Prairie County, Montana
Among the top 5% of US counties for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B, better than 63% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade B, better than 65% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade A, better than 94% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade D, better than 13% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A, better than 95% of US counties
- top 2% for sales tax
- top 2% for park & nature access
- bottom 3% for airport distance
Prairie County is a county in Montana with about 1,283 residents. It grades A for lifestyle & connectivity and D for getting around. Standout strengths include sales tax, park & nature access, and monthly owner costs. It rates lower on cost of living and airport distance.
Official websiteprairie.mt.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm, dry summers · Harsh winters · Dry · Light snow
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84%59%clearovercast
Precipitation 1.9 in0.3 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$44k11th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$58kbetter than 8% of US counties
Home Value$141k38th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$866better than 40% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$903better than 97% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.01%better than 38% of US counties
Income Tax5.90%better than 24% of US counties
Sales Tax0.00%better than 98% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden9.12%better than 58% of US counties
Unemployment2.9%better than 83% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)19°F10th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)72°F22nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation13.7 in5th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall11.5 inbetter than 52% of US counties
Sunny Days246 daysbetter than 61% of US counties
Summer Humidity51°Fbetter than 90% of US counties
Comfortable Days49 daysbetter than 11% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk4.2better than 93% of US counties
School Quality59.9better than 60% of US counties
Violent Crime271/100kbetter than 85% of US counties
Property Crime90/100kbetter than 92% of US counties
Community
Population1,2831st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age47.287th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1835th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.1693rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+6587th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)89.7%71st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.0%2nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)0.9%4th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)4.0%92nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)5.4%82nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Walkability6.2/20better than 54% of US counties
Airport Distance485 mibetter than 3% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access84.3%better than 57% of US counties
Amenities Nearby7.79better than 79% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 98% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Prairie County an affordable place to live?
- Prairie County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $58k, better than 8% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Prairie County?
- The median home value in Prairie County is $141k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Prairie County?
- Median household income in Prairie County is $44k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Prairie County?
- Median gross rent in Prairie County is $866 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Prairie County safe?
- Prairie County is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 271/100k (better than 85%). Property crime is 90/100k.
- What is the weather like in Prairie County?
- Prairie County averages 72°F in July and 19°F in January, with 13.7 in of annual precipitation and about 246 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Prairie County?
- Public-school quality in Prairie County is above average, scoring better than 60% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
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)