The Town FilesKalispell, Montana
City in Flathead County · population 24,558 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $428,000
- Household income
- $63,415
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 54 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 36.2
Kalispell is a city of 24,558 people in Flathead County, Montana. The median home is worth $428,000, above the typical Montana town ($249,800). It ranks more vibrant than 97% of Montana towns, more walkable than 94% of Montana towns, better for cycling than 73% of Montana towns.
How Kalispell 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 Kalispell is worth $428,000, above the typical Montana town ($249,800). Homes cost about 6.7 times the median household income of $63,415, which is more affordable than 17% of Montana towns. Median rent is $1,078 a month. 55.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Kalispell | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $428,000 | $249,800 |
| Median rent | $1,078 | $893 |
| Median household income | $63,415 | $63,249 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.7× | 4.2× |
| Homeownership | 55.1% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1985 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.3% | — |
Who lives in Kalispell
| People | Kalispell | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.2 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.2% | 19.6% |
| Under 18 | 23.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.8% | 25.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.0% | 10.9% |
| Veterans | 8.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.5% | — |
| Work from home | 12.5% | 8.5% |
| Average commute | 14.9 min | 19.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.9% | 86.6% |
Weather in Kalispell
July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 16.3°F. About 16.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 54.4 inches of snow (typical Montana town: 44.0 in). Expect about 14 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 187 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Kalispell since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Montana town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on April 9, 2008 about 0.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 9, 2008.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 24 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on July 7, 2022.
Severe weather in Flathead County since 1996
Flathead County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2026 | Straight-Line Winds | DR-4902: Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds |
| June 16, 2022 | Flood | DR-4655: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Flathead County
Flathead County had 50,611 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,339 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Kalispell itself the ACS puts it at 2.6%.
Public schools in Kalispell
22 public schools with 8,608 students, about 15.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flathead High School | 9-12 | 1,628 | 15.5 |
| Glacier High School | 9-12 | 1,477 | 15.5 |
| Kalispell Middle School | 6-8 | 1,024 | 15.3 |
| Edgerton School | PK-5 | 509 | 17.6 |
| Jeannette Rankin Elementary Sc | PK-5 | 426 | 17.0 |
| West Valley School | PK-4 | 422 | 16.2 |
| East Evergreen School | PK-4 | 351 | 13.5 |
| Lillian Peterson School | PK-5 | 351 | 16.7 |
| West Valley Middle School | 5-8 | 342 | 17.1 |
| Cornelius Hedges School | PK-5 | 320 | 15.2 |
| Evergreen Junior High | 5-8 | 292 | 13.9 |
| Cayuse Prairie School | PK-6 | 259 | 15.2 |
Towns near Kalispell
- Evergreen, MT2.7 mi · 8,149 people · home $340,800
- Columbia Falls, MT12.4 mi · 5,308 people · home $384,400
- Lakeside, MT14.4 mi · 2,705 people · home $720,100
- Whitefish, MT15.4 mi · 7,751 people · home $684,300
- Bigfork, MT15.5 mi · 5,118 people · home $674,600
Kalispell questions
Is Kalispell, Montana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Kalispell scores better for retirees than 19% of Montana towns and quieter than 9%. 19.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.2).
How much does a house cost in Kalispell?
The median owner-occupied home in Kalispell is valued at $428,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $63,415, so homes cost about 6.7 times income. Median rent is $1,078 a month.
What is the weather like in Kalispell?
July highs average 82.2°F and January lows 16.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 16.8 inches of precipitation a year and 54.4 inches of snow.
Does Kalispell get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Kalispell since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on April 9, 2008. 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)