As the “Cow Capital of the World,” Miles City weaves its proud Western heritage into every aspect of its city lifestyle.. “It’s a pretty historic place, with more of a small-town community feel,” says Bailey Teig, administrative assistant for the Miles City Area Chamber of Commerce. Originally established in 1876 as Fort Keogh, the city quickly became a center for horse and livestock trading. Now, Miles City has grown to become the largest city in Southeastern Montana and the county seat of Custer County, with a population of over 8,500. “During the summers, people will come from all over for hunting and the Bucking Horse Sale.” Miles City is also considered a commercial and medical hub for the region, with a Main Street lined with retail. The Intermountain Health Holy Rosary Hospital provides plenty of jobs in the healthcare industry, and the city is also the headquarters for Stockman Bank.
Southeastern Montana’s natural recreation and parks
With the Yellowstone and Tongue rivers flowing through the area, Miles City has plenty of natural outdoor recreation. Pirogue Island State Park is a couple of miles down the Yellowstone River and provides opportunities for fishing, kayaking and wildlife watching. The Strawberry Hill Recreation Area is about 9 miles east with hiking, rock climbing and camping. “People will do lots of fishing around here, and agate hunting,” Teig says. Miles City has over 61 acres of maintained green spaces and parks, including multiple playgrounds, an ice rink, a disc golf course and an outdoor swimming pool. Denton Fields is Montana’s oldest baseball field, home of several baseball leagues like MCYBA Babe Ruth Baseball and teams like the Mavericks. There’s also the Miles City Town & Country Club, which has a 9-hole golf course open to the public.
Denton Field is the perfect place to play tennis in Miles City.
Miles City has amazing walking trails throughout the city.
Yellowstone River offers amazing summertime swinging in Miles City.
Miles City has amazing walking trails throughout the whole city.
1/4
Exploring Western culture through rodeos and museums
Custer County’s Eastern Montana Fairgrounds sits directly west of the city and hosts numerous events. The Eastern Montana Fair in August has everything from carnival rides and livestock competitions to chuck-wagon races and a fireworks show. Additionally, Miles City is most known for its Bucking Horse Sale, which takes place the third weekend of May. “It’s a four-day event with a concert and street dancing, with multiple bands from around town,” Teig says. “They’re trying to get it more involved with the city and bring business to downtown.” Rodeo stock buyers and breeders can participate in bull riding and horse racing events at the fairgrounds. For year-round entertainment, Miles City has two prominent museums. The Range Rider Museum has multiple buildings filled with pioneer and Native American artifacts. There’s also the WaterWorks Art Museum, with its permanent and traveling exhibits.
Miles City's Custer County Fairgrounds has an amazing collection of horses.
Miles City is home to a variety of livestock that is used in local rodeos.
Range Riders Museum offers family fun on weekends in Miles City.
Range Rider Museum in Miles City has a display of old western carriages.
1/4
Commerce on Main Street and Haynes Avenue
Main Street’s Historic District is Miles City’s main commercial hub, with dozens of local retail and restaurants. There are antique shops, clothing stores and novelty shops selling everything from jewelry to western apparel. When it comes to food, Downtown has a selection of breakfast restaurants, casual American cafes, coffee shops and pizzerias. Nighttime entertainment can be found at multiple bars and taphouses, plus the two casinos on the strip. Another area for shopping and dining is the Haynes Avenue commercial corridor. There’s a regional grocery store, a Walmart Supercenter and several national retailers and car dealerships. Restaurants include coffee shops, international cuisine and fast-food options.
Miles City has amazing and unique stores like Antiques Cafe.
Antiques Cafe is one of the many unique stores in Miles City.
600 Cafe serves residents of Miles City with delicious diner style breakfast.
Miles City is marked by fun and unique stores like Antiques Cafe.
1/4
Gridded streets of single-family homes
Most of Miles City’s residential landscape consists of gridded streets with front lawns, alleyways and sidewalks. The median sales price for single-family homes is $545,000. Main Street’s Historic District has traditional bungalows and multi-story homes built in the early 1900s, while Westwood Estates has ranchers, manufactured homes and multi-story homes with farmhouse features constructed in the 1940s and 1950s. East of Haynes Avenue, there’s a newer neighborhood with split levels, modern farmhouses and New Traditional homes from the 1970s to 2000s.
Miles City is known for single family homes at affordable prices.
It's common to see quite and clean streets in Miles City.
Miles City is full of ranch style homes.
Miles City offers amazing housing at affordable prices.
1/4
Getting educated by Miles City public schools
The city is served by the Miles City Unified School District and its six schools. Of these, four are in the Miles City Elementary School District, which earns a C-plus grade on Niche. The other two schools are Washington Middle School and Custer County District High School – both also receive C-plus grades. Miles Community College enrolls roughly 600 students, with the option to live on campus. It is Eastern Montana’s largest provider of concurrent enrollment to high school students in the area.
Washington School serves students in Miles City with amazing teachers.
Miles City High School offers high quality education to students in Miles City.
Highland Park School is one of the many excellent schools serving Miles City residents.
Miles City High School provides safe grounds for students in Miles City.
1/4
Navigating Miles City’s commuter routes
Sidewalks lining the city’s streets encourage recreational strolls, but commuting requires a vehicle. Interstate 94 runs directly south of the city, with a branch cutting through the middle as Main Street, and heads west to Billings and east to Glendive. Drivers can also use Montana state Highway 59 to travel north to south. The Miles City-Custer County Transit program provides curb-to-curb transportation services using ADA-compliant vehicles for those who need it. Air travelers will have to head 148 miles to the Billings-Logan International Airport for commercial flights.
Drastic changes in temperature and crime reports
Miles City has four seasons, with an average winter low of 18 degrees and an average summer high of 83 degrees. Yellowstone River creates a minor flood risk, and the Miles City Fire & Rescue Department handles the area’s risk of potential wildfires. According to the Montana Board of Crime Control, from 2018 to 2023, Custer County reported a 40% decrease in violent crime offenses. The number of property crimes reported decreased 49% in the same 5-year span. In addition to its crime prevention services, the Miles City Police Department operates an animal control and 911 dispatch center.
Written By
Brittany Bell
Photography Contributed By
Teal Mandzik
Video By
Melinda Anselmo
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Jason Mascari,
an experienced agent in this area.
Agents Specializing in this Area
Leanne Bodell
Responds Quickly
Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Montana Properties
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
On average, homes in Miles City, MT sell after 227 days on the market compared to the national average of 49 days. The median sale price for homes in Miles City, MT over the last 12 months is $545,000, up 969% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Located on the banks of Yellowstone River and ideally situated between Miles City and Forsyth, Montana, the Oxbow on the Yellowstone is truly an Eastern Montana Sportsman's Paradise. This propery has ideal wetland and upland bird habitat, numerous coulees and foodplots, and over a mile of the Yellowstone River. The large rancher in the area that is splitting off some of his land is willing to
High-visibility. Multiple income streams. Unlimited potential. This Main Street property includes a 2 bed / 1 bath home with basement and a large shop with space for 3+ vehicles. Perfect for an investor or business owner looking for strong exposure and solid returns.Use the shop for your business—auto, retail, storage, trades—or rent it out. The house can bring rental income or can be used for
117-acre partial 3/4 mile off of Moon Creek Rd South of Miles City MT. the property has rolling hills no trees, power 1000+/- feet from the property This partial has a well drilled the well is 180 ft and flows 4 gal a minute. Access to the property is on N 6 Mile Road. Property is fenced on the west and south sides. All survey pins have been located and are marked with orange surveyor's tape. The
Property Id: 1932112Eagles Manor in Miles City, MT, offers a cozy 350-square-foot studio apartment for rent at $550 per month, with all utilities included (heat, electricity, water, air conditioning, trash removal, and sewer). This unfurnished studio features a functional layout with a kitchenette, including a two-burner electric range, refrigerator, and sink. The unit also includes
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
