How old are the homes in Great Falls, MT?

Name: Age of homes in Great Falls, MT, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

72.4% (±3.5 points) of the homes in Great Falls, MT were built before 1980 (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

16.8% were built before 1940.

6.5% were built in 2010 or later.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Built before 1980: 72.4% (±3.5 points)
Built before 1940: 16.8%
Built 2010 or later: 6.5%

When the homes in Great Falls were built

Housing units by year structure built, 2020–2024
Year built	Great Falls	Cascade County	Montana	United States
2020 or later	1.2% (±0.7 points)	1.5%	2.3%	2.0%
2010 to 2019	5.3% (±0.9 points)	6.8%	11.7%	9.4%
2000 to 2009	7.5% (±1.1 points)	9.2%	14.0%	13.6%
1990 to 1999	4.5% (±0.9 points)	7.2%	12.3%	12.4%
1980 to 1989	9.1% (±1.3 points)	9.5%	10.7%	12.9%
1970 to 1979	14.9% (±1.9 points)	15.3%	16.0%	14.2%
1960 to 1969	15.5% (±1.5 points)	13.5%	7.4%	9.9%
1950 to 1959	17.4% (±1.8 points)	14.8%	8.3%	9.5%
1940 to 1949	7.8% (±0.9 points)	6.8%	4.5%	4.4%
1939 or earlier	16.8% (±1.5 points)	15.4%	12.8%	11.7%

In Great Falls, the share of homes built before 1980 is higher than in Cascade County (65.8%).

It is also higher than in Montana (49.0%).

It is higher than the national figure (49.7%).

In Cascade County, Great Falls ranks 3 of 7 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest share of homes built before 1980.

Statewide, it ranks 51 of 167.

Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.

Why the age of a home matters: lead-based paint

Federal law treats housing built before 1978 as likely to contain lead-based paint.

Before a lease or sale of most pre-1978 housing, the landlord or seller must disclose any known lead-based paint and hazards and give the tenant or buyer the EPA pamphlet (42 U.S.C. § 4852d; 40 CFR part 745, subpart F; 24 CFR part 35, subpart A).

A contractor paid to renovate, repair or paint a pre-1978 home must be a certified firm, use a certified renovator and follow lead-safe work practices under the Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (40 CFR part 745, subpart E) whenever the job disturbs more than 6 square feet of painted surface in a room or more than 20 square feet outside; window replacement and demolition always count (40 CFR 745.83).

Certification comes from EPA, or from the state where EPA has authorized the state to run the program.

The Census Bureau groups construction by decade, so the share built before 1978 lies between the share built before 1970 (57.5%) and the share built before 1980 (72.4%).

Homes built before 1980 in places near Great Falls

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Great Falls
Place	Distance	Homes built before 1980	Compared with this place
Great Falls	—	72.4% (±3.5 points)	—
Malmstrom AFB	5.5 mi	15.5% (±6.8 points)	Lower
Sun Prairie	9.1 mi	47.7% (±18.6 points)	Lower
Vaughn	13 mi	53.1% (±16.8 points)	Lower
Belt	19 mi	92.0% (±19.8 points)	Not measurably different
Cascade	24 mi	75.8% (±18.0 points)	Not measurably different
Dutton	31 mi	88.9% (±21.8 points)	Not measurably different
Fairfield	33 mi	61.5% (±16.7 points)	Not measurably different
Fort Benton	38 mi	72.2% (±13.2 points)	Not measurably different

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Malmstrom AFB, MT (15.5%), Sun Prairie, MT (47.7%), Vaughn, MT (53.1%).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Homes built before 1980 across Cascade County, place by place

Rank	Place	Homes built before 1980
1	Belt	92.0% (±19.8 points)
2	Cascade	75.8% (±18.0 points)
3	Great Falls	72.4% (±3.5 points)
4	Neihart	68.0% (±20.6 points)
5	Vaughn	53.1% (±16.8 points)
6	Sun Prairie	47.7% (±18.6 points)
7	Malmstrom AFB	15.5% (±6.8 points)

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates).

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Great Falls

How old are most homes in Great Falls?

72.4% of homes in Great Falls, MT were built before 1980 (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Do homes in Great Falls need a lead paint disclosure?

A home built before 1978 does, before it is rented or sold, unless an exemption applies (42 U.S.C. § 4852d); between 57.5% and 72.4% of homes in Great Falls were built before then.

Does a contractor need lead certification to work on older homes in Great Falls?

Yes, when the job disturbs more than 6 square feet of paint in a room or 20 square feet outside, or replaces a window: the firm must be certified and a certified renovator must direct the work under the Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (40 CFR part 745, subpart E).

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Great Falls city, Montana

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Great Falls city, Montana (place:32800, in state:30).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0017PE, DP04_0017PM, DP04_0018PE, DP04_0018PM, DP04_0019PE, DP04_0019PM, DP04_0020PE, DP04_0020PM, DP04_0021PE, DP04_0021PM, DP04_0022PE, DP04_0022PM, DP04_0023PE, DP04_0023PM, DP04_0024PE, DP04_0024PM, DP04_0025PE, DP04_0025PM, DP04_0026PE, DP04_0026PM

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

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.