Sanders County, Montana
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B, better than 60% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 20% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 66% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 51% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade F, better than 9% of US counties
- top 2% for sales tax
- top 6% for summer humidity
- bottom 6% for comfortable days
Sanders County is a county in Montana with about 13,000 residents. It grades B for safety & wellbeing and F for lifestyle & connectivity. Standout strengths include sales tax, summer humidity, and property tax rate. It rates lower on park & nature access and comfortable days.
Official websiteco.sanders.mt.us (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm, dry summers · Cold winters · Dry · Snowy
freez.
very cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
comf.
cold
v.cold
freez.
84%31%clearovercast
Precipitation 1.7 in1.5 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$47k16th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$50kbetter than 21% of US counties
Home Value$285k86th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$731better than 72% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 48% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.58%better than 78% of US counties
Income Tax5.90%better than 24% of US counties
Sales Tax0.00%better than 98% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden9.41%better than 51% of US counties
Unemployment5.2%better than 42% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)26°F25th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)65°F3rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation19.8 in13th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall30.5 inbetter than 28% of US counties
Sunny Days226 daysbetter than 37% of US counties
Summer Humidity46°Fbetter than 94% of US counties
Comfortable Days39 daysbetter than 6% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk47.4better than 51% of US counties
Air Quality37 AQIbetter than 77% of US counties
School Quality62.2better than 64% of US counties
Violent Crime949/100kbetter than 39% of US counties
Property Crime541/100kbetter than 70% of US counties
Community
Population12,61528th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age54.798th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1833rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0784th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+5166th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)89.0%69th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.3%15th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)3.4%36th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.2%21st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)7.1%90th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time22 minbetter than 71% of US counties
Walkability5.8/20better than 40% of US counties
Airport Distance113 mibetter than 41% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access82.7%better than 46% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.00better than 12% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessLimitedbetter than 8% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Sanders County an affordable place to live?
- Sanders County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $50k, better than 21% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Sanders County?
- The median home value in Sanders County is $285k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Sanders County?
- Median household income in Sanders County is $47k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Sanders County?
- Median gross rent in Sanders County is $731 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Sanders County safe?
- Sanders County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 949/100k (better than 39%). Property crime is 541/100k.
- What is the weather like in Sanders County?
- Sanders County averages 65°F in July and 26°F in January, with 19.8 in of annual precipitation and about 226 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Sanders County?
- Public-school quality in Sanders County is above average, scoring better than 64% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Sanders County?
- The average one-way commute in Sanders County is 22 min.
Other counties in Montana
Explore Montana
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)