The Town FilesLockwood, Montana
Community in Yellowstone County · population 7,195 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $235,400
- Household income
- $75,700
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 35 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 37.5
Lockwood is a community of 7,195 people in Yellowstone County, Montana. The median home is worth $235,400, below the typical Montana town ($249,800). It ranks more vibrant than 81% of Montana towns, easier by car than 75% of Montana towns.
How Lockwood 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 Lockwood is worth $235,400, below the typical Montana town ($249,800). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $75,700, which is more affordable than 77% of Montana towns. Median rent is $1,138 a month. 75.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lockwood | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $235,400 | $249,800 |
| Median rent | $1,138 | $893 |
| Median household income | $75,700 | $63,249 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 4.2× |
| Homeownership | 75.8% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Lockwood
| People | Lockwood | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.5 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.9% | 19.6% |
| Under 18 | 22.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.4% | 25.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.7% | 10.9% |
| Veterans | 7.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.6% | — |
| Work from home | 7.7% | 8.5% |
| Average commute | 21.3 min | 19.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.0% | 86.6% |
Weather in Lockwood
July highs average 86.3°F and January lows 14.4°F. About 15.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 35.0 inches of snow (typical Montana town: 44.0 in). Expect about 41 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 157 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lockwood since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Montana town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on June 20, 2010 about 4.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 6, 2011.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 172 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on June 24, 1991.
Severe weather in Yellowstone County since 1996
Yellowstone County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 16, 2022 | Flood | DR-4655: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| July 17, 2021 | Fire | FM-5399: Buffalo Wildfire |
| September 2, 2020 | Fire | FM-5344: Bobcat Fire |
| August 2, 2020 | Fire | FM-5324: Falling Star Fire |
| March 31, 2020 | Biological | DR-4508: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Yellowstone County
Yellowstone County had 87,348 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,688 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Lockwood itself the ACS puts it at 4.4%.
Public schools in Lockwood
4 public schools with 1,683 students, about 15.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lockwood High School | 9-12 | 556 | 16.8 |
| Lockwood Middle School | 6-8 | 401 | 15.4 |
| Lockwood Primary | PK-2 | 387 | 14.3 |
| Lockwood Intermediate | 3-5 | 339 | 13.6 |
Towns near Lockwood
- Billings, MT8.0 mi · 117,116 people · home $343,400
- Laurel, MT21.3 mi · 7,222 people · home $235,100
Lockwood questions
Is Lockwood, Montana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lockwood scores better for retirees than 11% of Montana towns and quieter than 30%. 16.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.5).
How much does a house cost in Lockwood?
The median owner-occupied home in Lockwood is valued at $235,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $75,700, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $1,138 a month.
What is the weather like in Lockwood?
July highs average 86.3°F and January lows 14.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 15.4 inches of precipitation a year and 35.0 inches of snow.
Does Lockwood get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lockwood since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on June 20, 2010. 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)