The Town FilesPray, Montana
Community in Park County · population 790 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $629,600
- Household income
- $96,250
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 63 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 55.7
Pray is a community of 790 people in Park County, Montana. The median home is worth $629,600, above the typical Montana town ($249,800). It ranks better for retirees than 98% of Montana towns, quieter than 97% of Montana towns, better for a vacation home than 96% of Montana towns.
How Pray 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 Pray is worth $629,600, above the typical Montana town ($249,800). Homes cost about 6.5 times the median household income of $96,250, which is more affordable than 19% of Montana towns. 79.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pray | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $629,600 | $249,800 |
| Median rent | — | $893 |
| Median household income | $96,250 | $63,249 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.5× | 4.2× |
| Homeownership | 79.0% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1997 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 14.3% | — |
Who lives in Pray
| People | Pray | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 55.7 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.2% | 19.6% |
| Under 18 | 19.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.7% | 25.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.9% | 10.9% |
| Veterans | 7.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.5% | — |
| Work from home | 12.8% | 8.5% |
| Average commute | 35.5 min | 19.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.7% | 86.6% |
Weather in Pray
July highs average 82.4°F and January lows 19.9°F. About 16.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 62.7 inches of snow (typical Montana town: 44.0 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 158 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Pray since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 4 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on July 10, 2017.
Severe weather in Park County since 1996
Park County has been included in 14 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 |
| August 12, 2023 | Flood | DR-4726: Flooding |
| June 16, 2022 | Flood | DR-4655: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| March 31, 2020 | Biological | DR-4508: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3476: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Park County
Park County had 7,207 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,162 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Pray itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Pray
2 public schools with 79 students, about 15.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arrowhead School | PK-6 | 72 | 18.0 |
| Arrowhead 7-8 | 7-8 | 7 | 7.0 |
Towns near Pray
- Livingston, MT17.8 mi · 8,040 people · home $392,400
- Gardiner, MT25.6 mi · 833 people · home $633,400
- Bozeman, MT26.9 mi · 53,293 people · home $687,900
- King Arthur Park, MT28.9 mi · 1,549 people · home —
- Gallatin Gateway, MT29.0 mi · 967 people · home $814,400
Pray questions
Is Pray, Montana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pray scores better for retirees than 98% of Montana towns and quieter than 97%. 25.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 55.7).
How much does a house cost in Pray?
The median owner-occupied home in Pray is valued at $629,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $96,250, so homes cost about 6.5 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Pray?
July highs average 82.4°F and January lows 19.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 16.3 inches of precipitation a year and 62.7 inches of snow.
Does Pray get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Pray 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)