City profile · Montana · Census ACS 2023

Sand Coulee, MT

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

146
Residents
$253,100
Median home
$1,284
Median rent (state)

Sand Coulee - the verdict

146 people call Sand Coulee, Montana home. Source: Census ACS.

56th
percentile, home value
45th
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: Sand Coulee, MT

Montana's Sand Coulee is a small town, with 146 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Home values in Sand Coulee run a median of $253,100, and the median resident age is 46.0 years. About 29.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 48.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The city is served by 4 public schools according to NCES Common Core of Data.

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 $1,284 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $175 across Montana, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Workers in Sand Coulee report an average commute of 19.4 minutes, with 96.8% driving alone and 3.2% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 83.1 out of 100 (High).

Population

146 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Montana

Median Household Income

N/A /yr

Poverty 0.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.6 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Montana average

How does Sand Coulee compare to other US cities?

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

Home value 56% pricier than other cities
Median rent 45% 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

Each percentile compares Sand Coulee against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Montana only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Montana-relative analysis

Poverty Rate places Sand Coulee near the bottom of Montana's cities

Among the 315 Montana cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Sand Coulee ranks #230 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Sand Coulee only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Gross Rent
#204 of 317
32nd percentile in Montana
Median Home Value
#120 of 279
57th percentile in Montana
Poverty Rate
#230 of 315
0th percentile in Montana
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#93 of 317
70th percentile in Montana

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Montana only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

How Sand Coulee's home value compares nationally

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

$253,100 44th percentile more affordable than 44% 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%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Sand Coulee $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

Median household income is not available for Sand Coulee in the current Census ACS release (common for very small places).

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 29.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 0.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 48.8%

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

Population
146
Median Income
N/A
Median Home Value
$253,100
Median Age
46.0
Poverty Rate
0.0%
Labor force participation
48.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
29.8%

Schools

Total Schools
4
Public schools in this city

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
19.4 minutes
Drive Alone
96.8%
Carpool
0.0%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
3.2%

Based on 63 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 Sand Coulee sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.6
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,284/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
83.1 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Montana

Happys Inn
146 people
Amsterdam
145 people
Avon
145 people
Hobson
145 people
Stockett
148 people
Virginia City
148 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Sand Coulee's 146 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Kaltag, AK
146 people
Hindsville, AR
146 people
Jersey, GA
146 people
Murtaugh, ID
146 people
Glasgow, IL
146 people
Chapin, IA
146 people

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Sand Coulee, 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 Sand Coulee, MT - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 87.7% 11.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 11.0% White 87.7% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 1.4% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 11.0% 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 Sand Coulee 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
Sand Coulee (this city) 146 N/A
Happys Inn 146 $47,976
Amsterdam 145 $96,750
Avon 145 $97,656
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MT NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Sand Coulee, MT?

What is the population of Sand Coulee, MT? +

Sand Coulee, MT counts 146 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the cost of living in Sand Coulee? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Sand Coulee; 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 Sand Coulee, MT? +

Homes in Sand Coulee carry a median value of $253,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NCES CCD, 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

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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.