Izaak Walton Inn · National Register of Historic Places
Essex’s story
Essex in pictures
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
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EssexMT
Population 82: a town in Montana.
Walton Ranger Station Historic District · Photo: National Park Service inventory · Public domain
Population
82
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$416K
+0.6% in a year
Household income
$60K
median
Median age
55.6
years
Is Essex a good place to live?
No town among the 43 in Montana we compare has a higher home-ownership rate than Essex. 34% of the land in Essex is conserved, above both Montana’s towns (9.2%) and U.S. towns (4.3%). Scalplock Mountain Fire Lookout and Walton Ranger Station Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places. Essex has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
82 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Essex.
Outdoors
Essex keeps nearly a third of its land conserved
34%conserved
There are 0.2 miles of trail across 1 park or preserve. The trail network density for Essex comes to 0.4 miles per square mile.
34%
conserved · 117 of 344 acres
0.2 mi
of trails · 0.4 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Glacier National Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Natural hazards
The biggest natural risk in Essex is avalanches, at a very high overall level
81risk score of 100
Storm and flood damage is expected to run higher than in just over four fifths of U.S. communities. Expected losses in Essex break down as 78% from avalanches and 9% from inland flooding.
FEMA risk score
AvalanchesInland floodingWildfire
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Essex: four seasons and pleasant summers
78°summer high
July afternoons reach 78° and January nights drop to 16°.
Typical low → high °F
Winter16–32°
Spring28–50°
Summer44–74°
Fall30–52°
Sep 5
typical first frost
Jun 8
typical last frost
+1.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
78°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
Essex stands out in Montana and nationally, with more of its adults who have high blood pressure
Of the 42 Montana towns we compare, none has a lower share of adults who binge drink than Essex. In Essex, 16% of adults have diabetes. Against the Montana average, Essex comes out ahead on 8 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 11.
| Essex | Montana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 45% | 32% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 20% | 16% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 10% | 12% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 31% | 33% |
32 measures vs. Montana
8 better13 too close to call11 worse
| What stands out | Essex | MT |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 13.6% | 20.3% |
| Fewer adults in frequent mental distress | 13.9% | 17.2% |
| More adults with heart disease | 11.7% | 6.6% |
Logan Health Medical Center
33.2 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Typical home value
Essex$416K
Montana$467K
+0.6%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Essex
16pages on Essex
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
Nearby attractions
All 13 attractions →Flathead Lake and 8 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Essex. Close and well known come first.
35 mi LakeFlathead Lake
20 mi MountainTriple Divide Peak
28 mi LakeSaint Mary Lakein town National ParkGlacier National Park3.1M visitors a year37 mi Ski areaWhitefish Mountain Resort137 runs · 2,292 ft vertical40 mi Ski areaBlacktail Mountain Ski Area23 runs · 1,421 ft verticalSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Flathead Lake: The original uploader was Cactus.man at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 3.0 · Triple Divide Peak: Eggbones, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Saint Mary Lake: Ken Thomas (talk · contribs), Public domain
Getting set up
Moving to Essex: who provides what
Essex is unincorporated, so Flathead County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerFlathead Electric Coop10.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & county servicesFlathead CountyFlathead County provides services here
SchoolsWest Glacier Elementary School DistrictColumbia Falls High School District2 districts serve Essex; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
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.govWho runs elections hereFlathead County Election AdministratorFlathead County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Mar 2025
ZIP code5991659916 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.
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Essex; the nearest are
Flathead Valley Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Kalispell33.2 mi$4,912 in-state tuitionSalish Kootenai CollegeUniversity or college · Public · Pablo52.8 mi$4,311 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Essex residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Montana.
Questions about Essex
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Essex, MT a good place to live?
Essex has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Essex is in here
Say something about Essex.
Ask a question, answer one, post a photo or an event. Free, and the parts only a neighbor would know are the parts worth reading.