CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

45.83° N · 108.40° W · GEOID 3044200

Lockwood

Yellowstone County, Montana · part of the Billings, MT metro

MontanaLockwood, MTLockwoodLockwood

The short answer

Lockwood is home to 7,181 people. Median household income is $75,700 a year and median rent is $1,138 a month, 18.0% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $235,400, about 3.1x annual median household income.

Lockwood is defined by its growth. Home value growth is 3.7% a year, against 10.7% a year in its closest peers.

56OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Above average

Lockwood scores better than 56% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 17th of 27 in Montana.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%71
Economy 20%64
Safety 20%n/a
Amenities 15%25
Education 10%10
Commute 10%73
Growth 5%n/a

Not rated: safety, growth, for want of data (the city police department does not report a full year to the FBI). The other weights are spread over the categories rated.

Median gross rent
$1,138
17% below the median place
Median household income
$75,700
6% below the median place
Median home value
$235,400
26% below the median place
Unemployment
3.4%
31% below the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about Lockwood

  • Life nearbyAbout 0 km of named paths and bike trails are mapped in and around the city, fewer than in 75% of the 2,480 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 27 Montana places we track.
01

Moving to Lockwood

Yellowstone County gains about 3.1 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in6,849
Moved out6,406
Net+443

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Carbon County, MT178232−54
Stillwater County, MT191179+12
Big Horn County, MT164178−14

Within Montana, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within MontanaOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$65K
Leavers$66K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Yellowstone County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
1.6% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 3.5% from another state.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Yellowstone County report $65,000 a year in income on average; those leaving, $65,600.
Income you would need
$45,500 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,138 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $1,820 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $235,400.
Getting to work
21 minutes each way on average; 7.7% work from home; 1.0% take transit.
If it is close but not quite
Colona, IL matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Moved here in the past year1
1.6%
72% below the median place
Moved from another state1
3.5%
76% above the median place
Net movers per 1,000 people7
3.1
above the median place (median -0.6)
All 5 moving measures
MeasureLockwoodAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year11.6%72% below
Moved from another state1County figure3.5%76% above
Net movers per 1,000 people7County figure3.1above (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in7County figure$64,9688% below
Income of households moving out7County figure$65,6307% below
02

What it costs to live here

36% of renter households spend 30% or more of income on rent, a lower share than in 85% of the 2,214 places under 10,000 people we track.

Lockwood18.0%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$45,520
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
18.0%
12% below the median place
Home price to income
3.1x
18% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
18%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$64,400
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Lockwood, $1,138 a month, and local prices for everything else (96.8 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Lockwood, but easier on the budget

Places that match Lockwood on character (size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, remote work and climate) but where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income. Cost was left out of the match on purpose.

PlaceMatchRent to incomeMore left a year
Colona, IL9412.6% vs 18.0%$10,600Compare
Douglas, WY9212.1% vs 18.0%n/aCompare
Trinity, NC9113.9% vs 18.0%$9,600Compare
Sturtevant, WI9112.7% vs 18.0%$19,500Compare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Lockwood.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Lockwood? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Renters paying 30%+1
35.8%
29% below the median place
Homeownership1
75.8%
14% above the median place
Median home value1
$235,400
26% below the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureLockwoodAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,13817% below
Rent to income118.0%12% below
Property tax rate11.1%15% above
Home price to income13.1x18% below
Prices vs US average2Metro figure93.57% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,43211% below
HUD area median income4County figure$113,0005% above
Property tax paid (median)1$2,46624% below
Median home value1$235,40026% below
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure1.2%63% below
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure47.7%7% below
Homeownership175.8%14% above
Renters paying 30%+135.8%29% below
Owner costs with a mortgage1$1,8203% below
Vacant homes1County figure5.8%17% below
Median year built119800% above
03

Work and pay

8% of workers mostly work from home, fewer than in 76% of the 2,104 places under 10,000 people we track.

Works from home1
7.7%
38% below the median place
Mean commute1
21 min
14% below the median place
Income per person1
$36,646
9% below the median place
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureLockwoodAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$75,7006% below
Income per person1$36,6469% below
Unemployment1County figure3.4%31% below
Average annual pay6County figure$64,9802% below
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure3.7%0% above
Jobs6County figure87,41642% below
Poverty rate110.7%1% below
Mean commute121 min14% below
Works from home17.7%38% below
Commutes by transit1County figure1.0%20% above
04

Who lives here

15% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, a smaller share than in 86% of the 2,473 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 27 Montana places we track.

Bachelor's or higher1
15.4%
52% below the median place
No health insurance1
11.2%
75% above the median place
Household size1
2.7
7% above the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Homes with broadband90.0% −2%
Median age37.5 −4%
High school or higher93.6% +1%
All 8 people measures
MeasureLockwoodAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population17,1815315th largest
Median age137.54% below
Bachelor's or higher115.4%52% below
High school or higher193.6%1% above
Household size12.77% above
Born abroad1County figure1.9%78% below
No health insurance111.2%75% above
Homes with broadband190.0%2% below
05

Life in Lockwood

OpenStreetMap shows 0 libraries per 10,000 residents, fewer than in 80% of the 2,480 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 27 Montana places we track.

50 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places, 2 of them National Historic Landmarks. Its history on Wikipedia

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents19.5 +92%
Playgrounds per 10k11.1 +18%
Grocery stores per 10k1.4 −34%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k7.0 −38%
Libraries per 10k0.0 −100%
Named paths and bike trails0 km −100%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi0.0 −100%

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

National Park Service sites nearby

  • Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail 23 miles
  • Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument 50 miles
  • Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area 50 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars25.3 +22%
Shops41.5 +37%
Arts, recreation and fitness11.2 2.7×
Doctors' offices and clinics26.2 +30%
Child care centers4.6 2.0×

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Public school students12
1,580
68% below the median place
Public schools12
4
56% below the median place
Students per teacher12
13.6
12% below the median place
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureLockwoodAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools12456% below
Public school students121,58068% below
Students per teacher1213.612% below
Restaurants and bars per 10k8County figure25.322% above
Shops per 10k8County figure41.537% above
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8County figure11.2173% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k8County figure26.230% above
Child care centers per 10k8County figure4.6100% above
Parks per 10k919.592% above
Playgrounds per 10k911.118% above
Grocery stores per 10k91.434% below
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k97.038% below
Libraries per 10k90.0below (median 0.9)
Named paths and bike trails90.0below (median 2.0)
Transit stops per sq mi90.0below (median 0.2)
Nearest National Park Service site1023.025% below
National Park Service sites within 60 miles10350% above
National Register listings11County figure50285% above
06

Safety, weather and risk

Annual precipitation is 14.6 in, 67% below the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached Lockwood. Larger places are fetched first.

Annual precipitation13
14.6 in
67% below the median place
Average temperature13
47°F
15% below the median place
January average low13
14°F
43% below the median place
All 10 weather and risk measures
MeasureLockwoodAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high13County figure87°F0% below
January average low13County figure14°F43% below
Average temperature13County figure47°F15% below
Annual precipitation13County figure14.6 in67% below
Natural hazard risk14County figure83.610% below
Tornado risk14County figure28.964% below
Wildfire risk14County figure93.553% above
Heat wave risk14County figure72.320% below
Median air quality index15County figure3812% below
Good air days15County figure86.3%26% above
08

Lockwood in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 18% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 18% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases. On projected 2030 affordability, Lockwood does better than 72% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 8%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,138/mo (2024)$1,460/mo$1,200 to $1,780/mo+4.2%
Median household income$75,700 (2024)$96,500$81,500 to $114,000+4.1%
Median home value$235,400 (2024)$326,000$237,000 to $449,000+5.6%

The median home would be worth 3.4 years of the median income in 2030, against 3.1 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Lockwood

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
East Hartford, CT$1,225$70,778Compare
Coalinga, CA$1,093$75,451Compare
Melrose Park, IL$1,176$66,189Compare
Latimer, MS$1,122$70,237Compare
Latimer, MSMelrose Park, ILCoalinga, CAEast Hartford, CTLockwood, MTLockwoodEast HartfordCoalingaMelrose ParkLatimerLockwoodEast HartfordCoalingaMelrose ParkLatimer

Places built like Lockwood

Its statistical peers: the closest matches on size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, origin and remote work, in the same part of the country. Cost and outcomes are left out of the match, so the table shows how Lockwood performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
Lockwood, MT18.0%5.6%/yrn/a
Belen, NM25.8%3.1%/yr3.4%Compare
Evergreen, MT18.3%8.7%/yrn/aCompare
Española, NM20.9%6.8%/yr-0.7%Compare
Youngtown, AZ20.3%10.9%/yr-0.3%Compare
Emmett, ID21.3%10.3%/yr15.9%Compare
Fruitland, ID14.6%6.6%/yr18.7%Compare

Common questions

Is Lockwood a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 56 out of 100, better than 56% of the places we rate and 17th of 27 in Montana. About 0 km of named paths and bike trails are mapped in and around the city, fewer than in 75% of the 2,480 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 27 Montana places we track. On cost, space and class size it scores 84 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Lockwood expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 18.0% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a lighter load here than usual. The median home is valued at $235,400.

What salary do you need to live in Lockwood?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $45,520 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Lockwood?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are East Hartford, CT, Coalinga, CA, Melrose Park, IL and Latimer, MS.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  8. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  9. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  10. National Park Service sites · Wikidata (CC0), units operated by the National Park Service · Retrieved 2026-11
  11. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  12. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  13. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  14. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  15. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Lockwood with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Lockwood itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/lockwood-montana

Citytistics. “Lockwood, Montana.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/lockwood-montana/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.