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Buying land in Lincoln County, Montana: what to check

Lincoln County covers 3,613 square miles of land and 62 of water in Montana, with about 22,184 residents in 2024 (up 12.7% since 2020). The 2020 Census counted 100% of its land as rural and 22% of residents as living in urban areas. Farms operate 2.2% of the county's land. Below: how much of Lincoln County floods, what its soils allow, what farmland is worth and how often it's in drought, from free public data with every source linked.

Check a location in Lincoln CountySee a sample report

Lincoln County at a glance

In the 100-year floodplain

under 1%

About the state's county median (under 1%)

FEMA National Risk Index

Hydric (wetland-type) soils

under 1%

Below the state's county median (1.5%)

USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Soils very limited for septic

93%

USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Farm land value, 2022

$4,690/acre

Above the state's county median ($1,283)

USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture

Weeks in severe drought

12%

Share of weekly maps, 2021–2026

U.S. Drought Monitor county statistics

Land classed rural

100%

Census 2020 Census urban and rural classification

What to check before buying land in Lincoln County

Ordered by what Lincoln County's numbers point to. Every parcel differs, so treat this as where to look first.

  1. 1.Check slope where you'd build and where the driveway goes

    84% of Lincoln County's mapped soils have an average slope over 15% (USDA SSURGO).

    Steep ground means grading, retaining walls, longer driveways and erosion control. Compare the slope at the house site and along the access route, not just the parcel average.

    Guide: Terrain and slope

  2. 2.Budget for a perc test and maybe an engineered septic

    USDA rates 93% of Lincoln County's mapped soils "very limited" for conventional septic absorption fields and 0% "not limited".

    Without city sewer you need a septic permit from the county or state health department. Make the offer contingent on a passing soil or perc test; mound and aerobic systems can cost several times a conventional one.

    Guide: Perc tests and septic systems

  3. 3.Confirm legal road access and power

    The 2020 Census classified 100% of Lincoln County's land area as rural.

    Rural tracts are often sold without recorded access or a power line nearby. Get the title company to confirm a recorded easement or public road frontage, and ask the electric co-op what a line extension costs.

    Guide: Road access and landlocked land

  4. 4.Find out where the water comes from

    At least half of Lincoln County was in severe drought (D2) or worse in 12% of the 262 weekly U.S. Drought Monitor maps from 2021 to 2026. Montana allocates water by permit or water right, so a well or pond isn't automatic.

    Ask whether the land has a public water connection, an existing well (and its log and yield), or neighbors' well depths from the state well database. For a new well, check permits and typical depth with the state agency first.

    Guide: Wells, public water and water rights

  5. 5.Check wildfire exposure and insurance

    FEMA rates Lincoln County's wildfire risk relatively moderate, and under 1% of the county's area is in the wildfire exposure zone the National Risk Index uses.

    Ask an insurer for a quote early; some carriers won't write new policies in high-hazard areas. Check access for fire trucks, nearby fire stations and the vegetation around the building site.

    Guide: Wildfire risk for rural land

  6. 6.Sanity-check the price per acre

    Farm real estate in Lincoln County averaged $4,690 an acre including buildings in the 2022 Census of Agriculture, and 2.8% of its mapped soils are prime or of statewide importance.

    Compare the asking price with recent sales of similar tracts, not the county average, which mixes cropland, pasture, timber and homesites. If an ag tax valuation applies, ask what the rollback taxes would be if you change the use.

    Guide: Land due diligence checklist

Flood zones, wetlands and water in Lincoln County

Area in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain
under 1%, 21st lowest of 56 in Montana FEMA National Risk Index
Mapped soils that flood occasionally or frequently
1% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Hydric soils (a federal wetland indicator)
under 1% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Poorly or very poorly drained soils
under 1% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Surface water (lakes, rivers, reservoirs)
62 sq mi Census 2024 Gazetteer Files
Drought on 2026-10-27
0% moderate or worse, 0% severe or worse U.S. Drought Monitor county statistics

The floodplain share is the area FEMA's National Risk Index counts as exposed to inland flooding, mostly mapped 100-year flood zones. It says how common flood-prone land is in Lincoln County, not whether a given parcel floods. For that, look up the zone at your exact point on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center or run the free check.

Soils and terrain

Prime farmland
0% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Prime only if drained, irrigated or protected
under 1% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Farmland of statewide importance
2.8% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Average slope over 15%
84% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Very limited for septic absorption fields
93% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)
Not limited for septic absorption fields
0% USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey (SSURGO)

Shares of Lincoln County's soil-surveyed land (about 2,317,246 acres, open water excluded), using each map unit's dominant condition in USDA's SSURGO soil survey. Soils change within a few hundred feet, so the soil at your building site is what matters.

Farms and land use

Farms (2022)
251 USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Share of the county's land in farms
2.2% USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Average farm size
199 acres (median 58) USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Average value of land and buildings
$4,690 per acre, 4th highest of 56 in Montana USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Cropland
8,783 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Pasture and rangeland
29,136 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Woodland on farms
16,984 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture
Irrigated land
5,890 acres USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture

Natural hazard ratings

FEMA's National Risk Index rates each hazard for Lincoln County relative to every other U.S. county. Overall risk: Relatively Low.

  • Winter weatherRelatively High
  • LandslideRelatively Moderate
  • WildfireRelatively Moderate
  • EarthquakeRelatively Low
  • River and inland floodingRelatively Low
  • LightningRelatively Low
  • DroughtVery Low
  • HailVery Low
  • Heat waveVery Low
  • Strong windVery Low
  • TornadoVery Low

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025

Questions about buying land in Lincoln County

How much of Lincoln County, MT is in a flood zone?

About under 1% of Lincoln County's area is in the 1%-annual-chance (100-year) floodplain used by FEMA's National Risk Index (December 2025), 21st lowest of 56 counties in Montana. Whether a given parcel is in a flood zone depends on its exact location, so check the FEMA map at your pin.

How much does land cost per acre in Lincoln County?

The 2022 Census of Agriculture put the average value of farm land and buildings in Lincoln County at $4,690 an acre, 4th highest of 56 counties in Montana (the median Montana county was $1,283). It's a self-reported average across farms, so small homesites and recreational tracts often sell for more per acre.

Will a septic system work on land in Lincoln County?

Often, but test first. USDA soil surveys rate 93% of Lincoln County's mapped soils very limited for conventional septic absorption fields, usually because of wetness, slow permeability, shallow rock or flooding. A perc or soil test on the parcel decides what system the health department will permit.

Is there good farmland in Lincoln County?

0% of Lincoln County's mapped soils are prime farmland, under 1% are prime only if drained, irrigated or protected from flooding, and 2.8% are farmland of statewide importance (USDA SSURGO). The 2022 Census of Agriculture counted 251 farms averaging 199 acres.

How often is Lincoln County in drought?

Since 2021, at least half of the county was in severe drought or worse in 12% of weekly U.S. Drought Monitor maps, and in extreme drought in 1.9%. On 2026-10-27, 0% of the county was in moderate drought or worse.

Can I check a specific property in Lincoln County?

Yes. Enter the address or drop a pin anywhere in Lincoln County on the free check. It shows which checks return data at that exact point, and the full report costs $29: flood zone, slope, soils, wetlands, roads, power lines, wildfire and more, each with its source. It is a screen of public maps, not a survey, title search or perc test.

Check the parcel, not just the county

County numbers tell you what to look for. The free check looks at your exact point in Lincoln County: flood zone, slope, soils, wetlands, roads, power and more. The full report is $29.

Check a location in Lincoln County

What these numbers can't tell you

  • County shares describe Lincoln County as a whole; a parcel can be entirely in or out of a flood zone, wetland or poor soil.
  • It doesn't look at the whole parcel, its boundaries, title, easements, zoning or permits.
  • It isn't a survey, appraisal, elevation certificate, soil or perc test, or Phase I environmental site assessment.
  • It can't see local distribution power lines, driveways, legal access, wells or mineral rights.
  • Maps lag behind the ground, and distances are straight-line, not driving distance.

Sources and vintages

Summarized per county by our build script on 2026-10-31. County figures cover the whole county; checks on the report are at your point.