Jefferson County, Montana
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 43% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 35% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 59% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade C, better than 30% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 40% of US counties
- top 2% for sales tax
- top 4% for summer humidity
- bottom 5% for comfortable days
Jefferson County is a county in Montana with about 12,000 residents. It grades B for safety & wellbeing and C for getting around. Standout strengths include sales tax, summer humidity, and broadband access. It rates lower on airport distance and comfortable days.
Official websitejeffco.mt.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm, dry summers · Harsh winters · Dry · Snowy
very cold
cold
cool
comfortable
warm
comf.
cool
very cold
86%54%clearovercast
Precipitation 2.5 in1.4 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$74k81st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$54kbetter than 13% of US counties
Home Value$355k92nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$869better than 40% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 13% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.60%better than 76% of US counties
Income Tax5.90%better than 24% of US counties
Sales Tax0.00%better than 98% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden8.76%better than 67% of US counties
Unemployment3.4%better than 77% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)22°F16th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)68°F7th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation22.7 in16th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall35.1 inbetter than 24% of US counties
Sunny Days242 daysbetter than 56% of US counties
Summer Humidity45°Fbetter than 96% of US counties
Comfortable Days38 daysbetter than 5% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk21.6better than 77% of US counties
School Quality42.1better than 20% of US counties
Violent Crime721/100kbetter than 54% of US counties
Property Crime522/100kbetter than 71% of US counties
Community
Population12,27328th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age47.488th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1321st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0578th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+3444th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)91.3%77th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.3%15th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)3.0%31st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.4%36th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)5.0%79th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time23 minbetter than 63% of US counties
Walkability6.1/20better than 51% of US counties
Airport Distance269 mibetter than 7% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access89.0%better than 83% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.81better than 34% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessLimitedbetter than 20% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Jefferson County an affordable place to live?
- Jefferson County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $54k, better than 13% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Jefferson County?
- The median home value in Jefferson County is $355k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Jefferson County?
- Median household income in Jefferson County is $74k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Jefferson County?
- Median gross rent in Jefferson County is $869 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Jefferson County safe?
- Jefferson County is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 721/100k (better than 54%). Property crime is 522/100k.
- What is the weather like in Jefferson County?
- Jefferson County averages 68°F in July and 22°F in January, with 22.7 in of annual precipitation and about 242 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Jefferson County?
- Public-school quality in Jefferson County is below average, scoring better than 20% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Jefferson County?
- The average one-way commute in Jefferson County is 23 min.
Other counties in Montana
Explore Montana
Data sources
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)