City profile · Montana · Census ACS 2023

Deer Lodge, MT

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

3,035
Residents
$53,676
Median income
$196,400
Median home
$1,133
Median rent (state)

Deer Lodge - the verdict

Deer Lodge ranks in the 25th percentile for household income and the 55th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

25th
percentile, household income
42nd
percentile, home value
31st
percentile, median rent
55th
percentile, safety
📝 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: Deer Lodge, MT

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 3,035 residents in Deer Lodge, a small town within Montana. Median household income here is $53,676 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 2.5%. Deer Lodge's housing stock carries a median value of $196,400, and the median resident age is 53.2 years. Educational attainment runs 21.9% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 48.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 37 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 61% from five years earlier. Deer Lodge reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 1220.3 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 40.3°F with 14.6 inches of precipitation per year.

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. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,133 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Montana run around $175, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 10.0 out of 100 (Very Low).

Population

3,035 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Montana

Median Household Income

$53,676 /yr

Poverty 2.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.6 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Montana average

How does Deer Lodge compare to other US cities?

Deer Lodge measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 25% higher than other cities
Home value 42% pricier than other cities
Median rent 31% pricier than other cities
Safety 55% safer than other cities

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

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Montana alone, Deer Lodge ranks #19 of 39 Montana cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

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 Deer Lodge'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.

25thIncome percentile
55thSafety percentile

25th percentile nationally for median household income · 55th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Deer Lodge's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Deer Lodge's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 48 Avg. percentile National median
Deer Lodge's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Deer Lodge's home value compares nationally

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

$196,400 Among the most affordable more affordable than 58% 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%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Deer Lodge $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 - Deer Lodge, MT Deer Lodge, MT's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Deer Lodge, 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 Deer Lodge, MT median $53,676/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%
Deer Lodge, 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 Deer Lodge, MT. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 21.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 2.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 48.2%

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

Population
3,035
Median Income
$53,676
Median Home Value
$196,400
Median Age
53.2
Poverty Rate
2.5%
Labor force participation
48.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
21.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1220.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
461.7
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
758.6
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
40.3°F
Annual Precipitation
14.6"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
3
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
3,000 residents3,020 residents3,040 residents3,060 residents 202020212022202320242025 3,024 residents 3,025 residents ▲ +0.0%
Deer Lodge's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
37
housing units authorized
Single-Family
12
detached homes
Multifamily
25
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
12.2
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 23
2020 6
2021 2
2022 6
2023 11
2024 37

Permit volume increased 61% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
88.1%
Carpool
3.1%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
3.1%
Work from Home
3.7%
Other
2.0%

Based on 1,109 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 Deer Lodge sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.6
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,133/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
10.0 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Montana

Cut Bank
3,040 people
Libby
2,948 people
Shelby
3,129 people
Montana
2,899 people
North Browning
2,894 people
Glasgow
3,194 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Deer Lodge's 3,035 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Shark River Hills, NJ
3,035 people
Port Angeles East, WA
3,035 people
Dadeville, AL
3,034 people
Crest, CA
3,034 people
Windermere, FL
3,034 people
Bamberg, SC
3,036 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Deer Lodge's $53,676 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Los Alamos, CA
$53,673 median income
Myrtle Beach, SC
$53,679 median income
Fredericktown, MO
$53,681 median income
Osakis, MN
$53,684 median income
Hidalgo, TX
$53,667 median income
Eddystone, PA
$53,665 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Deer Lodge, 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 Deer Lodge, MT - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 95.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.8% White 95.5% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 2.2% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 2.2% 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 Deer Lodge 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
Deer Lodge (this city) 3,035 $53,676
Cut Bank 3,040 $55,848
Libby 2,948 $39,261
Shelby 3,129 $53,357
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MT FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Deer Lodge, MT?

What is the population of Deer Lodge, MT? +

3,035 people live in Deer Lodge, MT according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Deer Lodge, MT? +

Deer Lodge households earn a median of $53,676 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Deer Lodge? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Deer Lodge; 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.

Is Deer Lodge, MT safe? +

Deer Lodge has a total crime rate of 1220.3 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Deer Lodge, MT? +

Deer Lodge's median home value sits at $196,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Deer Lodge? +

Climate normals put Deer Lodge's yearly average temperature at 40.3°F, 14.6 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, 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.