The Town FilesMalmstrom AFB, Montana
Community in Cascade County · population 4,131 (2020 Census)
- Household income
- $64,833
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 64 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 22.5
Malmstrom AFB is a community of 4,131 people in Cascade County, Montana. It ranks more of a college town than 99% of Montana towns, better for young professionals than 96% of Montana towns, better transit than 88% of Montana towns.
How Malmstrom AFB 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
Median rent is $1,220 a month. 0.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Malmstrom AFB | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | — | $249,800 |
| Median rent | $1,220 | $893 |
| Median household income | $64,833 | $63,249 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 4.2× |
| Homeownership | 0.9% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 2004 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Malmstrom AFB
| People | Malmstrom AFB | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 22.5 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 0.0% | 19.6% |
| Under 18 | 33.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.6% | 25.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.8% | 10.9% |
| Veterans | 18.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.5% | — |
| Work from home | 4.0% | 8.5% |
| Average commute | 13.6 min | 19.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 99.0% | 86.6% |
Weather in Malmstrom AFB
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 63.5 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 Malmstrom AFB since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Montana town. The strongest, an F0, struck on May 26, 1980 about 7.5 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 65 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 Malmstrom AFB itself the ACS puts it at 1.8%.
Towns near Malmstrom AFB
- Great Falls, MT5.5 mi · 60,442 people · home $257,000
Malmstrom AFB questions
Is Malmstrom AFB, Montana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Malmstrom AFB scores better for retirees than 0% of Montana towns and quieter than 0%. 0.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 22.5).
What is the weather like in Malmstrom AFB?
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 63.5 inches of snow.
Does Malmstrom AFB get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Malmstrom AFB 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)