Published September 26, 2026 · By Ashley Inglis
Study 06 · MT Lux Market Research
Research question: What does the exported Waterfront Features field actually report in supplied Missoula County, Ravalli County and Whitefish records?
The useful answer is narrower than a waterfront label. A populated field identifies a record with one or more reported tags. It does not prove that a home has frontage, access, water rights, legal status, tax treatment or a particular water experience.
Field coverage, not a waterfront inventory
| Export geography | Status | Populated / all records | Share | Median price | Median living area | Positive-acreage median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missoula County | Active | 59 / 555 | 10.6% | $1,397,500 ask | 2,436 sq ft | 7.72 acres (n=51) |
| Ravalli County | Active | 70 / 384 | 18.2% | $1,113,500 ask | 2,865 sq ft | 10.23 acres (n=66) |
| Whitefish | Active | 44 / 220 | 20.0% | $2,224,500 ask | 2,791 sq ft | 0.82 acres (n=35) |
| Missoula County | Closed | 29 / 466 | 6.2% | $857,472 close | 2,495 sq ft | 2.02 acres (n=28) |
| Ravalli County | Closed | 27 / 202 | 13.4% | $665,000 close | 2,352 sq ft | 7.12 acres (n=25) |
| Whitefish | Closed | 26 / 128 | 20.3% | $1,436,250 close | 2,479 sq ft | 0.71 acres (n=23) |
The field is populated for 59 of 555 supplied Missoula County active records, 70 of 384 Ravalli County records and 44 of 220 Whitefish records. The remaining blank fields are unknown. They are not counted as confirmed non-waterfront properties.
Active price figures are September 25 List Prices. Closed figures are Close Prices for records closing June 1 through August 31. The populations are different, and neither table measures a waterfront premium, negotiation result or current value. Median price, living area and acreage describe only the populated-field group with valid values.
The source uses overlapping literal tags
| Export geography | Status | Literal tag | Records | Share of populated fields |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missoula County | Active | Creek | 25 | 42.4% |
| Missoula County | Active | River | 26 | 44.1% |
| Ravalli County | Active | Creek | 36 | 51.4% |
| Ravalli County | Active | Pond | 24 | 34.3% |
| Whitefish | Active | Lake | 26 | 59.1% |
| Combined exports | Active | River | 46 | 26.6% |
| Combined exports | Closed | Creek | 27 | 32.9% |
Waterfront Features values are comma-separated. This study splits, trims and deduplicates the literal tags within each record. A record with Lake, Navigable Water, for example, contributes to both tags. The percentages therefore do not add to 100% and should not be read as mutually exclusive property categories.
Across the 173 active records with a populated field, Creek appears on 64 records, River on 46, Pond on 44 and Lake on 28. Because the tags overlap, those counts are not separate property inventories.
The source also includes standalone values such as Seasonal, Dock and Navigable Water. That is why a populated field cannot be converted into a blanket claim of waterfront frontage.
Composition changes the price context
Whitefish active records with a populated field have a $2,224,500 median List Price and a 0.82-acre positive-acreage median, while Ravalli County's comparable populated-field group has a $1,113,500 median List Price and a 10.23-acre median. Those differences show that the groups have different compositions. They do not show that one tag, one body of water or one acre value caused the price difference.
For a buyer, the tags are most useful as questions for a current listing: which tag is reported, what does it refer to, what access exists, and what documentation supports the intended use? The related home-acreage study explains why lot size also needs property-specific interpretation.
How buyers and sellers can use the result
Buyers: filter a current search by the feature that matters, then verify the actual parcel, access, easements, water rights, restrictions, safety and maintenance implications. A tag should not substitute for inspection or document review.
Sellers: describe documented water-related features accurately and make supporting information available. A populated MLS field alone cannot establish a price or justify a broad premium claim. Compare the property with relevant active competition and completed sales.
Methodology and limits
- Analyze all property types in six supplied Montana Regional MLS exports. Active records use September 25, 2026 List Price; closed records use Close Price and a Close Date from June 1 through August 31 inclusive.
- Classify Waterfront Features as populated when its trimmed source value is nonempty. Blank is unknown. Split the populated values on commas, trim each literal tag and deduplicate tags within a record.
- For populated-field groups, calculate price, living-area and acreage medians only with finite positive values. Publish a descriptive median only where its valid metric n is at least 20, and publish literal tag counts only at n at least 20.
- Missoula County and Ravalli County are county exports; Whitefish is city-labeled. Combined figures pool unequal geographies and are not a regional market estimate.
Source fingerprints, definitions and the aggregate download are available in the methodology file. Suggested citation: MT Lux Real Estate. Reported Waterfront Features in Western Montana Listings. September 26, 2026.
For a current property comparison in Missoula, the Bitterroot Valley or Whitefish, contact Ashley Inglis or call (406) 880-5985. Read the buyer guide: Choosing Reported Waterfront Features in Western Montana.
Data and sources
Derived from: MontanaLux_MissoulaCounty_Active_2026-09-25.csv, MontanaLux_MissoulaCounty_Closed_2026-09-25.csv, MontanaLux_RavalliCounty_Active_2026-09-25.csv, MontanaLux_RavalliCounty_Closed_2026-09-25.csv, MontanaLux_Whitefish_Active_2026-09-25.csv, MontanaLux_Whitefish_Closed_2026-09-25.csv. The underlying listing exports are not published.
Download aggregate CSV