Swan LakeMT
With 211 residents, this town was settled in 1915.
Is Swan Lake a good place to live?
Swan Lake’s average trip to work is 33 minutes, where Montana’s towns sit at 17 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. No town among the 43 in Montana we compare has a higher share of homes lived in by their owners than Swan Lake. 83% of the land in Swan Lake is conserved, where Montana’s towns sit at 9.2% and U.S. towns at 4.3%. The biggest park or preserve is Swan River National Wildlife Refuge, at 56 acres. Swan Lake has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
211 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Swan Lake: who provides what
Swan Lake is unincorporated, so Lake County and regional agencies provide most services.
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 Swan Lake.
Conservation land takes up nearly a third of Swan Lake
7.1 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve. Swan Lake’s density of trails comes in at 0.9 miles per square mile.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Swan River National Wildlife Refuge | — | 56 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
The biggest natural risk in Swan Lake is avalanches, at a very high overall level
Among 42 Montana towns, just 2 have a higher risk rating from FEMA than Swan Lake. Expected losses in Swan Lake break down as 50% from avalanches and 20% from inland flooding.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Swan Lake stands out in Montana and nationally, with the median age higher than most
People 65 and older are 33% of residents (20% statewide); children under 18 are 12% of residents (21% statewide). 27% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 35% across Montana.
| Swan Lake | Montana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 58.4 years | 38.9 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 27% | 30% | 29% |
Ages · share of residents
Education · adults 25 and older
Women and men · all residents
49% women, 51% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±9.4 points. Across Montana, 49.3% of residents are women.
| Swan Lake | MT | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 8.5% | 11% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 3.3% | 10% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 0% | 9% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 19.9% | 12.9% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.4% | 12.9% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 4.7% | 11.1% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 19% | 13% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 12.3% | 12.4% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 20.9% | 7.8% | 7% |
| No diploma | 3.2% | 5.4% | 10.4% |
| High school | 33.9% | 27.5% | 26% |
| Some college | 17.2% | 22.4% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 18.3% | 9.6% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 24.7% | 23.2% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 2.7% | 12% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 200, single groups can be off by several points
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Fewer of Swan Lake’s adults report frequent mental distress than in the typical Montana or U.S. town
No town among the 42 in Montana we compare has a higher share of adults who had a checkup this year than Swan Lake. Swan Lake: 26% of adults feel lonely. Of the 42 Montana towns we compare, none has a lower share of adults 18 to 64 who have no health insurance than Swan Lake.
| Swan Lake | Montana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 18% | 17% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 32% | 36% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 31% | 33% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 81% | 72% | 79% |
| What stands out | Swan Lake | MT |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 6.3% | 11.7% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 5% | 9.1% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 14.8% | 9.3% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Everything we know about Swan Lake
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Swan Lake; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Swan Lake residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Montana.
About Swan Lake
Census-designated place in Montana, United States
Swan Lake is a census-designated place and unincorporated community in Lake County, Montana, United States. As of the 2020 census, Swan Lake had a population of 102.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 7.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 3,104 ft
Questions about Swan Lake
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Swan Lake, MT a good place to live?
Swan Lake has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.