YaakMT
A town of 293, settled in 1914.
Is Yaak a good place to live?
55% of the land in Yaak is conserved, against 9.2% in Montana’s towns and 4.3% across U.S. towns. Yaak has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
293 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Yaak: who provides what
Yaak is unincorporated, so Lincoln 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 Yaak.
Nearly a third of Yaak is conserved land
The density of trails for Yaak comes to 1.6 miles per square mile, where Montana’s towns sit at 0.6 and U.S. towns at 0.4. 43 miles of trail.
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
The schools Yaak’s kids attend
The public schools here belong to the Yaak Elementary District. Its two schools are below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yaak SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 4 | – |
| Turning Winds Academic Institute PrivateLargest high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 40 | – |
NCES · EDFacts
The biggest natural risk in Yaak is avalanches, at a very high overall level
Expected losses in Yaak break down as 42% from avalanches and 35% from inland flooding. On expected storm and flood damage, Yaak sits above four fifths of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
A smaller share of working residents work locally in Yaak than in most of Montana or the rest of the country
Only 4 of the 43 Montana towns we compare have a higher share of residents below the poverty line than Yaak. This Montana town had 109 jobs in 2023, up 42 from 2013. Its average commute comes in at 35 minutes. Half the trips to work are shorter than 33 miles.
| Yaak | Montana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 35 minutes | 17 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.9% | 39% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 20% | 10% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $60,000 | $67,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
More of Yaak’s adults have diabetes than in the typical Montana or U.S. town
Only one of the 42 Montana towns we compare has a lower share of adults who feel lonely than Yaak. Half of Yaak adults have high blood pressure. The town beats the Montana average on 5 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 15.
| Yaak | Montana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 10% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 14% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 50% | 32% | 35% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 31% | 33% |
| What stands out | Yaak | MT |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 14.3% | 20.3% |
| Fewer lonely adults | 25.5% | 30.7% |
| More adults with COPD | 13.9% | 7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Everything we know about Yaak
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Yaak; the nearest are
About 0 of every 100 Yaak residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Montana.
About Yaak
Census-designated place in Montana, United States
Yaak is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Lincoln County, Montana, United States. It is located along the Yaak River, within the Kootenai National Forest. As of the 2020 census, its population was 338. Yaak has frequently been noted on lists of unusual place names. Yaak derives its name from the Yaak River. According to local lore, A’ak is a Kootenai name meaning “Arrow.” The Kootenai River forms the shape of a drawn bow; its tributary the Yaak River is its arrow. Homesteaders arrived shortly after the passage of the Forest Homestead Act of 1906.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 28 sq mi
- Elevation
- 2,986 ft
Questions about Yaak
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Yaak, MT a good place to live?
Yaak has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.