The Town FilesMiles City, Montana
City in Custer County · population 8,354 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $200,200
- Household income
- $67,727
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 89°
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 42.6
Miles City is a city of 8,354 people in Custer County, Montana. The median home is worth $200,200, below the typical Montana town ($249,800). It ranks more walkable than 99% of Montana towns, more vibrant than 92% of Montana towns, more of a college town than 92% of Montana towns.
How Miles City 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 Miles City is worth $200,200, below the typical Montana town ($249,800). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $67,727, which is more affordable than 80% of Montana towns. Median rent is $926 a month. 63.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Miles City | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $200,200 | $249,800 |
| Median rent | $926 | $893 |
| Median household income | $67,727 | $63,249 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 4.2× |
| Homeownership | 63.9% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1959 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.2% | — |
Who lives in Miles City
| People | Miles City | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.6 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.7% | 19.6% |
| Under 18 | 19.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.5% | 25.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.4% | 10.9% |
| Veterans | 10.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.5% | — |
| Work from home | 3.9% | 8.5% |
| Average commute | 10.8 min | 19.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.7% | 86.6% |
Weather in Miles City
July highs average 88.7°F and January lows 8.9°F. About 12.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year. Expect about 41 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 166 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Miles City since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Montana town. The strongest, an F0, struck on May 11, 1989 about 0.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 11, 1989.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 63 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on May 20, 2020.
Severe weather in Custer County since 1996
Custer County has been included in 9 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 3, 2020 | Fire | FM-5345: Snider/Rice Fire Complex |
| March 31, 2020 | Biological | DR-4508: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3476: Covid-19 |
| October 31, 2018 | Flood | DR-4405: Flooding |
| July 10, 2013 | Flood | DR-4127: Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Custer County
Custer County had 5,400 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,339 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Miles City itself the ACS puts it at 3.9%.
Public schools in Miles City
9 public schools with 1,544 students, about 14.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Custer Co District High | 9-12 | 492 | 16.4 |
| Washington Middle School 6-8 | 6-8 | 343 | 14.9 |
| Garfield School | K-5 | 240 | 14.1 |
| Lincoln School | 3-5 | 153 | 19.1 |
| Highland Park School | PK-2 | 122 | 15.3 |
| Jefferson School | PK-2 | 99 | 12.4 |
| Kircher School | PK-8 | 65 | 16.3 |
| Pine Hills Youth Corr Facil HS | 9-12 | 29 | 4.8 |
| Pine Hills Youth Corr Facil El | 6-8 | 1 | 0.5 |
Miles City questions
Is Miles City, Montana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Miles City scores better for retirees than 47% of Montana towns and quieter than 11%. 19.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.6).
How much does a house cost in Miles City?
The median owner-occupied home in Miles City is valued at $200,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $67,727, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $926 a month.
What is the weather like in Miles City?
July highs average 88.7°F and January lows 8.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 12.9 inches of precipitation a year.
Does Miles City get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Miles City since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on May 11, 1989. 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)