The Town FilesValier, Montana
Town in Pondera County · population 530 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $138,400
- Household income
- $53,021
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 44 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 52.0
Valier is a town of 530 people in Pondera County, Montana. The median home is worth $138,400, below the typical Montana town ($249,800). It ranks easier by car than 89% of Montana towns, more of a college town than 86% of Montana towns, better for young professionals than 80% of Montana towns.
How Valier 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 Valier is worth $138,400, below the typical Montana town ($249,800). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $53,021, which is more affordable than 85% of Montana towns. Median rent is $780 a month. 84.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Valier | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $138,400 | $249,800 |
| Median rent | $780 | $893 |
| Median household income | $53,021 | $63,249 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 4.2× |
| Homeownership | 84.0% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1946 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.0% | — |
Who lives in Valier
| People | Valier | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.0 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 28.3% | 19.6% |
| Under 18 | 15.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.2% | 25.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.1% | 10.9% |
| Veterans | 12.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.0% | — |
| Work from home | 4.3% | 8.5% |
| Average commute | 25.2 min | 19.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.9% | 86.6% |
Weather in Valier
July highs average 81.5°F and January lows 13.0°F. About 12.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 44.1 inches of snow (typical Montana town: 44.0 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 171 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Valier since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 18 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 23, 1971.
Severe weather in Pondera County since 1996
Pondera 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 |
| July 18, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4801: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
| March 31, 2020 | Biological | DR-4508: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3476: Covid-19 |
| August 30, 2018 | Flood | DR-4388: Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Pondera County
Pondera County had 1,562 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,334 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Valier itself the ACS puts it at 4.8%.
Public schools in Valier
5 public schools with 145 students, about 8.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valier School | PK-6 | 66 | 8.3 |
| Valier High School | 9-12 | 38 | 7.6 |
| Kingsbury Colony Attn Ctr | PK-8 | 22 | 22.0 |
| Valier 7-8 | 7-8 | 19 | 19.0 |
| Pondera Colony School | PK-8 | — | — |
Towns near Valier
- Conrad, MT16.7 mi · 2,318 people · home $188,900
- Shelby, MT22.5 mi · 3,169 people · home $232,700
- Cut Bank, MT23.0 mi · 3,056 people · home $164,100
- Heart Butte, MT26.8 mi · 621 people · home $46,300
Valier questions
Is Valier, Montana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Valier scores better for retirees than 45% of Montana towns and quieter than 28%. 28.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.0).
How much does a house cost in Valier?
The median owner-occupied home in Valier is valued at $138,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $53,021, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $780 a month.
What is the weather like in Valier?
July highs average 81.5°F and January lows 13.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 12.6 inches of precipitation a year and 44.1 inches of snow.
Does Valier get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Valier 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)