Montague's housing stock is that of a small, historic Northern California town. Modest single-family homes, many dating to the early and mid-20th century, cluster near the downtown and along its grid of quiet streets, while larger properties, ranch homes, and rural parcels spread across the Shasta Valley beyond the city limits. Lot sizes are typically generous, and agricultural zoning is common on the outskirts. The market is steady and locally oriented, appealing to those drawn by a slower pace, mountain views, and room to keep animals or pursue farming rather than by commuter-driven turnover.

Montague is a compact city that reads as a single community centered on its historic downtown. Older homes and small businesses line the main streets near the former railroad corridor, while residential blocks extend outward and give way to open Shasta Valley farmland and ranchland. There are no large master-planned developments; instead, the town blends gradually into the surrounding countryside, with scattered rural homesites on the valley floor. Nearby Yreka provides the nearest urban-scale services, and the larger Shasta Valley communities of Weed, Grenada, and Gazelle complete the regional picture.

Life in Montague is quiet, agricultural, and closely tied to the Shasta Valley's seasons. The town's calendar is anchored by the Hot Air Balloon Fair, a long-running fall tradition that draws crowds from across the region, alongside 4-H and rodeo culture, community dinners, and small-town gatherings. For everyday shopping and services, residents make the short drive to Yreka, the county seat. The surrounding landscape — with Mount Shasta to the south and Mount Ashland to the north — makes outdoor recreation a year-round backdrop, from spring wildflower drives and summer biking to winter snow sports within easy reach.

Montague is served by the Montague Elementary School District, which operates the town's elementary school. Older students travel the short distance to Yreka, the Siskiyou County seat, for high school and secondary programs. The small-scale, community-based elementary setting keeps young families connected to the town, while the nearby county-seat schools provide the full range of middle and high school academics, athletics, and activities. Higher education options, including College of the Siskiyous, are within commuting range in the county.

Montague lies a few miles east of Interstate 5, the principal north–south corridor of far Northern California, giving the town convenient access to Yreka, Weed, Mount Shasta, and the Oregon border. The city's transportation identity is rooted in the railroad — it was founded as a Yreka Western Railroad stop and remains historically tied to the line. Montague-Yreka Rohrer Field, a small general-aviation airport, serves the immediate area, while larger commercial air service is available through regional airports to the north and south. Local roads fan across the Shasta Valley to neighboring communities and ranchlands.

Montague sits at the center of a recreation-rich corner of Northern California. The Shasta Valley Wildlife Area, north of town, provides bird watching, hunting, and fishing, while the valley's lightly traveled roads make it a favorite for road cycling. Mount Shasta to the south and Mount Ashland to the north bring hiking, climbing, and winter snow sports within easy reach, and the Klamath and Cascade range forests add year-round trail access. In neighboring Yreka, Greenhorn Park offers trails and a fishing reservoir. The town's Hot Air Balloon Fair adds a signature community event to the outdoor calendar.