The Town FilesThompson Falls, Montana
City in Sanders County · population 1,336 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $266,400
- Household income
- $46,313
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 15 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 48.8
Thompson Falls is a city of 1,336 people in Sanders County, Montana. The median home is worth $266,400, above the typical Montana town ($249,800). It ranks quieter than 93% of Montana towns, better for a vacation home than 80% of Montana towns.
How Thompson Falls 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 Thompson Falls is worth $266,400, above the typical Montana town ($249,800). Homes cost about 5.8 times the median household income of $46,313, which is more affordable than 30% of Montana towns. Median rent is $543 a month. 73.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Thompson Falls | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $266,400 | $249,800 |
| Median rent | $543 | $893 |
| Median household income | $46,313 | $63,249 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.8× | 4.2× |
| Homeownership | 73.4% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.1% | — |
Who lives in Thompson Falls
| People | Thompson Falls | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.8 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 30.5% | 19.6% |
| Under 18 | 21.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.6% | 25.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.5% | 10.9% |
| Veterans | 12.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 3.4% | 8.5% |
| Average commute | 14.2 min | 19.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 81.1% | 86.6% |
Weather in Thompson Falls
July highs average 86.4°F and January lows 24.1°F. About 22.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 15.3 inches of snow (typical Montana town: 44.0 in). Expect about 39 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 148 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Thompson Falls since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Montana town. The strongest, unrated, struck on July 9, 1978 about 3.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 9, 1978.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 3 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 16, 2006.
Severe weather in Sanders County since 1996
Sanders County has been included in 16 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 |
| December 19, 2025 | Flood | EM-3630: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| August 19, 2023 | Fire | FM-5480: River Road East Fire |
| March 31, 2020 | Biological | DR-4508: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3476: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Sanders County
Sanders County had 3,306 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,909 a year. Unemployment was 4.8% in 2023; in Thompson Falls itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Thompson Falls
3 public schools with 500 students, about 14.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thompson Falls Elem Schl | PK-6 | 247 | 14.5 |
| Thompson Falls High Schl | 9-12 | 185 | 15.4 |
| Thompson Falls 7-8 | 7-8 | 68 | 11.3 |
Towns near Thompson Falls
- Mullan, ID23.0 mi · 646 people · home $210,600
- Plains, MT23.4 mi · 1,106 people · home $248,300
- Wallace, ID28.4 mi · 791 people · home $232,700
- Silverton, ID29.7 mi · 594 people · home $286,800
Thompson Falls questions
Is Thompson Falls, Montana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Thompson Falls scores better for retirees than 35% of Montana towns and quieter than 93%. 30.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.8).
How much does a house cost in Thompson Falls?
The median owner-occupied home in Thompson Falls is valued at $266,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $46,313, so homes cost about 5.8 times income. Median rent is $543 a month.
What is the weather like in Thompson Falls?
July highs average 86.4°F and January lows 24.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 22.1 inches of precipitation a year and 15.3 inches of snow.
Does Thompson Falls get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Thompson Falls since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events). 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)