Townapedia
US2 merges with US191 in Malta Montana
US2 merges with US191 in Malta Montana · I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby publish it..., CC BY-SA 3.0
Phillips County Carnegie Library (2013) - Phillips County, Montana
Phillips County Carnegie Library (2013) - Phillips County, Montana · Robstutz, CC BY-SA 3.0

Malta, Montana

Malta is a city of 2,100 people in Phillips County, Montana.

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Population2,100 +0.5% since 2019
Elevation2,254 ft 687 m
Land area1.1 sq mi
ZIP code59538
Nearest airportMalta Airport (MLK) 2 mi

Why visit Malta

Townapedia lists 3 museums and landmarks, 5 parks and trails, 7 places to eat, 8 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.

Highlights include Villa, Phillips County Carnegie Library and Great Plains Dinosaur Museum.

July is the warmest month, with average highs of 86°F; January lows average 7°F.

About Malta

Malta is a city in and the county seat of Phillips County, Montana, United States, located at the intersection of U.S. Routes 2 and 191. The population was 1,860 at the 2020 census.

From the Wikipedia article Malta, Montana (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Things to do1

Villa

Cinema and theater

202 Central Avenue South, Malta

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Museums and landmarks3

Phillips County Carnegie Library

Museum · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi

Historic building in Malta, Montana, United States

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Parks, trails and playgrounds5

Marian Hills Country Club

Golf course · 1.1 mi

1652 US-191, Malta

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Hillcrest Park

Park · 0.4 mi

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Legg Addition Park

Park · 0.7 mi

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Riverview Park

Park · 0.6 mi

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Trafton Park

Park · 0.5 mi

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Restaurants and cafes7

Blue Ridge Brewing Company

Brewery and winery

320 South 1st Street East, Malta

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Hitchin' Post

Diner · American · 0.5 mi

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Stockman Bar & Steakhouse

Bar and pub

64 South 1st Street East, Malta

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Kid Currys Lounge

Restaurant · 0.7 mi

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Mint Bar

Bar and pub

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Stretch's Pizza

Restaurant

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DQ Grill & Chill

Fast food · Ice Cream, Burger · 0.5 mi

655 North 1st Street East, Malta

Open in Google Maps · +1 406-654-1051

History

After James Hill and his partners built the St. Paul, Minneapolis, and Manitoba railway (which in 1890 became the Great Northern Railway) across Montana's "High Line" in 1887, Malta evolved from rail siding number 54. What came to be Saco, Montana, to the east and Dodson, Montana, to the west grew from other nearby sidings. A post office was established in Malta in 1890. Its name is said to have been determined by a spin of the globe by a Great Northern official whose finger came to rest on the island of Malta in the Mediterranean Sea.

On July 3, 1901, Kid Curry (Harvey Logan), as part of Butch Cassidy's Wild Bunch, robbed a train just west of Malta, near Wagner, Montana, making off with about $40,000.

One of the best preserved dinosaurs ever discovered and one of only four that were fossilized is a 77-million-year-old Brachylophosaurus nicknamed Leonardo, unearthed north of Malta in 2000. Leonardo, together with brachylophosaurus Elvis (1994), Roberta (2003) and Peanut (2002), is on display at The Great Plains Dinosaur Museum.

From the History section of Malta, Montana on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where to stay8

Churches and places of worship8

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Shopping3

Gas and EV charging3

Schools, colleges and libraries8

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Healthcare1

Map of Malta

47 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.

Climate by month

0°20°40°60°80°January: 0.4 in of rainFebruary: 0.4 in of rainMarch: 0.5 in of rainApril: 1.3 in of rainMay: 1.7 in of rainJune: 2.7 in of rainJuly: 1.6 in of rainAugust: 1.3 in of rainSeptember: 1.4 in of rainOctober: 1.0 in of rainNovember: 0.7 in of rainDecember: 0.5 in of rainJanuary: 29°FFebruary: 32°FMarch: 45°FApril: 59°FMay: 69°FJune: 77°FJuly: 86°FAugust: 86°FSeptember: 74°FOctober: 59°FNovember: 43°FDecember: 31°FJanuary: 7°FFebruary: 11°FMarch: 21°FApril: 33°FMay: 42°FJune: 52°FJuly: 57°FAugust: 56°FSeptember: 46°FOctober: 33°FNovember: 20°FDecember: 10°FJFMAMJJASOND
Average high Average low Rain
Monthly table
MonthHighLowRain
Jan29°F7°F0.4 in
Feb32°F11°F0.4 in
Mar45°F21°F0.5 in
Apr59°F33°F1.3 in
May69°F42°F1.7 in
Jun77°F52°F2.7 in
Jul86°F57°F1.6 in
Aug86°F56°F1.3 in
Sep74°F46°F1.4 in
Oct59°F33°F1.0 in
Nov43°F20°F0.7 in
Dec31°F10°F0.5 in

U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Malta (0 mi away), NOAA NCEI.

People and cost of living

$54,483median household income
$160,800median home value
$631median monthly rent
44.4median age
30.8%of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
61.8%of homes are owner-occupied
11.8 minaverage commute
Age of residents
Under 1827%18 to 349%35 to 6442%65 and over23%

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.

Disaster history

Phillips County has had 7 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.

  • 2026-04-07: Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds (Straight-Line Winds)
  • 2023-10-11: Flooding (Flood)
  • 2020-03-31: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
  • 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
  • 2011-06-17: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
  • 2005-09-13: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)

OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.

Getting there and nearby towns

Malta Airport (MLK) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 2 miles away.

  • Fort Belknap Agency 38 mi west, about 1 h by car
  • Hays 44 mi southwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
  • Harlem 44 mi west, about 1 h 15 min by car

Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.

Reviews, tips and questions

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Sources and licences

Photo credits

Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.