The Town FilesSt. Ignatius, Montana
Town in Lake County · population 768 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $250,000
- Household income
- $50,000
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 137 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 31.0
St. Ignatius is a town of 768 people in Lake County, Montana. The median home is worth $250,000, close to the typical Montana town ($249,800). It ranks better for cycling than 90% of Montana towns, hipper than 77% of Montana towns, better transit than 73% of Montana towns.
How St. Ignatius 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 St. Ignatius is worth $250,000, close to the typical Montana town ($249,800). Homes cost about 5.0 times the median household income of $50,000, which is more affordable than 38% of Montana towns. Median rent is $842 a month. 70.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | St. Ignatius | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $250,000 | $249,800 |
| Median rent | $842 | $893 |
| Median household income | $50,000 | $63,249 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.0× | 4.2× |
| Homeownership | 70.7% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1959 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.9% | — |
Who lives in St. Ignatius
| People | St. Ignatius | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.0 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.0% | 19.6% |
| Under 18 | 32.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.0% | 25.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.8% | 10.9% |
| Veterans | 7.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.9% | — |
| Work from home | 10.8% | 8.5% |
| Average commute | 25.5 min | 19.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.8% | 86.6% |
Weather in St. Ignatius
July highs average 86.0°F and January lows 22.6°F. About 16.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 136.5 inches of snow (typical Montana town: 44.0 in). Expect about 20 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 152 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of St. Ignatius since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Montana town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on May 9, 2023 about 3.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 9, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 16 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 31, 2010.
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 St. Ignatius itself the ACS puts it at 9.9%.
Public schools in St. Ignatius
3 public schools with 462 students, about 11.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Ignatius Elementary School | PK-5 | 217 | 12.1 |
| St Ignatius High School | 9-12 | 135 | 11.3 |
| St Ignatius Middle School | 6-8 | 110 | 11.0 |
Towns near St. Ignatius
- Arlee, MT10.4 mi · 720 people · home $261,400
- Ronan, MT14.5 mi · 1,955 people · home $225,500
- Pablo, MT19.8 mi · 2,138 people · home $256,700
- Frenchtown, MT21.3 mi · 1,958 people · home $475,500
- Wye, MT25.3 mi · 714 people · home $569,100
- Polson, MT25.7 mi · 5,148 people · home $356,300
- Finley Point, MT29.8 mi · 532 people · home $555,100
St. Ignatius questions
Is St. Ignatius, Montana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, St. Ignatius scores better for retirees than 18% of Montana towns and quieter than 34%. 19.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.0).
How much does a house cost in St. Ignatius?
The median owner-occupied home in St. Ignatius is valued at $250,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $50,000, so homes cost about 5.0 times income. Median rent is $842 a month.
What is the weather like in St. Ignatius?
July highs average 86.0°F and January lows 22.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 16.7 inches of precipitation a year and 136.5 inches of snow.
Does St. Ignatius get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of St. Ignatius since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on May 9, 2023. 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)