Very AffordableNear National AverageMedicine Lake K-12 Schools
Median Income
$41,875
household / year
Median Home Value
$95,000
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$781
gross / month
Cost of Living
88
national avg = 100
Is Medicine Lake, MT a Good Place to Live?
Medicine Lake is a small town of 206 in Montana, with a median household income of $41,875
and a 3.3% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 88 (US average = 100), which is
12% below the national average.
Strengths:
Medicine Lake 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 Medicine Lake is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Medicine Lake 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: 87.9
Medicine Lake's overall cost of living index is 87.9,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Medicine Lake costs roughly 12% less than the average American city.
Metric
Medicine Lake, MT
National Avg
Median Home Value
$95,000
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$781
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
68.1%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$41,875
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Near National Average
Medicine Lake's violent crime rate is 634.6 per 100,000 residents
— 67% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
634.6 /100k
Property Crime
1450.6 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Medicine Lake is served primarily by Medicine Lake K-12 Schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 6.4:1
(better than the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Medicine Lake, MT
National Avg
School District
Medicine Lake K-12 Schools
—
Elementary Schools
1
—
Middle Schools
1
—
High Schools
1
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
6.4:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
27.0%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
92.6%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Medicine Lake sees average highs of 22.1°F in January
and 82.7°F in July,
with 14.1 inches of annual precipitation
and 31.3 inches of snow per year.
Medicine Lake's cost of living index is 88, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Medicine Lake roughly 12% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $95,000 and median rent is $781/month.
Medicine Lake's violent crime rate is 634.6 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1450.6 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Medicine Lake are operated by Medicine Lake K-12 Schools.
The district has 1 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 6.4:1. 27.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Medicine Lake, MT has a population of 206, a median household income of $41,875, and an unemployment rate of 3.3%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Medicine Lake averages 22.1°F in January and 82.7°F in July. Annual rainfall is 14.1 inches
with about 31.3 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Medicine Lake, MT is covered by 1 ZIP code: 59247.
The population of Medicine Lake, Montana is 206 with a median age of 46.0. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Medicine Lake: cost of living index 88 (100 = US average), median home $95,000, median household income $41,875, crime index 128 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Medicine Lake side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.