The Town FilesGreat Falls, Montana
City in Cascade County · population 60,442 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $257,000
- Household income
- $63,373
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 66 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 39.0
Great Falls is a city of 60,442 people in Cascade County, Montana. The median home is worth $257,000, close to the typical Montana town ($249,800). It ranks more vibrant than 99% of Montana towns, more walkable than 95% of Montana towns, better transit than 89% of Montana towns.
How Great Falls 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 Great Falls is worth $257,000, close to the typical Montana town ($249,800). Homes cost about 4.1 times the median household income of $63,373, which is more affordable than 55% of Montana towns. Median rent is $900 a month. 66.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Great Falls | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $257,000 | $249,800 |
| Median rent | $900 | $893 |
| Median household income | $63,373 | $63,249 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.1× | 4.2× |
| Homeownership | 66.1% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1965 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.0% | — |
Who lives in Great Falls
| People | Great Falls | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.0 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.0% | 19.6% |
| Under 18 | 21.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.8% | 25.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.5% | 10.9% |
| Veterans | 12.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.2% | — |
| Work from home | 6.8% | 8.5% |
| Average commute | 14.9 min | 19.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.1% | 86.6% |
Weather in Great Falls
July highs average 85.8°F and January lows 17.5°F. About 15.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 66.1 inches of snow (typical Montana town: 44.0 in). Expect about 25 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 143 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Great Falls since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Montana town. The strongest, an F0, struck on May 26, 1980 about 3.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 26, 1980.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 67 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 10, 1965.
Severe weather in Cascade County since 1996
Cascade 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 |
| June 17, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-1996: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3253: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| August 30, 2000 | Fire | DR-1340: Wildfires |
Jobs and pay in Cascade County
Cascade County had 36,513 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,412 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Great Falls itself the ACS puts it at 3.7%.
Public schools in Great Falls
22 public schools with 10,018 students, about 15.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Falls High School | 9-12 | 1,612 | 14.4 |
| C M Russell High School | 9-12 | 1,452 | 16.9 |
| East Middle School | 7-8 | 773 | 13.1 |
| North Middle School | 7-8 | 720 | 13.8 |
| Meadow Lark School | PK-6 | 531 | 22.1 |
| West Elementary | PK-6 | 463 | 14.9 |
| Riverview School | PK-6 | 449 | 20.4 |
| Giant Springs Elementary | PK-6 | 439 | 16.9 |
| Sunnyside School | PK-6 | 406 | 17.7 |
| Loy School | PK-6 | 405 | 15.6 |
| Sacajawea School | PK-6 | 398 | 19.9 |
| Lincoln School | PK-6 | 384 | 19.2 |
Towns near Great Falls
- Malmstrom AFB, MT5.5 mi · 4,131 people · home —
Great Falls questions
Is Great Falls, Montana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Great Falls scores better for retirees than 9% of Montana towns and quieter than 8%. 20.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.0).
How much does a house cost in Great Falls?
The median owner-occupied home in Great Falls is valued at $257,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $63,373, so homes cost about 4.1 times income. Median rent is $900 a month.
What is the weather like in Great Falls?
July highs average 85.8°F and January lows 17.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 15.4 inches of precipitation a year and 66.1 inches of snow.
Does Great Falls get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Great Falls since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on May 26, 1980. The typical Montana town has had 1.
- 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)