Fortine, Montana Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 351, Fortine's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Fortine is a small community located in Montana, within Lincoln County. The total population is 351. It ranks as the 181st most populous out of 475 Census-designated places in Montana.

Age Demographics

The median age in Fortine is 46.0 years. This is 14% higher than the state median of 40.4 years. Only 13.1% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Fortine is $66,402. This is 8% lower than the state median of $72,509. It is also 18% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 18.8%. This is 63% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.5%. The survey records no unemployed residents in Fortine, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $325,900. Housing costs are 13% lower than the state median of $375,800. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.9x. 90.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 30% higher than the state average of 69.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Fortine has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 90.0% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 7.4%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (7.4% vs 4.6%).

Education

26.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 23% lower than the state rate of 35.2%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 95.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Fortine, Montana is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Montana state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 475 Census-designated places in Montana. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.