Is Ekalaka, MT a Good Place to Live?
Ekalaka is a small town of 372 in Montana, with a median household income of $28,750 and a 0.7% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 86 (US average = 100), which is 14% below the national average.
Strengths: Ekalaka stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Ekalaka is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Ekalaka city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 86.5Ekalaka's overall cost of living index is 86.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Ekalaka costs roughly 14% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Ekalaka, MT | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $99,600 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $633 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 60.2% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $28,750 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Crime data for Ekalaka is not currently available from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. Not all local agencies report to the UCR each year.
Schools & Education
Ekalaka is served primarily by Ekalaka Elem. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.2:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Ekalaka, MT | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Ekalaka Elem | — |
| Elementary Schools | 1 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | N/A | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 11.2:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 14.0% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 95.9% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Ekalaka sees average highs of 32.5°F in January and 85.6°F in July, with 18.1 inches of annual precipitation and 48.4 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Ekalaka, MT |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 32.5°F |
| Average High — July | 85.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 18.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 48.4" |
Demographics
| Metric | Ekalaka, MT | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 372 | — |
| Median Age | 60.3 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 0.7% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 7.0 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 90.1% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.0% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.0% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 12.4% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 38.4% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Ekalaka
Ekalaka, MT is covered by 1 ZIP code: