The Town FilesTerry, Montana
Town in Prairie County · population 562 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $137,200
- Household income
- $48,125
- Jan low / Jul high
- 6° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 12 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 66.8
Terry is a town of 562 people in Prairie County, Montana. The median home is worth $137,200, below the typical Montana town ($249,800). It ranks better for retirees than 91% of Montana towns, better for families than 79% of Montana towns, quieter than 78% of Montana towns.
How Terry 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 Terry is worth $137,200, below the typical Montana town ($249,800). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $48,125, which is more affordable than 84% of Montana towns. 95.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Terry | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $137,200 | $249,800 |
| Median rent | — | $893 |
| Median household income | $48,125 | $63,249 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 4.2× |
| Homeownership | 95.0% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1956 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 9.8% | — |
Who lives in Terry
| People | Terry | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 66.8 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 60.7% | 19.6% |
| Under 18 | 4.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.5% | 25.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 28.1% | 10.9% |
| Veterans | 10.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 9.3% | — |
| Work from home | 27.3% | 8.5% |
| Average commute | 13.8 min | 19.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 68.4% | 86.6% |
Weather in Terry
July highs average 88.1°F and January lows 6.1°F. About 13.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 11.8 inches of snow (typical Montana town: 44.0 in). Expect about 39 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 184 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Terry since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Montana town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on May 20, 2011 about 8.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 20, 2011.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 34 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 11, 1965.
Severe weather in Prairie County since 1996
Prairie County has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 31, 2020 | Biological | DR-4508: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3476: Covid-19 |
| April 17, 2014 | Flood | DR-4172: Ice Jams And Flooding |
| June 17, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-1996: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3253: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Prairie County
Prairie County had 478 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $43,683 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Terry itself the ACS puts it at 2.5%.
Public schools in Terry
3 public schools with 153 students, about 10.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terry School | PK-6 | 87 | 10.9 |
| Terry High School | 9-12 | 40 | 8.0 |
| Terry Middle School | 7-8 | 26 | 13.0 |
Terry questions
Is Terry, Montana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Terry scores better for retirees than 91% of Montana towns and quieter than 78%. 60.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 66.8).
How much does a house cost in Terry?
The median owner-occupied home in Terry is valued at $137,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $48,125, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Terry?
July highs average 88.1°F and January lows 6.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 13.4 inches of precipitation a year and 11.8 inches of snow.
Does Terry get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Terry since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on May 20, 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)