The Town FilesSidney, Montana
City in Richland County · population 6,346 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $236,900
- Household income
- $62,538
- Jan low / Jul high
- 7° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 30 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 37.3
Sidney is a city of 6,346 people in Richland County, Montana. The median home is worth $236,900, below the typical Montana town ($249,800). It ranks more of a college town than 89% of Montana towns, more walkable than 73% of Montana towns, more vibrant than 73% of Montana towns.
How Sidney 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 Sidney is worth $236,900, below the typical Montana town ($249,800). Homes cost about 3.8 times the median household income of $62,538, which is more affordable than 63% of Montana towns. Median rent is $931 a month. 57.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sidney | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $236,900 | $249,800 |
| Median rent | $931 | $893 |
| Median household income | $62,538 | $63,249 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.8× | 4.2× |
| Homeownership | 57.6% | 70.7% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 7.6% | — |
Who lives in Sidney
| People | Sidney | Typical Montana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.3 | 40.6 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.6% | 19.6% |
| Under 18 | 25.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.0% | 25.0% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.7% | 10.9% |
| Veterans | 4.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.2% | — |
| Work from home | 1.9% | 8.5% |
| Average commute | 21.2 min | 19.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.2% | 86.6% |
Weather in Sidney
July highs average 86.6°F and January lows 6.5°F. About 15.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 30.4 inches of snow (typical Montana town: 44.0 in). Expect about 30 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 178 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sidney since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Montana town. The strongest, an F0, struck on July 5, 2001 about 4.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 5, 2001.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 44 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 10, 2021.
Severe weather in Richland County since 1996
Richland County has been included in 8 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, other, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 13, 2021 | Other | DR-4608: Straight-Line Winds |
| March 31, 2020 | Biological | DR-4508: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3476: Covid-19 |
| April 17, 2014 | Flood | DR-4172: Ice Jams And Flooding |
| June 17, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-1996: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Richland County
Richland County had 5,235 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $63,143 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Sidney itself the ACS puts it at 3.4%.
Public schools in Sidney
6 public schools with 1,307 students, about 14.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sidney High School | 9-12 | 378 | 14.0 |
| West Side Elementary | PK-2 | 311 | 14.8 |
| Sidney Middle School | 6-8 | 285 | 14.3 |
| Central Elementary | 3-5 | 256 | 15.1 |
| Rau School | PK-6 | 72 | 10.3 |
| Brorson School | PK-6 | 5 | 5.0 |
Sidney questions
Is Sidney, Montana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sidney scores better for retirees than 21% of Montana towns and quieter than 19%. 13.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.3).
How much does a house cost in Sidney?
The median owner-occupied home in Sidney is valued at $236,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $62,538, so homes cost about 3.8 times income. Median rent is $931 a month.
What is the weather like in Sidney?
July highs average 86.6°F and January lows 6.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 15.5 inches of precipitation a year and 30.4 inches of snow.
Does Sidney get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sidney since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on July 5, 2001. 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)