Back roas, 2010
Lockwood’s story
120 years in pictures
Census counts: 3,967 in 1990, 7,195 in 2020. The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2010 and 3 maps from 1956 on.
- 1906Lockwood is settled
LockwoodMT
A town of 7,181, settled in 1906.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: Sara goth · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
7,181
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$235K
Census ACS
Household income
$76K
median
Median age
37.5
years
Jobs based here
3,158
Balanced
TownGrade
C+
#25 of 41 in MT
Is Lockwood a good place to live?
Lockwood is a solid, middle-of-the-road choice. It grades C+ overall, 25th among Montana's 41 graded towns, with no subject far below average. Its best mark is cost of living: homes are within reach, about $235K for a typical one, or 3 years of the Billings metro’s $77K median household income. Its lowest everyday mark is in health: CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 65% of the country. Lockwood has 1 place on the National Register. Among 42 Montana towns, just 2 have a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Lockwood.
What makes Lockwood stand out
Where Lockwood beats most towns.
How Lockwood grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Montana), ordered by how far Lockwood is from typical.
Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listB+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6 of 20; 1.6% of households have no car; 1.4% of workers walk, bike or ride transitCOpen →HealthBillings Clinic Hospital 6.3 miles awayC+Open →Cost of livingBOpen →SchoolsB−Open →Jobs & incomeB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateCold winters, 88° summer afternoons, 35″ of snow–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 37.5; 15% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
Moving to Lockwood: who provides what
Lockwood is unincorporated, so Yellowstone County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerYellowstone Valley Elec Co-op14.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterLockwood Water and Sewer DistrictNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesYellowstone CountyYellowstone County provides services here
SchoolsLockwood K-12Shepherd High School DistrictBillings High School District3 districts serve Lockwood; 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 hereYellowstone County Election AdministratorYellowstone County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Oct 2022
ZIP code5910159101 99%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 Lockwood.
Lockwood carries less natural-hazard risk than nearly all of Montana (mostly inland flooding), has homes that are cheap against local pay and trades workers with Billings and other neighbors.
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B+
The FEMA risk score in Lockwood is lower than in the typical Montana or U.S. town
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk lower than 98% of Montana towns, with expected losses of about $191 per resident a year; that rating is what its B+ for hazard risk is built on.
At 8 of 100, Lockwood’s FEMA risk score is below both Montana’s towns (42 of 100) and U.S. towns (44 of 100). Since 1997, 7 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Lockwood.
8risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold waves
7
paid flood claims since 1997
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
SchoolsB−
Lockwood’s schools rank behind 54% of Montana districts
Its public schools are run by the Lockwood K-12 school district. Two of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Lockwood High School, with 552 students.
46%of MT districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lockwood Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 359 | C |
| Lockwood High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 552 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MT on state tests and graduation
Climate
In Lockwood, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
The Billings Wtp weather station, 6 miles away, records that the frost-free season runs about 142 days: shorter than most of the country, but longer than 96% of Montana places with climate records.
Lockwood has cold, snowy winters and warm summers, with very little rain. At 88°F, Lockwood’s July high is against 85°F in Montana’s towns and 85°F across U.S. towns.
35″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter16–38°
Spring33–59°
Summer54–84°
Fall34–61°
Oct 1
typical first frost
May 10
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthC+
Lockwood stands out in Montana and nationally: a larger share of its adults have been diagnosed with depression
29% of Lockwood adults have been diagnosed with depression. Lockwood beats the Montana average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 14. 37% of Lockwood adults have obesity.
35%healthier than U.S. townsC+Health Grade
| Lockwood | Montana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 25% | 23% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 14% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 18% | 17% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 20% | 16% |
32 measures vs. Montana
1 better17 too close to call14 worse
| What stands out | Lockwood | MT |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 8.2% | 9.3% |
| More smokers | 18.2% | 13.6% |
Billings Clinic Hospital
6.3 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: dental, mental health
18th
percentile among MT towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B−
More than half of Lockwood’s working residents commute to Billings
Lockwood has about as many jobs (3,158) as working residents, but only 425 people both live and work here.
Most working residents leave Lockwood for work: only 12% work in town. Lockwood’s average trip to work is 21 minutes. Jobs based in Lockwood grew to 3,158 in 2023, 268 more than in 2013.
12%work in town
| Lockwood | Montana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 12% | 41% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Work from home | 7.7% | 8% | 11% |
| Median household income | $76,000 | $66,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Lockwood12%
Billings60%
Laurel2%
Bozeman1%
Helena1%
7 mi
median commute distance
3,158
jobs based in Lockwood
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
C
Walkability grade: more walkable than 32% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
OutdoorsC
Lockwood has set aside 2.8% of its land for conservation
0.5 miles of trail in 3 parks and preserves.
2.8%conserved
2.8%
conserved · 237 of 8,481 acres
0.5 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Hillner Park | — | 5 |
| 2. Count Park | — | 3 |
| 3. Harris Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HousingCost of living grade B
A home in Lockwood sells for about $350K at the median
At 3 years of the Billings metro’s $77K median household income, the typical home costs less against local pay than in 92% of Montana towns; that ratio is one input to its B for cost of living.
76% of households own their home in Lockwood.
$350Kmedian sale price
| Lockwood | Montana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 76% | 64% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,138 a month | $994 a month | $1,185 a month |
Market temperature
45
days on market
7
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Nearby attractions
All 7 attractions →Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail and 5 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Lockwood. Close and well known come first.
22 mi Park & preserveLewis and Clark National Historic Trail
22 mi Park & preservePompeys Pillar National Monument
13 mi Zoo & aquariumZooMontana
6 mi MuseumYellowstone Art Museum
39 mi National Recreation AreaBighorn Canyon National Recreation Area228K visitors a year
6 mi MuseumWestern Heritage CenterSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail: United States Army Center of Military History, Public domain · Pompeys Pillar National Monument: BLM photo, Public domain · ZooMontana: Montanabw, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Yellowstone Art Museum: Clyde Charles Brown, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area: National Park Service, Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, Public domain · Western Heritage Center: Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Lockwood
17pages on Lockwood
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Lockwood
Montana State University BillingsUniversity or college · Public · Billings6.5 mi$7,280 in-state tuitionRocky Mountain CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Billings7.9 mi$35,582 tuitionMontana Bible CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Billings12.2 mi$14,640 tuition
About 1 of every 100 Lockwood residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Montana.
About Lockwood
CDP in Montana, United States
Lockwood is a census-designated place (CDP) in Yellowstone County, Montana, United States. It is not an organized city or town. The population was 7,195 at the 2020 census. Lockwood is a suburb of Billings and is the second largest community in the Billings Metropolitan Statistical Area. Annexation of Lockwood to Billings has been studied; however, the June 2009 Billings City Council Annexation Plan states that the city has no plans to annex Lockwood in the foreseeable future.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 13 sq mi
- Elevation
- 3,094 ft
- Area code
- 406
Lockwood’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Lockwood.
BillingsLockwood
How the neighbors grade
Lockwood reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Lockwood with a neighbor →
Questions about Lockwood
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Lockwood, MT a good place to live?
Lockwood grades C+ overall, better than 35% of U.S. towns and #25 of 41 in Montana. It grades C+ for health and B− for schools.
Is Lockwood, MT expensive?
The typical home is worth about $235,000, 50% below the Montana typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.