The Town FilesPolson, Montana
City in Lake County · population 5,148 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $356,300
- Household income
- $53,418
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 34 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 43.0
Polson is a city of 5,148 people in Lake County, Montana. The median home is worth $356,300, above the typical Montana town ($249,800). It ranks better for a vacation home than 82% of Montana towns, better for cycling than 73% of Montana towns, better for retirees than 71% of Montana towns.
How Polson 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 Polson is worth $356,300, above the typical Montana town ($249,800). Homes cost about 6.7 times the median household income of $53,418, which is more affordable than 17% of Montana towns. Median rent is $912 a month. 54.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Polson | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $356,300 | $249,800 |
| Median rent | $912 | $893 |
| Median household income | $53,418 | $63,249 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.7× | 4.2× |
| Homeownership | 54.6% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1983 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 11.2% | — |
Who lives in Polson
| People | Polson | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.0 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.8% | 19.6% |
| Under 18 | 20.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.6% | 25.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.5% | 10.9% |
| Veterans | 10.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.4% | — |
| Work from home | 4.9% | 8.5% |
| Average commute | 19.7 min | 19.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.0% | 86.6% |
Weather in Polson
July highs average 82.8°F and January lows 22.0°F. About 15.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 33.6 inches of snow (typical Montana town: 44.0 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 147 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Polson since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Montana town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on September 1, 2011 about 7.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 1, 2011.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 3 times; the largest was 1.25 inches on June 24, 2020.
Severe weather in Lake County since 1996
Lake County has been included in 8 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 |
| May 24, 2019 | Flood | DR-4437: Flooding |
| April 17, 2014 | Flood | DR-4172: Ice Jams And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Lake County
Lake County had 9,768 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,280 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Polson itself the ACS puts it at 7.9%.
Public schools in Polson
5 public schools with 1,704 students, about 14.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polson High School | 9-12 | 547 | 14.0 |
| Polson Middle School | 5-8 | 495 | 15.5 |
| Linderman School | 2-4 | 361 | 15.0 |
| Cherry Valley School | PK-1 | 268 | 14.1 |
| Valley View School | PK-6 | 33 | 11.0 |
Towns near Polson
- Lakeside, MT23.1 mi · 2,705 people · home $720,100
- Bigfork, MT27.6 mi · 5,118 people · home $674,600
Polson questions
Is Polson, Montana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Polson scores better for retirees than 71% of Montana towns and quieter than 32%. 24.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.0).
How much does a house cost in Polson?
The median owner-occupied home in Polson is valued at $356,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $53,418, so homes cost about 6.7 times income. Median rent is $912 a month.
What is the weather like in Polson?
July highs average 82.8°F and January lows 22.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 15.0 inches of precipitation a year and 33.6 inches of snow.
Does Polson get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Polson since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on September 1, 2011. 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)