The Town FilesMissoula, Montana
City in Missoula County · population 73,489 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $473,100
- Household income
- $70,392
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 50 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 34.7
Missoula is a city of 73,489 people in Missoula County, Montana. The median home is worth $473,100, above the typical Montana town ($249,800). It ranks more walkable than 99% of Montana towns, more vibrant than 99% of Montana towns, better transit than 99% of Montana towns.
How Missoula 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 Missoula is worth $473,100, above the typical Montana town ($249,800). Homes cost about 6.7 times the median household income of $70,392, which is more affordable than 17% of Montana towns. Median rent is $1,189 a month. 47.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Missoula | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $473,100 | $249,800 |
| Median rent | $1,189 | $893 |
| Median household income | $70,392 | $63,249 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.7× | 4.2× |
| Homeownership | 47.0% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.4% | — |
Who lives in Missoula
| People | Missoula | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.7 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.0% | 19.6% |
| Under 18 | 16.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 53.0% | 25.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.8% | 10.9% |
| Veterans | 7.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.9% | — |
| Work from home | 15.2% | 8.5% |
| Average commute | 15.8 min | 19.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.2% | 86.6% |
Weather in Missoula
July highs average 85.1°F and January lows 19.8°F. About 17.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 50.2 inches of snow (typical Montana town: 44.0 in). Expect about 22 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 163 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Missoula since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Montana town. The strongest, an F0, struck on July 20, 1983 about 3.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 20, 1983.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 30 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on July 3, 1998.
Severe weather in Missoula County since 1996
Missoula County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2026 | Straight-Line Winds | DR-4902: Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| August 23, 2024 | Straight-Line Winds | DR-4813: Straight-Line Winds |
| March 31, 2020 | Biological | DR-4508: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3476: Covid-19 |
| October 31, 2018 | Flood | DR-4405: Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Missoula County
Missoula County had 65,649 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,583 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Missoula itself the ACS puts it at 3.8%.
Public schools in Missoula
23 public schools with 11,235 students, about 14.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sentinel High School | 9-12 | 1,386 | 15.9 |
| Hellgate High School | 9-12 | 1,312 | 13.8 |
| Big Sky High School | 9-12 | 1,227 | 15.0 |
| Washington Middle School | 6-8 | 682 | 17.5 |
| Porter Middle School | 6-8 | 590 | 15.9 |
| Hellgate El Intermediate | 4-6 | 525 | 19.4 |
| Jeannette Rankin El | PK-5 | 463 | 17.1 |
| Lewis & Clark School | PK-5 | 423 | 15.1 |
| Paxson School | PK-5 | 418 | 14.4 |
| Chief Charlo School | PK-5 | 417 | 14.9 |
| Target Range School | PK-6 | 415 | 16.0 |
| Meadow Hill Middle School | 6-8 | 408 | 14.6 |
Towns near Missoula
- Orchard Homes, MT2.8 mi · 5,377 people · home $553,700
- Lolo, MT8.1 mi · 4,399 people · home $431,800
Missoula questions
Is Missoula, Montana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Missoula scores better for retirees than 20% of Montana towns and quieter than 2%. 15.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.7).
How much does a house cost in Missoula?
The median owner-occupied home in Missoula is valued at $473,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $70,392, so homes cost about 6.7 times income. Median rent is $1,189 a month.
What is the weather like in Missoula?
July highs average 85.1°F and January lows 19.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 17.4 inches of precipitation a year and 50.2 inches of snow.
Does Missoula get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Missoula since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on July 20, 1983. 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)