Montana

State

Add Comparison

Population

1.06M

1.12% 1-year growth

US Senator

Jon Tester

Democratic Party

US Senator

Steve Daines

Republican Party

Median Age

40.1

Poverty Rate

13.7%

Median Household Income

$55,328

3.64% 1-year growth

Median Property Value

$249,200

7.74% 1-year growth

Number of Employees

489,517

0.307% 1-year decline

About

In 2018, Montana had a population of 1.06M people with a median age of 40.1 and a median household income of $55,328. Between 2017 and 2018 the population of Montana grew from 1.05M to 1.06M, a 1.12% increase and its median household income grew from $53,386 to $55,328, a 3.64% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Montana are White (Non-Hispanic) (85.9%), American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic) (6.16%), White (Hispanic) (2.75%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.61%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (0.798%). 0% of the households in Montana speak a non-English language at home as their primary language, and 99.1% of the residents in Montana are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Montana are Montana State University (3,362 degrees awarded in 2019), The University of Montana (3,293 degrees), and Montana State University Billings (833 degrees).

In 2018, the median property value in Montana was $249,200, and the homeownership rate was 67.5%. Most people in Montana drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 17.2 minutes. The average car ownership in Montana was 2 cars per household.

Montana borders Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming.

Photo by Jeff Krause

United States

COVID-19

Daily New Cases by Date

Hospitalization data for some states may be delayed or not reported.

Y-Axis

This chart shows the number of COVID-19 daily new cases by date in Montana, as a 7-day rolling average, compared with the four states with the most similar number of confirmed cases.

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Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Montana.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Montana (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Montana.

Start Year

Y-Axis

-5.78%

Year-over-year decline

Employment change between November 2019 and November 2020

As of November 2020, there are 145M people employed in Montana. This represents a -5.78% decrease in employment when compared to November 2019.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Montana.

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Community Mobility

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Montana.

This chart presents movement trends over time in the state of Montana across different categories of places such as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential.

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Civics

In the 2016 presidential election, the popular vote in Montana went to Donald J. Trump with 56.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Hillary Rodham Clinton (35.9%), followed by Gary Johnson (5.67%). The most partisan county was Garfield County, MT with 90.9% of the vote going to Donald J. Trump running for the Republican Party.

Jon Tester and Steve Daines are the senators currently representing the state of Montana. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Montana is currently represented by Matt Rosendale in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Showing data up to the 2016 election. Updated election results are currently being processed, and will be released in the coming months.

2016 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (56.5%)
Republican Party
Hillary Rodham Clinton (35.9%)
Democratic Party
Gary Johnson (5.67%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2016 presidential election, the popular vote in Montana went to Donald J. Trump with 56.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Hillary Rodham Clinton (35.9%), followed by Gary Johnson (5.67%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Montana for each registered party from 1976 to 2016.

Presidential Popular Vote by County

Showing data up to the 2016 election. Updated election results are currently being processed, and will be released in the coming months.

Donald J. Trump

Popular Vote for Montana

56.5% for the Republican Party

Most Partisan Counties in Montana

Garfield County, MT
90.9% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)
Petroleum County, MT
86.3% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)
Carter County, MT
86.3% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)

In the 2016 presidential election, the most partisan county in Montana was Garfield County, MT with 90.9% of the vote going to Donald J. Trump running for the Republican Party.

The following map shows the counties in Montana colored by their party leaning.

US Senators from Montana

Jon Tester

Senator from Montana

Assumed office on January 3, 2007

Steve Daines

Senator from Montana

Assumed office on January 3, 2015

Jon Tester and Steve Daines are the senators currently representing Montana.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Montana over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representatives from Montana

Matt Rosendale

Montana at-large Representative

Republican Party

Montana is currently represented by Matt Rosendale (Republican Party).

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the member for Montana have changed over time starting in 2008.

Diversity

Montana is home to a population of 1.06M people, from which 99.1% are citizens. As of 2018, 2.14% of Montana residents were born outside of the country (22.7k people).

In 2018, there were 13.9 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (912k people) in Montana than any other race or ethnicity. There were 65.5k American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic) and 29.2k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Montana

White (Non-Hispanic)
912k ± 764
American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic)
65.5k ± 2.5k
White (Hispanic)
29.2k ± 2.17k

3.92%

Hispanic Population

41.6k people

3.92% of the people in Montana are hispanic (41.6k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Montana as a share of the total population.

Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

2.14%

2018 Foreign-Born Population

22.7k people

2.07%

2017 Foreign-Born Population

21.8k people

As of 2018, 2.14% of Montana residents (22.7k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.7%. In 2017, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Montana was 2.07%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Montana compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Age by Nativity

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.4

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 4.5

In 2018, the median age of all people in Montana was 40.1. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 40, were generally younger than than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 45. But people in Montana are getting getting older. In 2017, the average age of all Montana residents was 40.

Global Diversity

Most Common Origin

Canada
4,212 ± 1,590 people
Germany
1,674 ± 1,004 people
Philippines
1,452 ± 935 people

In 2019, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Montana was Canada, the natal country of 4,212 Montana residents, followed by Germany with 1,674 and Philippines with 1,452.

Citizenship

99.1%

2018 Citizenship

99%

2017 Citizenship

As of 2018, 99.1% of Montana residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2017, the percentage of US citizens in Montana was 99%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Montana compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
31,435 ± 2,304
Gulf War (2001-)
17,989 ± 2,262
Gulf War (1990s)
11,106 ± 1,325

Montana has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.75 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

Median household income in Montana is $55,328. In 2018, the county with the highest Median Household Income in Montana was Gallatin County, MT with a value of $68,266, followed by Lewis and Clark County, MT and Yellowstone County, MT, with respective values of $65,241 and $60,079.

Males in Montana have an average income that is 1.33 times higher than the average income of females, which is $44,854. The income inequality in Montana (measured using the Gini index) is 0.461, which is lower than than the national average.

The economy of Montana employs 490k people. The largest industries in Montana are Construction (36,721 people), Restaurants & Food Services (31,032 people), and Elementary & secondary schools (29,177 people), and the highest paying industries are Travel arrangements & reservation services ($141,141), Offices of physicians ($129,100), and Offices of dentists ($120,523).

Wages

Median Household Income

$55,328

2018 value

± $1,172

3.64%

1 Year Growth

± 3.29%

Households in Montana have a median annual income of $55,328, which is less than the median annual income of $61,937 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $53,386 in 2017, which represents a 3.64% annual growth.

The following chart shows how the median household income in Montana compares to that of its neighboring and parent geographies.

Wage by Gender in Common Jobs

$59,667

Average Male Salary in Montana

± $3,006

$44,854

Average Female Salary in Montana

± $2,678

In 2019, full-time male employees in Montana made 1.33 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the gender-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in Montana by number of full-time employees.

Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity in Montana

American Indian and Alaska Native tribes specified; or American Indian or Alaska Native, not specified and no other races
$70,172 ± $24,840
Other
$61,897 ± $37,907
White
$46,038 ± $1,862

In 2019 the highest paid race/ethnicity of Montana workers was American Indian and Alaska Native tribes specified; or American Indian or Alaska Native, not specified and no other races. These workers were paid 1.13 times more than Other workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity in Montana.

This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in Montana by number of full-time employees.

Wage Distribution

0.461

2019 Wage GINI in Montana

0.455

2018 Wage GINI in Montana

In 2019, the income inequality in Montana was 0.461 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 1.35% growth from 2018 to 2019, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Montana was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Montana in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Montana across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

In 2018, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Montana was Gallatin County, MT with a value of $68,266, followed by Lewis and Clark County, MT and Yellowstone County, MT, with respective values of $65,241 and $60,079.

The following map shows all of the counties in Montana colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Poverty by Age and Gender

Females 18 - 24

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

13.7% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Montana (139k out of 1.02M people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 13.1%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Males 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

White
108,702 ± 2,261
Native American
21,945 ± 814
Hispanic
7,205 ± 590

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Montana is White, followed by Native American and Hispanic.

Occupations

Employment by Occupations

490k

2019 Value

-0.307%

1 Year decline

± -0.307%

From 2018 to 2019, employment in Montana declined at a rate of -0.307%, from 491k employees to 490k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Montana, are Retail salespersons (15,575 people), Firstline supervisors of retail sales workers (12,666 people), and Registered nurses (11,306 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Montana.

Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Montana, by number of employees, are Retail salespersons (15,575 people), Firstline supervisors of retail sales workers (12,666 people), and Registered nurses (11,306 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other states, Montana has an unusually high number of residents working as Geological & petroleum technicians, & nuclear technicians (11.9 times higher than expected), Pumping station operators (8.46 times), and Mining machine operators (7.63 times).

Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Montana, by average salary, are Dentists ($287,625), Roofers ($266,705), and Physicians ($255,243).

Industries

Employment by Industries

490k

2019 Value

-0.307%

1 Year decline

± -0.307%

From 2018 to 2019, employment in Montana declined at a rate of -0.307%, from 491k employees to 490k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Montana, are Construction (36,721 people), Restaurants & Food Services (31,032 people), and Elementary & secondary schools (29,177 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Montana, though some of these residents may live in Montana and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Most Common

The most common industries in Montana, by number of employees, are Construction (36,721 people), Restaurants & Food Services (31,032 people), and Elementary & secondary schools (29,177 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other states, Montana has an unusually high number of Forestry except logging (12.6 times higher than expected), Metal ore mining (11.5 times), and Hardware stores (7.44 times) industries.

Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Montana, by average salary, are Travel arrangements & reservation services ($141,141), Offices of physicians ($129,100), and Offices of dentists ($120,523).

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Montana to other states, or from other states to Montana.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

Crude petroleum
$12.5B
Gasoline
$6.36B
Fuel oils
$6.21B

In 2018, the top outbound Montana product (by dollars) was Crude petroleum with $12.5B, followed by Gasoline ($6.36B) and Fuel oils ($6.21B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Montana products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Montana.

$58.6B

2018 Value in Montana

$93.8B

Projected 2045 Value in Montana

59.9% growth

In 2018, total outbound Montana trade was $58.6B. This is expected to increase 59.9% to $93.8B by 2045.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Montana trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Montana to other states, or from other states to Montana.

Most Common Trade Partners

Colorado
$4.03B
Wyoming
$3.67B
Idaho
$3.48B

In 2018, the top outbound Montana domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Colorado with $4.03B, followed by Wyoming with $3.67B and Idaho and $3.48B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Montana shares with each state (excluding itself).

Education

In 2019, universities in Montana awarded 12,173 degrees. The student population of Montana is skewed towards women, with 21,749 male students and 26,656 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Montana are White (9,356 and 79.9%), followed by American Indian or Alaska Native (651 and 5.56%), Unknown (472 and 4.03%), and Hispanic or Latino (437 and 3.73%).

The largest universities in Montana by number of degrees awarded are Montana State University (3,362 and 27.6%), The University of Montana (3,293 and 27.1%), and Montana State University Billings (833 and 6.84%).

The most popular majors in Montana are General Studies (819 and 6.73%), Registered Nursing (792 and 6.51%), and General Business (445 and 3.66%).

The median tuition costs in Montana are $27,327 for private four year colleges, and $4,800 and $17,387 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Concentrations

Most Common

Registered Nursing
541 degree-majorss awarded
General Business
436 degree-majorss awarded
Elementary Education & Teaching
325 degree-majorss awarded

In 2018, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Montana was Registered Nursing with 541 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Montana according to their major.

Universities

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Montana State University
3,362 degrees awarded
The University of Montana
3,293 degrees awarded
Montana State University Billings
833 degrees awarded

$4,800

Median In-State Public

$27,327

Median Private

In 2019, the Montana institution with the largest number of graduating students was Montana State University with 3,362 degrees awarded.

Student Gender for Common Institutions

5,222

Degrees Awarded to Men

6,951

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2019, 5,222 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Montana, which is 0.751 times less than the 6,951 female students who received degrees in the same year.

This chart displays the gender disparity between the top 5 institutions in Montana by degrees awarded.

Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
9,356 degrees awarded
American Indian or Alaska Native
651 degrees awarded
Unknown
472 degrees awarded

In 2019 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions in Montana was White students. These 9,356 degrees mean that there were 14.4 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, American Indian or Alaska Native, with 651 degrees awarded.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Montana was $249,200 in 2018, which is 1.08 times larger than the national average of $229,700. Between 2017 and 2018 the median property value increased from $231,300 to $249,200, a 7.74% increase. The homeownership rate in Montana is 67.5%, which is higher than the national average of 63.9%. People in Montana have an average commute time of 17.2 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Montana is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property Value

$249,200

2018 Median

± $3,832

$231,300

2017 Median

± $3,808

In 2018, the median property value in Montana grew to to $249,200 from the previous year's value of $231,300.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Montana compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies and, second, owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property value buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Montana the largest share of households have a property value in the $300k - $400k range.

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$55,328

Median Household Income

± $1,172

431k

Number of Households

± 9,521

In 2018, the median household income of the 431k households in Montana grew to $55,328 from the previous year's value of $53,386.

The following chart displays the households in Montana distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Property Taxes

$2k - $3k

Average Range

This chart shows the households in Montana distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Montana the largest share of households pay taxes in the $2k - $3k range.

Rent vs Own

67.5%

2018 Homeownership

69.2%

2017 Homeownership

In 2018, 67.5% of the housing units in Montana were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 69.2%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is higher than the national average of 63.9%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Montana compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Commute Time

17.2 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Montana have a shorter commute time (17.2 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.7 minutes). Additionally, 2.06% of the workforce in Montana have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Montana compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2018

Drove Alone (74.9%)
Carpooled (9.45%)
Worked At Home (7.3%)

In 2018, 74.9% of workers in Montana drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (9.45%) and those who worked at home (7.3%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Transportation

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Montana distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Montana have 2 cars, followed by 3 cars.

Health

91.5% of the population of Montana has health coverage, with 42.1% on employee plans, 17.1% on Medicaid, 13.1% on Medicare, 16.4% on non-group plans, and 2.85% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in Montana was $8,221 in 2014. This is a 2.84% increase from the previous year ($7,994).

Primary care physicians in Montana see 1240 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.641% decrease from the previous year (1248 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1356 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 316 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Roosevelt County has the highest prevalence of diabetes (18.9%). Additionally, Hill County has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (39.3%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,240 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Montana

Primary care physicians in Montana see an average of 1,240 patients per year. This represents a 0.641% decrease from the previous year (1,248 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Montana in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

West Virginia
8.26% of the population affected
Arkansas
8.13% of the population affected
New Hampshire
7.98% of the population affected

In 2016, West Virginia had the highest prevalence of adults with major depressive episode, with 8.26% of the population affected. The second highest is Arkansas (8.13%), followed by New Hampshire (7.98%).

The following map shows the percent of individuals with major depressive episode by state over multiple years.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

Mississippi
19.2% of adults
Texas
17.9% of adults
Louisiana
17.6% of adults

In 2016, Mississippi had the highest prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost, at 19.2%. It is followed by Texas (17.9%) and Louisiana (17.6%).

The following map shows the prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost by state over multiple years.

Health Care Spending

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Montana.

$8,221

Total Per Capita Spending on Personal Health Care in Montana

$3,882

Per Enrollee Private Health Insurance Spending on Personal Health Care

$9,378

Per Enrollee Medicaid Spending on Personal Health Care

$8,238

Per Enrollee Medicare Spending on Personal Health Care

Between 2013 and 2014, all personal health care spending per capita in Montana (including private, Medicare, and Medicaid) grew 2.84%, from $7,994 to $8,221.

The following chart shows how this spending changed over time in comparison to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance spending, per enrollee.

Health Care Coverage

8.46%

Uninsured

42.1%

Employer Coverage

17.1%

Medicaid

13.1%

Medicare

16.4%

Non-Group

2.85%

Military or VA

Between 2016 and 2017, the percent of uninsured citizens in Montana grew by 4.26% from 8.12% to 8.46%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Montana changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.