The Town FilesPlains, Montana
Town in Sanders County · population 1,106 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $248,300
- Household income
- $25,491
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 15 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 43.3
Plains is a town of 1,106 people in Sanders County, Montana. The median home is worth $248,300, close to the typical Montana town ($249,800). It ranks better for cycling than 98% of Montana towns, quieter than 95% of Montana towns, better for retirees than 70% of Montana towns.
How Plains 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 Plains is worth $248,300, close to the typical Montana town ($249,800). Homes cost about 9.7 times the median household income of $25,491, which is more affordable than 2% of Montana towns. Median rent is $843 a month. 53.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Plains | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $248,300 | $249,800 |
| Median rent | $843 | $893 |
| Median household income | $25,491 | $63,249 |
| Home value ÷ income | 9.7× | 4.2× |
| Homeownership | 53.1% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Plains
| People | Plains | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.3 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.9% | 19.6% |
| Under 18 | 11.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.4% | 25.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 31.2% | 10.9% |
| Veterans | 8.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.9% | — |
| Work from home | 15.9% | 8.5% |
| Average commute | 15.0 min | 19.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 81.9% | 86.6% |
Weather in Plains
July highs average 88.5°F and January lows 21.5°F. About 16.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 15.3 inches of snow (typical Montana town: 44.0 in). Expect about 38 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 161 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Plains since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 2 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on May 21, 2023.
Severe weather in Sanders County since 1996
Sanders County has been included in 16 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 |
| December 19, 2025 | Flood | EM-3630: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| August 19, 2023 | Fire | FM-5480: River Road East Fire |
| March 31, 2020 | Biological | DR-4508: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3476: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Sanders County
Sanders County had 3,306 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,909 a year. Unemployment was 4.8% in 2023; in Plains itself the ACS puts it at 19.2%.
Public schools in Plains
3 public schools with 427 students, about 13.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plains Elementary School | PK-6 | 235 | 13.1 |
| Plains High School | 9-12 | 133 | 13.3 |
| Plains 7-8 | 7-8 | 59 | 14.8 |
Towns near Plains
- Hot Springs, MT14.4 mi · 557 people · home $150,900
- Superior, MT18.3 mi · 830 people · home $310,000
- Thompson Falls, MT23.4 mi · 1,336 people · home $266,400
Plains questions
Is Plains, Montana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Plains scores better for retirees than 70% of Montana towns and quieter than 95%. 21.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.3).
How much does a house cost in Plains?
The median owner-occupied home in Plains is valued at $248,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $25,491, so homes cost about 9.7 times income. Median rent is $843 a month.
What is the weather like in Plains?
July highs average 88.5°F and January lows 21.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 16.4 inches of precipitation a year and 15.3 inches of snow.
Does Plains get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Plains in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- 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)