Lima-Montana, 2007
Lima’s story
137 years in pictures
Census counts: 476 in 1920, a peak of 554 in 1940, 212 in 2020. The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 2 maps from 1965 on.
- 1889Lima is settled
LimaMT
A town settled in 1889, now home to 221 people.
Photo: Mark Hufstetler · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
221
2025 Census estimate · +5.7% since 2020
Typical home
$275K
+3.4% in a year
Household income
$54K
median
Median age
54.0
years
Jobs based here
69
Balanced
Is Lima a good place to live?
38% of residents are 65 or older in Lima, against 19% in Montana’s towns and 18% across U.S. towns. Of the 43 Montana towns we compare, none has a lower mean commuting time than Lima. Lima has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
221 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Lima: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Lima, and how to reach them.
PowerVigilante Electric CoopEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterTown of Lima water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet2 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Lima’s trash rules yet
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 hereBeaverhead County Election AdministratorBeaverhead County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Oct 2023
ZIP code5973959739 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 Lima.
Schools
The schools Lima’s kids attend
Below: Two of its 3 schools, each with why it was picked. The Lima K-12 Schools runs its public schools.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lima SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 21 | – |
| Lima High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 13 | – |
NCES · EDFacts
Housing
Lima’s typical home value is about $275K
In the year to September 2026, typical home values climbed 3.4%. 94% of households live in a home they own in Lima.
$275KZillow home value
Typical home value
Lima$275K
Montana$467K
+3.4%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazards
Natural hazards: high risk in Lima, mostly avalanches
Storm and flood damage is expected to run higher than in 75% of U.S. communities. Of the losses FEMA expects in Lima, 41% come from avalanches and 33% from inland flooding.
75risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
AvalanchesInland floodingWildfire
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
53″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter9–29°
Spring26–51°
Summer43–76°
Fall27–54°
Sep 10
typical first frost
Jun 11
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
About one in seven working residents works right in Lima
Most people who work leave Lima to do it: just 14% work in town. The town’s middle household income is $54,000. Half commute less than 40 miles. The top destinations are Butte-Silver Bow (8%), Dillon (7%) and Dell (6%).
14%work in town
| Lima | Montana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 14% | 39% | 8% |
| Median household income | $54,000 | $67,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Lima14%
Butte-Silver Bow8%
Dillon7%
Dell6%
Deer Lodge3%
40 mi
median commute distance
69
jobs based in Lima
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Health
Compared with most of Montana and the rest of the country, more of Lima’s adults have high blood pressure
Of the 42 Montana towns we compare, none has a lower share of adults who binge drink than Lima. Lima: 28% of adults have obesity.
| Lima | Montana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 43% | 32% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 32% | 36% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 20% | 16% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 31% | 33% |
32 measures vs. Montana
8 better15 too close to call9 worse
| What stands out | Lima | MT |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 15.4% | 20.3% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 5.2% | 6.5% |
| More adults with heart disease | 10.2% | 6.6% |
Barrett Hospital & Healthcare
38.9 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Outdoors
Lima keeps 7.9% of its land conserved
Count the trails in 1 park or preserve and they come to 0.3 miles. The concentration of trails for Lima comes to 0.5 miles per square mile.
7.9%conserved
| Lima | Montana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 7.9% | 9.2% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.5 miles per square mile | 0.6 | 0.4 |
7.9%
conserved · 28 of 354 acres
0.3 mi
of trails · 0.5 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lima City Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Lima
18pages on Lima
The big questions
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Lima; the nearest are
The University of Montana-WesternUniversity or college · Public · Dillon39.4 mi$6,670 in-state tuitionCollege of Eastern IdahoCommunity college · Public · Idaho Falls, ID85.1 mi$3,390 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Lima residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Montana.
About Lima
Town in Montana, United States
Lima (, LY-mə) is a town in Beaverhead County, Montana, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 212.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 6,257 ft
- ZIP code
- 59739
- Area code
- 406
Questions about Lima
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Lima, MT a good place to live?
Lima has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.