Jobs, pay and daily life in Columbia Falls, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Columbia Falls is a city in Montana with 5,615 residents. The median household earns $75,766 a year and the median rent is $1,016 a month, which is 16.1% of the median household income. We could not match it to a metropolitan area in the BLS wage tables, so metro pay data is not shown.
How Columbia Falls compares. Among the 30 largest places in Montana, Columbia Falls is #22 by population, #1 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #24 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #8 for remote work (#1 = most). Its county, Flathead County, is #12 of 56 counties for average pay ($58,339).
Columbia Falls has 5,615 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.5% of the population of Montana. It covers 2 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,461 people per square mile. The median age is 36.6, 9% younger than the state median (36.6 against 40.4).
The median gross rent is $1,016 a month (rent plus utilities), 6% below the state median ($1,016 against $1,081). Over a year that is 16.1% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $384,400, which is 5.1 times the median household income ($75,766); a ratio above 5 usually means buying is out of reach without savings or a second income. 56.0% of households own their home, 19% below the state average (56.0% against 69.2%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Flathead County was 2.4%. 67.6% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Flathead County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 78.6% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 2.2% walk, 14.8% work from home. 1.3% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 84% below the state average (1.3% against 8.2%).
32.1% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 9% below the state share (32.1% against 35.2%). 1.5% of residents were born outside the United States, 35% below the state share (1.5% against 2.3%). The poverty rate is 15.2%, 32% above the state rate (15.2% against 11.5%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 65°F (18.2°C), and the coolest is Dec at 17°F (-8.5°C). About 774 mm (30 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (92 mm) and Jul the driest (29 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Whitefish (9 miles, rent 33% higher); Evergreen (11 miles, rent 15% higher); Kalispell (12 miles, rent 6% higher); Bigfork (21 miles, similar rent). Rent differences are against Columbia Falls; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Montana (253) →State guide: MontanaCountry guideFlathead CountyMontana rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 253 federal postings open in Montana (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
No metropolitan wage table is matched to this city. Employment shares of residents by industry (ACS):
| Industry ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 22.3% |
| Education and health care | 15.4% |
| Construction | 12.8% |
| Retail trade | 10.1% |
| Public administration | 8.4% |
| Manufacturing | 6.7% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 6.1% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 5.1% |
| Wholesale trade | 4.0% |
| Information | 2.9% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 2.7% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 2.0% |
| Other services | 1.5% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Columbia Falls lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flathead County | 110,695 | $7,210 million | $65,135 | 50,611 | 6,994 | $58,339 | +2.1% | 2.4% | 60,933 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 7,842 | 17.8% | $72,253 | 1.08 |
| Retail trade | 7,323 | 16.6% | $44,356 | 1.45 |
| Accommodation and food services | 6,970 | 15.8% | $28,528 | 1.51 |
| Construction | 4,793 | 10.9% | $64,714 | 1.80 |
| Manufacturing | 3,288 | 7.4% | $73,035 | 0.79 |
| Professional and technical services | 2,629 | 6.0% | $97,227 | 0.75 |
| Administrative and waste services | 2,296 | 5.2% | $54,872 | 0.77 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,883 | 4.3% | $43,537 | 1.24 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,830 | 4.1% | $99,450 | 0.89 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 1,795 | 4.1% | $25,298 | 2.11 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,186 | 2.7% | $76,584 | 0.59 |
| Real estate and rental | 945 | 2.1% | $49,876 | 1.20 |
| Educational services | 478 | 1.1% | $37,150 | 0.46 |
| Information | 397 | 0.9% | $78,211 | 0.42 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 345 | 0.8% | $50,955 | 0.84 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 116 | 0.3% | $88,960 | 0.61 |
| Management of companies | 56 | 0.1% | $100,145 | 0.07 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 78.6% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 2.2% |
| Work from home | 14.8% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 1.3% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $75,766 |
| Income per person | $32,981 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,016 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 16.1% |
| Median home value | $384,400 |
| Homeowners | 56.0% |
| Poverty rate | 15.2% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | n/a |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | n/a |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 5.65%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 36.6 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 91.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 32.1% |
| Born abroad | 1.5% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 67.6% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -8.2 | 17 | 79 |
| Feb | -8.0 | 18 | 64 |
| Mar | -3.2 | 26 | 75 |
| Apr | 2.2 | 36 | 64 |
| May | 8.5 | 47 | 71 |
| Jun | 12.5 | 54 | 92 |
| Jul | 18.2 | 65 | 29 |
| Aug | 17.8 | 64 | 31 |
| Sep | 12.0 | 54 | 44 |
| Oct | 4.0 | 39 | 65 |
| Nov | -2.9 | 27 | 81 |
| Dec | -8.5 | 17 | 79 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whitefish | MT | 9 mi | 8,749 | $73,811 | $1,354 |
| Evergreen | MT | 11 mi | 9,611 | $76,446 | $1,166 |
| Kalispell | MT | 12 mi | 28,504 | $63,415 | $1,078 |
| Bigfork | MT | 21 mi | 5,565 | $85,307 | $1,016 |
| Polson | MT | 47 mi | 5,428 | $53,418 | $912 |
| Missoula | MT | 104 mi | 76,514 | $70,392 | $1,189 |
| Orchard Homes | MT | 105 mi | 5,588 | $64,904 | $1,000 |
| Sandpoint | ID | 109 mi | 9,637 | $72,289 | $1,125 |
| Lolo | MT | 111 mi | 4,314 | $86,065 | $1,139 |
| Hayden | ID | 127 mi | 16,338 | $82,958 | $1,733 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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vs
5,615 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,016 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 16.1% of the median household income.
$75,766 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.4% (BLS county, Flathead County (latest month 2026M09)).
Montana. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.