The Town FilesLakeside, Montana
Community in Flathead County · population 2,705 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $720,100
- Household income
- $77,435
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 49 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 52.8
Lakeside is a community of 2,705 people in Flathead County, Montana. The median home is worth $720,100, above the typical Montana town ($249,800). It ranks better for a vacation home than 98% of Montana towns, better transit than 93% of Montana towns, better for families than 91% of Montana towns.
How Lakeside 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 Lakeside is worth $720,100, above the typical Montana town ($249,800). Homes cost about 9.3 times the median household income of $77,435, which is more affordable than 4% of Montana towns. 72.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lakeside | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $720,100 | $249,800 |
| Median rent | — | $893 |
| Median household income | $77,435 | $63,249 |
| Home value ÷ income | 9.3× | 4.2× |
| Homeownership | 72.1% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 15.6% | — |
Who lives in Lakeside
| People | Lakeside | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.8 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.2% | 19.6% |
| Under 18 | 21.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.8% | 25.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.9% | 10.9% |
| Veterans | 10.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.6% | — |
| Work from home | 16.6% | 8.5% |
| Average commute | 29.8 min | 19.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.8% | 86.6% |
Weather in Lakeside
July highs average 81.0°F and January lows 18.3°F. About 19.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 48.6 inches of snow (typical Montana town: 44.0 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 179 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lakeside since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Montana town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on November 4, 2013 about 8.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on November 4, 2013.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 9 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on July 9, 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 Lakeside itself the ACS puts it at 2%.
Public schools in Lakeside
1 public school with 279 students, about 16.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeside Elementary School | PK-4 | 279 | 16.4 |
Towns near Lakeside
- Bigfork, MT9.4 mi · 5,118 people · home $674,600
- Kalispell, MT14.4 mi · 24,558 people · home $428,000
- Evergreen, MT14.7 mi · 8,149 people · home $340,800
- Polson, MT23.1 mi · 5,148 people · home $356,300
- Columbia Falls, MT24.5 mi · 5,308 people · home $384,400
- Whitefish, MT29.5 mi · 7,751 people · home $684,300
Lakeside questions
Is Lakeside, Montana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lakeside scores better for retirees than 83% of Montana towns and quieter than 53%. 22.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.8).
How much does a house cost in Lakeside?
The median owner-occupied home in Lakeside is valued at $720,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $77,435, so homes cost about 9.3 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Lakeside?
July highs average 81.0°F and January lows 18.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 19.2 inches of precipitation a year and 48.6 inches of snow.
Does Lakeside get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lakeside since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on November 4, 2013. 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)