Lake County, Montana
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 30% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 21% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 32% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade C, better than 38% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 65% of US counties
- top 2% for sales tax
- top 2% for air quality
- bottom 4% for comfortable days
Lake County is a county in Montana with about 32,000 residents. It grades B for lifestyle & connectivity and D for weather. Standout strengths include sales tax, air quality, and summer humidity. It rates lower on property crime and comfortable days.
- The median home value in Lake County is $338k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in Lake County is $58k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median gross rent in Lake County is $851 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Lake County has a violent crime rate of 1380/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- The average one-way commute in Lake County is 21 min, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
Climate
Warm, dry summers · Cold winters · Dry · Snowy
very cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
comf.
cold
v.cold
freez.
84%33%clearovercast
Precipitation 1.8 in1.3 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$58k42nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$53kbetter than 15% of US counties
Home Value$338k91st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$851better than 43% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$9kbetter than 45% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.71%better than 63% of US counties
Income Tax5.90%better than 24% of US counties
Sales Tax0.00%better than 98% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden10.03%better than 38% of US counties
Unemployment6.5%better than 21% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)26°F26th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)67°F4th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation19.8 in13th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall35.5 inbetter than 24% of US counties
Sunny Days231 daysbetter than 43% of US counties
Summer Humidity47°Fbetter than 94% of US counties
Comfortable Days35 daysbetter than 4% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk67.7better than 32% of US counties
Air Quality13 AQIbetter than 98% of US counties
School Quality48.8better than 37% of US counties
Violent Crime1380/100kbetter than 19% of US counties
Property Crime2023/100kbetter than 13% of US counties
Community
Population31,50956th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age43.770th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.5182nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9837th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+1526th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)64.3%29th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.3%13th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)4.5%47th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.6%50th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)30.4%98th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time21 minbetter than 73% of US counties
Walkability5.7/20better than 39% of US counties
Airport Distance160 mibetter than 22% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access82.0%better than 42% of US counties
Amenities Nearby2.54better than 51% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 85% of US counties
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- Is Lake County an affordable place to live?
- Lake County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $53k, better than 15% of comparable areas. Median rent is $851.
- Is Lake County safe?
- Lake County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1380/100k (better than 19%). Property crime is 2023/100k.
- What is the weather like in Lake County?
- Lake County averages 67°F in July and 26°F in January, with 19.8 in of annual precipitation and about 231 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Lake County?
- Public-school quality in Lake County is below average, scoring better than 37% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Lake County?
- The average one-way commute in Lake County is 21 min.