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Polson, MT

Full City Profile · Montana · Lake County County

2.7 /5.0
C+ Fair
5,334 Population 1,188/sq mi density
$51,463 Median Income $30,142 per capita
$321,000 Home Value $542,977 Zillow
$921 Median Rent 30.8% income on rent
46°F Avg Temperature 273 sunny days/yr
512 Violent Crime/100K 3,882 property/100K
C+
Overall
2.7 / 5.0
Fair overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
B
Economy
3.3 / 5.0
$51,463 median income, 3.9% unemployment
B
Affordability
3.2 / 5.0
$321,000 home value, $921/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
512 violent crimes/100K (35% above avg)
B
Education
3.3 / 5.0
28.3% bachelor's degree or higher

Polson, MT

At a Glance

Median Income
$51,463
32% below
$30,142 per capita
Home Value
$321,000
14% above
Zillow: $542,977
Median Rent
$921/mo
21% below
30.8% of income on rent
Violent Crime
512/100K
35% above
3,882/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
28.3%
16% below
92.3% high school+
Unemployment
3.9%
8% above
14.9% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
32.0%
0% below
14.7% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
46°F
273 sunny days/yr

How Polson Compares to the U.S. Average

Each bar shows Polson's value as a percentage of the national average (100% = U.S. avg)

Income
68%
Home Value
114%
Rent
79%
Poverty
120%
Bachelor's
84%
Unemployment
108%
Crime
135%
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)

Is Polson a Good Place to Live?

C+
2.7 / 5.0 — Fair
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.

Economy & Jobs

Polson residents earn a median household income of $51,463 , which is 32% below the national average of $75,149. Per capita income is $30,142. The unemployment rate stands at 3.9% (8% above the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 14.9% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 1,300 business establishments, including 92 restaurants.

Housing & Cost of Living

The median home value in Polson is $321,000 , 14% above the national median of $281,900. Zillow estimates the typical home at $542,977. Median rent is $921/month, with 30.8% of renters spending more than 30% of income on housing. The cost of living index is 94.6 (100 = national average). The median home was built in 1981.

Safety & Crime

Polson reports 512 violent crimes per 100,000 residents , which is 35% above the national average of 380/100K. Property crime is 3,882/100K. The murder rate is 0.0/100K.

Education

28.3% of adults in Polson hold a bachelor's degree or higher (16% below the national average). 92.3% have completed high school. Local schools score 5.1/10 in standardized testing.

Climate & Weather

Polson has an average annual temperature of 46°F (8°C). Winters average 28°F in January while summers reach 68°F in July. The area gets 273 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 15.0 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 26.

Data Overview

People

Population5,334
Median Age42.9 yrs
Density1,188/mi²
Male / Female47% / 54%
Foreign Born13.6%
Veterans10.0%

Economy

B
Median Income$51,463
Per Capita$30,142
Unemployment3.9%
Poverty14.9%
County GDP$1,355M
Avg Weekly Wage$967

Housing

B
Home Value$321,000
Rent$921
Ownership52.6%
Zillow$542,977
Housing Units2,679
Rent Burden30.8%

Crime

F
Violent512/100K
Property3,882/100K
Murder0.0/100K
Assault473/100K
Burglary256/100K

Health

Obesity32.0%
Diabetes8.4%
Smoking14.7%
Heart Disease5.4%
Premature Death11,703/100K

Climate

Avg Temp46°F
Sunny Days273/yr
Rain15.0 in/yr
AQI26 (Good)
Elevation3,044 ft

Education

B
Bachelor's+28.3%
High School+92.3%
Graduate+10.3%
School Score5.1/10

Community

2024 VoteR 58% / D 39%
Commute19 min
Broadband83.4%
Internet Speed80 Mbps
EV Stations2
Libraries3

Did You Know?

The median home in Polson was built in 1981.
The nearest airport is Glacier Park International (43 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.484 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA.
18.1% of the population has a disability.
13.6% of residents are foreign-born.
The county recorded 10 fatal vehicle crashes.