Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 523, settled in 1885.
5.8% of working residents work locally in Belt, below the Montana town median (39%) and near the median of U.S. towns (8%). 16% of the land in Belt is conserved, against 9.2% in Montana’s towns and 4.3% across U.S. towns. Belt has 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Belt Jail and Belt Commercial Historic District. Belt has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 1,158 in 1910, 510 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2022 and 2 maps from 1956 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Belt, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Belt.
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 75% of U.S. communities. Since 1981, 10 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Belt.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Its public schools are run by the Belt Elementary District. Its three schools are below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belt SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 178 | A |
| Belt High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 92 | A |
| Belt 7-8Top results in townGrades 7–8 | Grades 7–8 | 55 | A+ |
NCES · EDFacts
0.1 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve. The biggest park or preserve is Castner Park, at 20 acres.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Castner Park | 0.1 mi | 20 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Belt has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with very little rain. Belt’s July high is 83°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Most working residents leave Belt for work: only 6% work in town. Jobs based in Belt grew to 192 in 2023, 45 more than in 2013. The average trip to work in Belt is 21 minutes.
| Belt | Montana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 8.2% | 10% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $74,000 | $67,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The typical Belt home is worth about $395,000, up 2.7% in a year, 16% below the Montana typical home. 75% of Belt households own their home.
| Belt | Montana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 75% | 64% | 73% |
| Median rent | $900 a month | $1,000 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
40% of adults have high blood pressure in Belt. No town among the 42 in Montana we compare has a lower share of adults who binge drink than Belt. 12% of adults have diabetes in Belt.
| Belt | Montana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 32% | 35% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 79% | 72% | 79% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 20% | 16% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 10% | 12% |
| What stands out | Belt | MT |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 6.7% | 9.1% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 4.8% | 6.5% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 12.5% | 9.3% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Belt. Close and well known come first.
16 mi WaterfallGreat Falls
19 mi MuseumC. M. Russell Museum Complex31K visitors a year40 mi Ski areaShowdown43 runs · 1,321 ft vertical
19 mi MuseumParis Gibson Square Museum of Art29K visitors a yearGreat Falls: Tim1965, Public domain · C. M. Russell Museum Complex: Roger Wollstadt, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art: Montanabw, CC BY-SA 3.0
None within 15 miles of Belt; the nearest are
About 5 of every 100 Belt residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Montana.
Town in Montana, United States
Belt is a town in Cascade County, Montana, United States. The population was 510 according to the 2020 census. It is part of the Great Falls, Montana metropolitan area. The town was named for Belt Butte, a nearby mountain which has a dark layer resembling a belt.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Belt has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
2 notable people were born here, including Barbara Bessette and Earl Heikka.
