The Town FilesPinesdale, Montana
Town in Ravalli County · population 805 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $230,000
- Household income
- $66,875
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 17 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 23.6
Pinesdale is a town of 805 people in Ravalli County, Montana. The median home is worth $230,000, below the typical Montana town ($249,800). It ranks better for families than 94% of Montana towns, more upscale than 71% of Montana towns.
How Pinesdale 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 Pinesdale is worth $230,000, below the typical Montana town ($249,800). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $66,875, which is more affordable than 70% of Montana towns. Median rent is $1,595 a month. 62.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pinesdale | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $230,000 | $249,800 |
| Median rent | $1,595 | $893 |
| Median household income | $66,875 | $63,249 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 4.2× |
| Homeownership | 62.3% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Pinesdale
| People | Pinesdale | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 23.6 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 5.9% | 19.6% |
| Under 18 | 35.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.0% | 25.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.8% | 10.9% |
| Veterans | 3.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.6% | — |
| Work from home | 26.5% | 8.5% |
| Average commute | 23.4 min | 19.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.5% | 86.6% |
Weather in Pinesdale
July highs average 85.5°F and January lows 19.0°F. About 11.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 17.1 inches of snow (typical Montana town: 44.0 in). Expect about 23 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 165 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pinesdale since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Montana town. The strongest, an F0, struck on August 15, 1990 about 9.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 15, 1990.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 16 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 28, 1988.
Severe weather in Ravalli County since 1996
Ravalli County has been included in 13 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 |
| March 31, 2020 | Biological | DR-4508: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3476: Covid-19 |
| August 17, 2017 | Fire | FM-5197: Lolo Peak Fire |
| August 1, 2016 | Fire | FM-5143: Roaring Lion Fire |
Jobs and pay in Ravalli County
Ravalli County had 13,757 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,992 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Pinesdale itself the ACS puts it at 1.9%.
Towns near Pinesdale
- Corvallis, MT5.5 mi · 1,125 people · home $249,800
- Hamilton, MT6.4 mi · 4,659 people · home $310,000
- Victor, MT6.7 mi · 789 people · home $238,500
- Stevensville, MT13.6 mi · 2,002 people · home $377,300
- Darby, MT21.5 mi · 783 people · home $327,100
- Florence, MT21.8 mi · 821 people · home $486,000
- Carlton, MT25.8 mi · 721 people · home $712,500
Pinesdale questions
Is Pinesdale, Montana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pinesdale scores better for retirees than 51% of Montana towns and quieter than 59%. 5.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 23.6).
How much does a house cost in Pinesdale?
The median owner-occupied home in Pinesdale is valued at $230,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $66,875, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $1,595 a month.
What is the weather like in Pinesdale?
July highs average 85.5°F and January lows 19.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 11.4 inches of precipitation a year and 17.1 inches of snow.
Does Pinesdale get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pinesdale since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on August 15, 1990. 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)