$316,035Average Value$99Average Price per Sq Ft2Homes For Sale
A rural Montana town near the Yellowstone River
While Worden is only 21 miles from Billings, this rural town near the Yellowstone River has a commercial core with just enough amenities to keep locals close to home. “It’s got the real Montana small-town feel, but we have a clinic, a bank, a library and a grocery store,” says Nikki Zimmer, who’s lived here for over 20 years and is a broker at Metro Realtors LLP. “The people here are very kind and watch out for each other. We’ve had some families who’ve gone through some hardships, and people come together to help each other out.”
Worden is part of the Huntley Project Irrigation District, named for an early 20th-century irrigation project that made it possible to farm the land around Worden, as well as the neighboring towns of Ballantine, Pompeys Pillar and Huntley. Today, locals refer to the area as the Huntley Project, and agriculture — particularly the cultivation of sugar beets and barley — is the main industry. Agricultural runoff has resulted in water contamination in recent years, a problem the district is actively working to fix.
The overall CAP Crime Score here is 1 out of 10, lower than the national average of 4, and nearby houses of worship include Bethlehem Congregational Church. The local schools share a single campus, and the whole community is involved in supporting school sports and extracurriculars. The nearby Yellowstone River is the main source of entertainment, providing ample opportunities for fishing and boating from roughly May through September; below-freezing winter temperatures here tend to start in October and last into April.
Agriculture and farms encircle central Worden, underscoring the town's agrarian roots.
A mural in Worden depicts the town's location, celebrating local pride.
Fertile farms on the outskirts of Worden contribute to Montana's rich agricultural heritage.
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National and ranch-style homes around Main Street
Most of Worden’s early 20th-century National homes and midcentury ranch-style homes are clustered around Main Street in the town’s center; some sit close together, but most have room for chicken coops, detached garages and workshops. Mature trees provide shade and privacy from the roads, which are narrow and lack sidewalks. Buyers can also find some late 20th-century split-levels and manufactured homes. Houses rarely come on the market here, and prices can range from $130,000 to $350,000, depending on updates. Ranch-style houses on acres of farmland are more common further from town, and none have recently come on the market.
A row of national-style homes in Worden showcases early American architectural influence.
Quaint traditional homes in Worden support local ranches, embodying rural life.
A blue ranch-style home in Worden stands out with its vibrant color and sprawling lawn.
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Steaks and burgers at On the Rocks
Worden’s commercial center spans one block of Main Street and includes the post office, a few restaurants and a grocery store. The family-owned On the Rocks is a bar and restaurant specializing in steaks and burgers; they also host a bingo night each Wednesday and have a casino floor stocked with slot machines. At Willys Bar, locals can watch the Huntley Project High Red Devils play away games on television while enjoying pizza. Project Merc is a local grocery store that stocks produce, brand names and house-made food like German sausage and fresh donuts. Stores like Walmart and Shipton’s Big R are about 18 miles away in northeastern Billings.
Project Merc in Worden serves as a local hub for groceries and essentials.
Locals gather to eat and drink at Willys Bar in Worden, fostering community bonds.
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Championship volleyball at Huntley Project High
Local kids can start school at Huntley Project Elementary, which earns a B-minus from Niche, and then attend the C-rated Huntley Project Junior High before moving on to the C-plus-rated Huntley Project High; all schools share the same campus. “We are very centered around our schools here, and we’re known as being at the top for sports and speech and drama,” Zimmer says. “A lot of community members, whether or not they have school-age kids, will go to sporting events.” Huntley Project High has over 10 sports teams, and the volleyball and wrestling teams both won state championships in 2023. One of the biggest games of the year is The Battle of the Bridge, where the Huntley Project High Red Devils compete against their rivals, Shepherd High, on the football field.
Huntley Project Junior High School bridges foundational learning and advanced studies.
Athletic events at Huntley Project High School boost school spirit and teamwork.
Huntley Project in Worden is home to the neighborhood elementary, intermediate, and high school.
The Huntley Project Education Campus near Worden provides comprehensive schooling.
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Fishing, kayaking and swimming on the Yellowstone River
The Yellowstone River is to the north, and anglers can cast a line at Gritty Stone Fishing Access Site and Voyagers Rest Fishing Access Site; the riverbanks here are also popular for rock collectors searching for agate and jasper. Zimmer says the river flows too fast for much activity in the spring and early summer, but by late summer and fall, locals can swim and kayak. In winter, many take advantage of the area’s flat open spaces and snowy climate to cross-country ski, or they’ll rig up sleds behind four-wheelers and take the kids on a wild ride.
About 8 miles east, the 51-acre Pompeys Pillar National Monument is a distinctive sandstone rock formation on the Yellowstone River, a popular hiking spot carved with inscriptions left by the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The semi-private Pryor Creek Golf Club is about 10 miles southwest and one of only two 36-hole golf courses in the state; their Johnny Walker course is open to the public, but the more challenging Elmer Link course is members-only.
Pompeys Pillar National Monument near Worden preserves historical inscriptions.
A young child practices his swing at Pryor Creek Golf Club, embracing the sport early.
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The annual Beef, Beets & Barley Festival
Each September, Worden’s agriculture is on display at the annual Beef, Beets & Barley Festival. Locals can show off their footwork at the street dance, feast on a barbecue dinner and play a game of cow pie bingo; in the latter, a cow pasture is gridded and numbered, and whichever number a cow defecates on first is the bingo winner. The annual Christmas Stroll in December is another popular annual event, where local groups and businesses decorate a round hay bale to be displayed along Main Street.
For longer international travel, residents head to the Billings-Logan International Airport.
Easy access to Highway 312
Highway 312 passes through the area’s center, leading about 21 miles west to downtown Billings; Interstate 94 is just over a mile south. There’s no public transportation here, and while many residents who live in the town’s center can walk or bike to shopping and restaurants, they have to rely on their cars to travel to Billings. RiverStone Health Clinic is in the center of the community, and Intermountain Health St. Vincent Regional Hospital and Billings-Logan International Airport are both about 23 miles southeast.
High nitrate levels in tap water
Worden’s tap water has been unsafe to drink since 2019 when tests revealed high levels of nitrates. “We do a lot of flood irrigation for the crops, and over the years nitrates have seeped into the water,” Zimmer says. “You can bathe in it and do all kinds of things with it but not drink it from the tap.” Most residents drink bottled water instead, and the Worden-Ballantine Yellowstone County Water and Sewer District is working on drilling new wells that are safe to drink from. “We’re hoping that within this next year, it will be resolved,” Zimmer says.
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Video By
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Located in Worden, MT, this charming 1911 home offers 2,770 sq ft with 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, & a bonus non-conforming fourth bedroom in the non-egress basement—perfect for guests, an office, or hobbies, plus storage. The main-level primary suite features hardwood floors, vaulted ceilings, an ensuite bath, & walk-in closet. Hardwood floors continue through the inviting living & dining areas,
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65+- Irrigated acres with new 2024 Valley Pivot within the Huntley Project Irrigation District. Located less than thirty miles east of Billings MT on the banks of the Yellowstone River. A mile west of the Pompeys Pillar National Monument, the only site along the Lewis & Clark trail with visible evidence of their expedition.Property fronts the Yellowstone River to the North and access to BLM
Welcome to your Montana farmstead in Worden—just under 20 acres of leveled, irrigated ground ideal for crops or livestock. This property combines productive farmland with comfortable country living. The split-level home offers four bedrooms and one bath, with a second master bath roughed in and ready to finish (seller willing to negotiate finishing it for you). Family rooms on both levels,
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