Pondera County, Montana
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 32% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 24% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B+, better than 73% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 60% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade F, better than 10% of US counties
- top 2% for sales tax
- top 6% for commute time
- bottom 8% for park & nature access
Pondera County is a county in Montana with about 5,987 residents. It grades B+ for safety & wellbeing and F for lifestyle & connectivity. Standout strengths include sales tax, commute time, and summer humidity. It rates lower on airport distance and park & nature access.
Official websiteponderacountymontana.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm, dry summers · Harsh winters · Dry · Heavy snow
very cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
comf.
cold
very cold
85%43%clearovercast
Precipitation 1.9 in0.5 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$60k48th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$51kbetter than 19% of US counties
Home Value$172k57th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$785better than 58% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 53% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.98%better than 41% of US counties
Income Tax5.90%better than 24% of US counties
Sales Tax0.00%better than 98% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden8.71%better than 68% of US counties
Unemployment6.4%better than 21% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)23°F17th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)64°F2nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation14.7 in6th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall46.9 inbetter than 14% of US counties
Sunny Days239 daysbetter than 53% of US counties
Summer Humidity48°Fbetter than 93% of US counties
Comfortable Days47 daysbetter than 10% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk24.6better than 74% of US counties
School Quality65.2better than 68% of US counties
Violent Crime590/100kbetter than 64% of US counties
Property Crime877/100kbetter than 52% of US counties
Community
Population5,98713th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age41.651st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.3458th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0160th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+3849th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)78.9%47th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.1%5th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)2.4%22nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.2%19th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)18.6%97th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time17 minbetter than 94% of US counties
Walkability6.5/20better than 64% of US counties
Airport Distance242 mibetter than 9% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access83.0%better than 48% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.00better than 12% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessLimitedbetter than 8% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Pondera County an affordable place to live?
- Pondera County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $51k, better than 19% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Pondera County?
- The median home value in Pondera County is $172k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Pondera County?
- Median household income in Pondera County is $60k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Pondera County?
- Median gross rent in Pondera County is $785 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Pondera County safe?
- Pondera County is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 590/100k (better than 64%). Property crime is 877/100k.
- What is the weather like in Pondera County?
- Pondera County averages 64°F in July and 23°F in January, with 14.7 in of annual precipitation and about 239 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Pondera County?
- Public-school quality in Pondera County is above average, scoring better than 68% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Pondera County?
- The average one-way commute in Pondera County is 17 min.
Other counties in Montana
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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)