Adam's, J. C., Stone Barn · National Register of Historic Places
Sun River’s story
158 years in pictures
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1868Sun River is settled
Sun RiverMT
Settled in 1868, this town now has 72 residents.
Adam's, J. C., Stone Barn · Photo: CrazyforMontana · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
72
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$450K
+3.1% in a year
Household income
$58K
median
Median age
71.5
years
Land area
2 sq mi
Is Sun River a good place to live?
Sun River’s midpoint age is 71.5 years, against 38.9 years in Montana’s towns and 40.5 years across U.S. towns. Of the 43 Montana towns we compare, none has a higher home-ownership rate than Sun River. Sun River has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
72 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
Moving to Sun River: who provides what
Sun River is unincorporated, so Cascade County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerNorthWestern Energy14.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterTwo Buttes Water Users AssnNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesCascade CountyCascade County provides services here
SchoolsSun River Valley Elementary School DistrictSimms High School District2 districts serve Sun River; 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 hereCascade County Election AdministratorCascade County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Feb 2024
ZIP code5948359483 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 Sun River.
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers: that is Sun River’s year
The range runs from 14° on a January night to 84° on a July afternoon, with about 49 inches of snow a winter.
49″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter15–37°
Spring30–56°
Summer48–80°
Fall32–58°
Sep 10
typical first frost
Jun 2
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazards
Natural hazards: high risk in Sun River, mostly inland flooding
FEMA puts 45% of Sun River’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 34% to cold waves. Its risk rating from FEMA comes in at 63 of 100. One declared disaster, in 2011, has brought federal aid to Sun River households.
63risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesAvalanches
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Health
A larger share of adults have high blood pressure in Sun River than in most of Montana or the rest of the country
Among adults in Sun River, 17% report frequent physical distress and 77% had a checkup this year. CDC measures, 32 in all: Sun River beats Montana on 4 and trails on 5. Just over a tenth of Sun River adults have diabetes.
| Sun River | Montana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 32% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 14% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 77% | 72% | 79% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 20% | 16% |
32 measures vs. Montana
4 better23 too close to call5 worse
| What stands out | Sun River | MT |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 5% | 12.3% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 78.3% | 73.4% |
| More adults with arthritis | 37.5% | 28.4% |
Benefis Hospitals
21.7 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Housing
Homes in Sun River are worth about $450K, by Zillow’s estimate
Over the 12 months to September 2026, the typical home gained 3.1% in value.
$450KZillow home value
Typical home value
Sun River$450K
Montana$467K
+3.1%
value change, 1 year
0
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Sun River
15pages on Sun River
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Sun River; the nearest are
University of ProvidenceUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Great Falls21.3 mi$30,448 tuitionGreat Falls College Montana State UniversityCommunity college · Public · Great Falls21.4 mi$4,028 in-state tuitionStone Child CollegeUniversity or college · Public · Box Elder100.6 mi$3,610 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Sun River residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Montana.
About Sun River
CDP in Montana, United States
Sun River is a census-designated place (CDP) in Cascade County, Montana, United States. As of the 2020 census, Sun River had a population of 95. It is part of the Great Falls, Montana Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 3,412 ft
- ZIP code
- 59483
Questions about Sun River
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Sun River, MT a good place to live?
Sun River has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.