 2020 | Biological | DR-4508: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3476: Covid-19 |
| April 17, 2014 | Flood | DR-4172: Ice Jams And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Wheatland County
Wheatland County had 584 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $42,277 a year. Unemployment was 4% in 2023; in Harlowton itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Harlowton
3 public schools with 267 students, about 10.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hillcrest School | PK-8 | 169 | 10.6 |
| Harlowton High School | 9-12 | 70 | 10.0 |
| Hillcrest 7-8 | 7-8 | 28 | 14.0 |
Harlowton questions
Is Harlowton, Montana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Harlowton scores better for retirees than 83% of Montana towns and quieter than 82%. 35.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 50.5).
How much does a house cost in Harlowton?
The median owner-occupied home in Harlowton is valued at $180,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $55,600, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $742 a month.
What is the weather like in Harlowton?
July highs average 83.9°F and January lows 13.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 13.2 inches of precipitation a year and 19.6 inches of snow.
Does Harlowton get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Harlowton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 20, 1964. 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)