Valley County, Montana
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 50% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 46% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 63% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 67% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 51% of US counties
- top 2% for sales tax
- top 3% for commute time
- bottom 3% for airport distance
Valley County is a county in Montana with about 7,552 residents. It grades B for getting around and C for weather. Standout strengths include sales tax, commute time, and park & nature access. It rates lower on amenities nearby and airport distance.
Official websitevalleycountymt.net (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm, dry summers · Harsh winters · Dry · Heavy snow
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Precipitation 2.0 in0.4 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$60k48th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$51kbetter than 19% of US counties
Home Value$183k62nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$675better than 85% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 32% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.05%better than 36% of US counties
Income Tax5.90%better than 24% of US counties
Sales Tax0.00%better than 98% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden9.11%better than 58% of US counties
Unemployment4.0%better than 64% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)15°F5th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)71°F17th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation13.8 in5th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall42.3 inbetter than 18% of US counties
Sunny Days255 daysbetter than 70% of US counties
Summer Humidity51°Fbetter than 90% of US counties
Comfortable Days57 daysbetter than 15% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk35.9better than 63% of US counties
School Quality72.4better than 77% of US counties
Violent Crime1147/100kbetter than 28% of US counties
Property Crime644/100kbetter than 64% of US counties
Community
Population7,55216th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age43.266th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.2750th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0577th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+5165th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)84.4%57th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.4%18th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)2.7%28th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.1%12th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)12.4%95th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time15 minbetter than 97% of US counties
Walkability7.3/20better than 79% of US counties
Airport Distance507 mibetter than 3% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access83.5%better than 51% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.00better than 12% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 94% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Valley County an affordable place to live?
- Valley County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $51k, better than 19% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Valley County?
- The median home value in Valley County is $183k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Valley County?
- Median household income in Valley County is $60k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Valley County?
- Median gross rent in Valley County is $675 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Valley County safe?
- Valley County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1147/100k (better than 28%). Property crime is 644/100k.
- What is the weather like in Valley County?
- Valley County averages 71°F in July and 15°F in January, with 13.8 in of annual precipitation and about 255 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Valley County?
- Public-school quality in Valley County is above average, scoring better than 77% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Valley County?
- The average one-way commute in Valley County is 15 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)