The Town FilesRed Lodge, Montana
City in Carbon County · population 2,257 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $380,700
- Household income
- $55,750
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 142 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 59.7
Red Lodge is a city of 2,257 people in Carbon County, Montana. The median home is worth $380,700, above the typical Montana town ($249,800). It ranks hipper than 100% of Montana towns, better for retirees than 99% of Montana towns, better for a vacation home than 96% of Montana towns.
How Red Lodge 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 Red Lodge is worth $380,700, above the typical Montana town ($249,800). Homes cost about 6.8 times the median household income of $55,750, which is more affordable than 15% of Montana towns. Median rent is $717 a month. 66.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Red Lodge | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $380,700 | $249,800 |
| Median rent | $717 | $893 |
| Median household income | $55,750 | $63,249 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.8× | 4.2× |
| Homeownership | 66.2% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1960 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 23.8% | — |
Who lives in Red Lodge
| People | Red Lodge | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 59.7 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 33.8% | 19.6% |
| Under 18 | 11.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 46.3% | 25.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.7% | 10.9% |
| Veterans | 9.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 7.7% | 8.5% |
| Average commute | 19.1 min | 19.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.6% | 86.6% |
Weather in Red Lodge
July highs average 81.2°F and January lows 13.9°F. About 22.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 141.9 inches of snow (typical Montana town: 44.0 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 192 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Red Lodge since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 18 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on July 3, 1975.
Severe weather in Carbon County since 1996
Carbon 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 |
| October 11, 2023 | Flood | DR-4745: Flooding |
| June 16, 2022 | Flood | DR-4655: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| June 16, 2021 | Fire | FM-5392: Robertson Draw Fire |
| March 31, 2020 | Biological | DR-4508: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Carbon County
Carbon County had 3,052 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,497 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Red Lodge itself the ACS puts it at 2.8%.
Public schools in Red Lodge
3 public schools with 493 students, about 13.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain View School | PK-5 | 194 | 12.9 |
| Red Lodge High School | 9-12 | 176 | 12.6 |
| Roosevelt Junior High | 6-8 | 123 | 17.6 |
Towns near Red Lodge
- Bridger, MT17.7 mi · 662 people · home $250,000
- Joliet, MT24.2 mi · 577 people · home $235,500
- Absarokee, MT25.2 mi · 1,000 people · home $292,000
Red Lodge questions
Is Red Lodge, Montana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Red Lodge scores better for retirees than 99% of Montana towns and quieter than 63%. 33.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 59.7).
How much does a house cost in Red Lodge?
The median owner-occupied home in Red Lodge is valued at $380,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $55,750, so homes cost about 6.8 times income. Median rent is $717 a month.
What is the weather like in Red Lodge?
July highs average 81.2°F and January lows 13.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 22.7 inches of precipitation a year and 141.9 inches of snow.
Does Red Lodge get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Red Lodge 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)