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Montana: homes, climate zones and who licenses the work

Montana has 528,000 housing units. 48.9% were built before 1980, and the median year built is 1981. 69.2% of occupied homes are lived in by their owners.

How old the homes are

Montana housing units, by year built

Layers drawn to scale

Montana housing units by year built 48.9% of Montana housing units were built before 1980 and 51.1% in 1980 or later. 2020 or later: 2.3%; 2010–2019: 11.7%; 2000–2009: 14.0%; 1990–1999: 12.3%; 1980–1989: 10.7%; 1970–1979: 16.0%; 1960–1969: 7.4%; 1950–1959: 8.3%; 1940–1949: 4.5%; 1939 or earlier: 12.8%. Before 1980 48.9% 1980 or later 51.1% 2020 or later 2.3% 2010–2019 11.7% 2000–2009 14.0% 1990–1999 12.3% 1980–1989 10.7% 1970–1979 16.0% 1960–1969 7.4% 1950–1959 8.3% 1940–1949 4.5% 1939 or earlier 12.8%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, tables B25034, B25035 and B25003; heating fuel below from B25040.

Age changes what applies to a house. In general, anyone paid to do work that disturbs painted surfaces in a home built before 1978 must be certified in lead-safe work practices under the EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule, which the EPA administers directly in Montana.

How homes are heated

How homes in Montana are heated

Main heating fuel, share of about 459,000 occupied homes

  • Utility gas 50.5%
  • Electricity 27.3%
  • Propane or other tank gas 13.0%
  • Wood 6.6%
  • Other fuel 1.2%
  • Fuel oil or kerosene 0.6%
  • No fuel used 0.5%
  • Solar energy 0.2%
  • Coal or coke 0.1%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, table B25040 (occupied housing units).

Climate and building zones

The 2021 International Energy Conservation Code assigns every county a climate zone from 1 to 8 and a moisture regime: A for moist, B for dry, C for marine. Zones 7 and 8 have no letter. Here is how Montana's residents divide among them, by the county they live in.

IECC 2021 zoneShare of residentsCounties
6B100%56

ENERGY STAR rates windows, doors and skylights for four climate zones of its own. All of Montana falls in the Northern zone.

By NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals, counties here average 177 days a year with a low of 32°F or colder, weighted by where people live. The range runs from 147 days in the mildest county to 247 in the coldest.

Flood risk and flood insurance

0.6% of residential structures in Montana carry a National Flood Insurance Program policy: 3,070 policies, in FEMA's count as of August 3, 2026.

In FEMA's National Risk Index, none of Montana's 56 counties rates high or very high for riverine flooding, coastal flooding or hurricanes.

Fire ants and termites

No county in Montana is inside the federal imported fire ant quarantine.

Who licenses the work in Montana

Before anyone starts work, check the license with the agency below. Where the state does not license a trade, cities and counties may; ask the one where the house is.

Checked 2026-09-29. Licensing rules change; the agency's own page is the authority.

Sources

  1. U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, tables B25034, B25035, B25040 and B25003 data.census.gov
  2. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Guide to Determining Climate Zone by County: Building America and IECC 2021 Updates basc.pnnl.gov
  3. U.S. Department of Energy Prototype Building Models (climate zones 1–8 and moisture regimes A, B, C) energycodes.gov
  4. ENERGY STAR Climate zones by county for windows, doors and skylights energystar.gov
  5. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, annual and seasonal ncei.noaa.gov
  6. Federal Emergency Management Agency OpenFEMA NFIP Residential Penetration Rates (as of 2026-08-03) fema.gov
  7. Federal Emergency Management Agency National Risk Index, county ratings fema.gov
  8. USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Imported fire ant quarantine map aphis.usda.gov
  9. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations 7 CFR part 301, subpart P, Imported Fire Ant ecfr.gov
  10. Montana Department of Agriculture, Pesticide Programs agr.mt.gov agr.mt.gov
  11. Montana Department of Agriculture, Pesticide Programs npic.orst.edu npic.orst.edu
  12. Montana Department of Labor and Industry erd.dli.mt.gov erd.dli.mt.gov
  13. Montana Department of Labor and Industry boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov boards.bsd.dli.mt.gov
  14. epa.gov epa.gov epa.gov