The Town FilesLame Deer, Montana
Community in Rosebud County · population 1,897 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $111,100
- Household income
- $23,700
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 44 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 22.3
Lame Deer is a community of 1,897 people in Rosebud County, Montana. The median home is worth $111,100, below the typical Montana town ($249,800). It ranks better for young professionals than 82% of Montana towns, better for cycling than 82% of Montana towns, better for first-time buyers than 77% of Montana towns.
How Lame Deer 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 Lame Deer is worth $111,100, below the typical Montana town ($249,800). Homes cost about 4.7 times the median household income of $23,700, which is more affordable than 42% of Montana towns. Median rent is $558 a month. 56.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lame Deer | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $111,100 | $249,800 |
| Median rent | $558 | $893 |
| Median household income | $23,700 | $63,249 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.7× | 4.2× |
| Homeownership | 56.2% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.9% | — |
Who lives in Lame Deer
| People | Lame Deer | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 22.3 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 7.8% | 19.6% |
| Under 18 | 40.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.8% | 25.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 55.8% | 10.9% |
| Veterans | 5.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 9.2% | 8.5% |
| Average commute | 11.9 min | 19.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 69.4% | 86.6% |
Weather in Lame Deer
July highs average 88.4°F and January lows 8.5°F. About 15.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 44.0 inches of snow (typical Montana town: 44.0 in). Expect about 38 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 193 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Lame Deer since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Montana town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on June 7, 2018 about 7.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 7, 2018.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 16 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 24, 2023.
Severe weather in Rosebud County since 1996
Rosebud 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 |
| September 30, 2021 | Fire | DR-4623: Richard Spring Fire |
| August 10, 2021 | Fire | FM-5406: Richard Spring Fire |
| September 3, 2020 | Fire | FM-5345: Snider/Rice Fire Complex |
| March 31, 2020 | Biological | DR-4508: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Rosebud County
Rosebud County had 3,607 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $63,780 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Lame Deer itself the ACS puts it at 42.2%.
Public schools in Lame Deer
3 public schools with 595 students, about 13.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lame Deer School | PK-6 | 309 | 12.4 |
| Lame Deer High School | 9-12 | 196 | 13.1 |
| Lame Deer 7-8 | 7-8 | 90 | 18.0 |
Towns near Lame Deer
- Muddy, MT8.3 mi · 646 people · home $163,800
- Ashland, MT15.3 mi · 773 people · home $85,000
- Busby, MT18.7 mi · 719 people · home $133,600
- Colstrip, MT19.1 mi · 2,096 people · home $194,900
Lame Deer questions
Is Lame Deer, Montana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lame Deer scores better for retirees than 17% of Montana towns and quieter than 15%. 7.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 22.3).
How much does a house cost in Lame Deer?
The median owner-occupied home in Lame Deer is valued at $111,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $23,700, so homes cost about 4.7 times income. Median rent is $558 a month.
What is the weather like in Lame Deer?
July highs average 88.4°F and January lows 8.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 15.7 inches of precipitation a year and 44.0 inches of snow.
Does Lame Deer get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Lame Deer since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on June 7, 2018. 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)