Carlton’s average trip to work is 54 minutes, above both the Montana town median (17 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). Of the 43 Montana towns we compare, none has a higher owner-occupancy rate than Carlton. Carlton Community Church is on the National Register of Historic Places. Carlton has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.

Small town

682 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

Nearby towns

Missoula · 13 mi Stevensville · 13 mi

Carlton Community Church · National Register of Historic Places

Carlton’s story

143 years in pictures

The archive holds 4 maps from 1912 on.

1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.

1883Carlton is settled

Explore the history →

Getting set up

Moving to Carlton: who provides what

Carlton is unincorporated, so Missoula County and regional agencies provide most services.

PowerNorthWestern Energy14.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

Internet6 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & county servicesMissoula CountyMissoula County provides services here

SchoolsFlorence-Carlton K-12 SchoolsWhich school depends on your addressNCES

Register to voteIn personMontana has no online registration; you can register in person up to and including Election Day or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.gov

Who runs elections hereMissoula County Election AdministratorMissoula County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2024

ZIP code5983359833 100%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Carlton.

Who lives here

Carlton stands out in Montana and nationally, with the median age higher than most

The bachelor’s-degree share among adults 25 and older is 41%, against 35% across Montana. Children under 18 are 1% of residents (21% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 54% of residents (37% statewide).

56.7median age · MT 40.4

	Carlton	Montana towns	U.S. towns
Median age	56.7 years	38.9 years	40.5 years
Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+	41%	30%	29%

CarltonMontanaUnited States

MTU.S.

Ages · share of residents

41%

Education · adults 25 and older

No diploma0%

High school41%

Some college8%

Associate’s11%

Bachelor’s25%

Graduate16%

Women and men · all residents

Somewhere between 18% and 83% women

The Census survey reached too few of Carlton’s residents to say more: its margin here is ±32.5 points. Across Montana, 49.3% of residents are women.

Ages and education in Carlton
	Carlton	MT	U.S.
Under 10	1.3%	11%	11.6%
10 to 17	0%	10%	10.3%
18 to 24	21.7%	9%	9.1%
25 to 34	0%	12.9%	13.7%
35 to 44	2.5%	12.9%	13.2%
45 to 54	11%	11.1%	12.2%
55 to 64	40.5%	13%	12.7%
65 to 74	13.2%	12.4%	10.2%
75 and older	9.8%	7.8%	7%
No diploma	0%	5.4%	10.4%
High school	40.6%	27.5%	26%
Some college	7.8%	22.4%	19.1%
Associate’s	10.5%	9.6%	8.8%
Bachelor’s	24.8%	23.2%	21.6%
Graduate	16.4%	12%	14.1%

Full pageCarlton by the numbersOpen the page

Ages56.7 median age · 23% are 65 or older Schooling41% have a four-year degree Homes100% own their home · Homeowners Income$107K a year · Median household income

U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 700, single groups can be off by several points

Natural hazards

Carlton faces a very high natural-hazard risk, led by avalanches

Among 42 Montana towns, just 3 have a higher natural-hazard score from FEMA than Carlton. FEMA puts 54% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to avalanches, and 17% to wildfires. Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 80% of U.S. communities.

80risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

AvalanchesWildfireInland flooding

Full pageCarlton’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesVery high risk Flood claims0 paid flood claims · No paid flood claims on record Past disasters19 disaster declarations · Declared for the county Get ready0.2 events a year, on average · Ready for avalanches

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Work & commute

More than half of Carlton’s working residents commute to Missoula

The top destinations are Missoula (58%), Lolo (7%) and Orchard Homes (3%). 7.3% of Carlton residents live below the poverty line. For half of commuters, work is under 14 miles away.

0%work in town

Where working residents work

In Carlton0%

Missoula58%

Lolo7%

Orchard Homes3%

Butte-Silver Bow2%

14 mi

median commute distance

jobs based in Carlton

A commuter town

jobs vs. working residents

Full pageCarlton’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here52 jobs based here · A commuter town Where people work0% work in Carlton Commute times54 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 14 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Climate

Carlton has snowy winters and pleasant summers

The town’s typical July afternoon high comes in at 87°F.

43″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter19–36°

Spring33–59°

Summer48–82°

Fall32–58°

Sep 26

typical first frost

May 16

typical last frost

+0.9°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pageCarlton’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 87°, January lows 18°Rain & snow43″ of snow a winter · 12 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingMostly a heating bill Then and now+0.9° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Health

Compared with most of Montana and the rest of the country, fewer of Carlton’s adults sleep under 7 hours

Only 4 of the 42 Montana towns we compare have a lower share of adults who feel lonely than Carlton. 18% of adults get no exercise outside work here. On the CDC’s 32 measures, Carlton is ahead of Montana on 10 and behind on 2.