City profile · Montana · Census ACS 2023

Busby, MT

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Busby - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

483
Residents
$62,222
Median income
$96,200
Median home
$1,302
Median rent (state)

Busby - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Busby lands in the 39th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

39th
percentile, household income
8th
percentile, home value
47th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Busby, MT

Montana's Busby is a small town, with 483 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $62,222 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 14.3%. Home values in Busby run a median of $96,200, and the median resident age is 35.4 years. About 28.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 55.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 45.0°F with 15.7 inches of precipitation per year and 52.3 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Montana run below the national norm: the state registers 94.6 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,302 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $175 across Montana, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Natural-hazard exposure scores 57.2 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Moderate).

Population

483 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Montana

Median Household Income

$62,222 /yr

Poverty 14.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.6 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Montana average

How does Busby compare to other US cities?

Where Busby sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 39% higher than other cities
Home value 8% pricier than other cities
Median rent 47% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Busby's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Montana, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

39thIncome percentile

39th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Busby's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$96,200 Among the most affordable more affordable than 92% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Above this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Busby $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Busby, MT Busby, MT's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Busby, MT-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Busby, MT median $62,222/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Busby, MT's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Busby, MT. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 28.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 14.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 55.6%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
483
Median Income
$62,222
Median Home Value
$96,200
Median Age
35.4
Poverty Rate
14.3%
Labor force participation
55.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
28.4%

Climate

Avg Temperature
45.0°F
Annual Precipitation
15.7"
Annual Snowfall
52.3"

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
81.8%
Carpool
14.9%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
3.3%
Work from Home
0.0%

Based on 181 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Montana - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$80
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$40
avg/month
Total Utilities
$175
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Montana state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Montana state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Busby sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.6
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,302/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
57.2 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Montana

Lewistown Heights
484 people
Evaro
479 people
The Silos
474 people
Brockton
497 people
Carlton
497 people
Lodge Grass
499 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Busby's 483 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

St. Ann Highlands, CO
483 people
Van Bibber Lake, IN
483 people
Norwich, KS
483 people
Higbee, MO
483 people
Peak Place, NM
483 people
Tijeras, NM
483 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Busby's $62,222 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Camak, GA
$62,222 median income
Fairmount, GA
$62,222 median income
Brownstown, IN
$62,222 median income
Sebree, KY
$62,222 median income
Sumiton, AL
$62,226 median income
Westland, MI
$62,216 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Busby, MT Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Busby, MT - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 88.0% 6.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 7.0% White 5.8% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 88.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 6.2% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Busby compares to nearby Montana cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Busby (this city) 483 $62,222
Lewistown Heights 484 $86,930
Evaro 479 $68,977
The Silos 474 $54,245
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MT NOAA Normals OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Busby, MT?

What is the population of Busby, MT? +

Busby, MT counts 483 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Busby, MT? +

The median household income in Busby is $62,222 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Busby? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Busby; the closest available measure is the Montana state average, a cost of living index of 94.6 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Montana vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Busby, MT? +

Homes in Busby carry a median value of $96,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Busby? +

Climate normals put Busby's yearly average temperature at 45.0°F, 15.7 inches of precipitation, and 52.3 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NOAA Climate Normals, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.