The Town FilesMuddy, Montana
Community in Big Horn County · population 646 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $163,800
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 50 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 18.4
Muddy is a community of 646 people in Big Horn County, Montana. The median home is worth $163,800, below the typical Montana town ($249,800). It ranks better for young professionals than 73% of Montana towns.
How Muddy 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 Muddy is worth $163,800, below the typical Montana town ($249,800). Median rent is $704 a month. 56.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Muddy | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $163,800 | $249,800 |
| Median rent | $704 | $893 |
| Median household income | — | $63,249 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 4.2× |
| Homeownership | 56.6% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1981 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Muddy
| People | Muddy | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 18.4 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 5.1% | 19.6% |
| Under 18 | 48.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 6.2% | 25.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 52.3% | 10.9% |
| Veterans | 10.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 19.1% | 8.5% |
| Average commute | 20.1 min | 19.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.8% | 86.6% |
Weather in Muddy
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 50.0 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 Muddy since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Montana town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on June 7, 2018 about 1.6 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 17 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 24, 2023.
Severe weather in Big Horn County since 1996
Big Horn County has been included in 9 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 28, 2021 | Fire | FM-5403: Pf Fire |
| March 31, 2020 | Biological | DR-4508: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3476: Covid-19 |
| June 17, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-1996: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Big Horn County
Big Horn County had 3,743 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,992 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Muddy itself the ACS puts it at 19.3%.
Towns near Muddy
- Lame Deer, MT8.3 mi · 1,897 people · home $111,100
- Busby, MT10.5 mi · 719 people · home $133,600
- Colstrip, MT22.9 mi · 2,096 people · home $194,900
- Ashland, MT23.1 mi · 773 people · home $85,000
Muddy questions
Is Muddy, Montana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Muddy scores better for retirees than 4% of Montana towns and quieter than 25%. 5.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 18.4).
How much does a house cost in Muddy?
The median owner-occupied home in Muddy is valued at $163,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of —. Median rent is $704 a month.
What is the weather like in Muddy?
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 50.0 inches of snow.
Does Muddy get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Muddy 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)