The Town FilesButte-Silver Bow (balance), Montana
Town in Silver Bow County · population 34,494 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $257,800
- Household income
- $61,857
- Jan low / Jul high
- 8° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 28 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 40.6
Butte-Silver Bow (balance) is a town of 34,494 people in Silver Bow County, Montana. The median home is worth $257,800, close to the typical Montana town ($249,800). It ranks more walkable than 100% of Montana towns, more vibrant than 95% of Montana towns, hipper than 95% of Montana towns.
How Butte-Silver Bow (balance) ranks
Percentile among Montana towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Montana towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Butte-Silver Bow (balance) is worth $257,800, close to the typical Montana town ($249,800). Homes cost about 4.2 times the median household income of $61,857, which is more affordable than 51% of Montana towns. Median rent is $856 a month. 70.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Butte-Silver Bow (balance) | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $257,800 | $249,800 |
| Median rent | $856 | $893 |
| Median household income | $61,857 | $63,249 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.2× | 4.2× |
| Homeownership | 70.7% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1957 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.3% | — |
Who lives in Butte-Silver Bow (balance)
| People | Butte-Silver Bow (balance) | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.6 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.5% | 19.6% |
| Under 18 | 20.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.1% | 25.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.8% | 10.9% |
| Veterans | 9.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.2% | — |
| Work from home | 7.6% | 8.5% |
| Average commute | 16.9 min | 19.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.6% | 86.6% |
Weather in Butte-Silver Bow (balance)
July highs average 81.3°F and January lows 7.9°F. About 12.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 28.3 inches of snow (typical Montana town: 44.0 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 220 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Butte-Silver Bow (balance) since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 21 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on August 6, 2009.
Severe weather in Silver Bow County since 1996
Silver Bow County has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 31, 2020 | Biological | DR-4508: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3476: Covid-19 |
| September 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3253: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| August 30, 2000 | Fire | DR-1340: Wildfires |
| August 5, 2000 | Fire | FM-2317: Mt-Southwestern Zone Two Fire Complex |
Jobs and pay in Silver Bow County
Silver Bow County had 16,507 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,167 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Butte-Silver Bow (balance) itself the ACS puts it at 4%.
Towns near Butte-Silver Bow (balance)
- Anaconda-Deer Lodge County, MT26.9 mi · 9,421 people · home $231,700
Butte-Silver Bow (balance) questions
Is Butte-Silver Bow (balance), Montana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Butte-Silver Bow (balance) scores better for retirees than 19% of Montana towns and quieter than 9%. 19.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.6).
How much does a house cost in Butte-Silver Bow (balance)?
The median owner-occupied home in Butte-Silver Bow (balance) is valued at $257,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $61,857, so homes cost about 4.2 times income. Median rent is $856 a month.
What is the weather like in Butte-Silver Bow (balance)?
July highs average 81.3°F and January lows 7.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 12.8 inches of precipitation a year and 28.3 inches of snow.
Does Butte-Silver Bow (balance) get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Butte-Silver Bow (balance) in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)