Powder River County, MT

County

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2023 Population

1,762

0.62% 1-year decline

US Senator

Steve Daines

Republican Party

US Senator

Tim Sheehy

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

48.6

2.61% 1-year decrease

2023 Poverty Rate

9.73%

23.4% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$68,009

12.8% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$149,400

10.8% 1-year decline

2023 Employed Population

844

7.25% 1-year decline

About

In 2023, Powder River County, MT had a population of 1.76k people with a median age of 48.6 and a median household income of $68,009. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Powder River County, MT declined from 1,773 to 1,762, a −0.62% decrease and its median household income grew from $60,313 to $68,009, a 12.8% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Powder River County, MT are White (Non-Hispanic) (87.2%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (7.89%), American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic) (1.65%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (1.53%), and White (Hispanic) (1.25%).

None of the households in Powder River County, MT reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

98% of the residents in Powder River County, MT are U.S. citizens.

In 2023, the median property value in Powder River County, MT was $149,400, and the homeownership rate was 77.6%.

Most people in Powder River County, MT drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 20.1 minutes. The average car ownership in Powder River County, MT was 2 cars per household.

Powder River County, MT borders Big Horn County, MT, Carter County, MT, Custer County, MT, Rosebud County, MT, Campbell County, WY, Crook County, WY, and Sheridan County, WY.

About the photo: Sunset, Red Shale campground, near Ashland, MT

Photo by Keith Ewing

United States Montana

Population & Diversity

Powder River County, MT is home to a population of 1.76k people, from which 98% are citizens. As of 2023, 1.99% of Powder River County, MT residents were born outside of the country (35 people).

In 2023, there were 11.1 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (1.54k people) in Powder River County, MT than any other race or ethnicity. There were 139 Two+ (Non-Hispanic) and 29 American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

98%

2023 Citizenship

98.3%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 98% of Powder River County, MT residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Powder River County, MT was 98.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Powder River County, MT compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Powder River County, MT

White (Non-Hispanic)
1.54k ± 137
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
139 ± 83.3
American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic)
29 ± 28

1.7%

Hispanic Population

30 people

1.7% of the people in Powder River County, MT are hispanic (30 people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Powder River County, MT as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Montana.

Most Common Origin

Canada
3,689 ± 1,489 people
Mexico
2,900 ± 1,320 people
Germany
2,151 ± 1,138 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Montana was Canada, the natal country of 3,689 Montana residents, followed by Mexico with 2,900 and Germany with 2,151.

Foreign-Born Population

1.99%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

35 people

1.69%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

30 people

As of 2023, 1.99% of Powder River County, MT residents (35 people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Powder River County, MT was 1.69%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Powder River County, MT compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (2001-)
51 ± 29
Vietnam
37 ± 26
Korea
7 ± 14

Powder River County, MT has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.38 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Powder River County, MT employs 844 people. The largest industries in Powder River County, MT are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (213 people), Educational Services (93 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (85 people), and the highest paying industries are Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($113,333), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($85,966), and Construction ($79,375).

Males in Montana have an average income that is 1.32 times higher than the average income of females, which is $52,691. The income inequality in Montana (measured using the Gini index) is 0.463, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

844

2023 Value

± 129

−7.25%

1 Year decline

± 23.2%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Powder River County, MT declined at a rate of −7.25%, from 910 employees to 844 employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Powder River County, MT, are Management Occupations (222 people), Construction & Extraction Occupations (76 people), and Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (73 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Powder River County, MT.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

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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Industries

Employment by Industries

844

2023 Value

± 129

−7.25%

1 Year decline

± 23.2%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Powder River County, MT declined at a rate of −7.25%, from 910 employees to 844 employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Powder River County, MT, are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (213 people), Educational Services (93 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (85 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Powder River County, MT, though some of these residents may live in Powder River County, MT and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$46,875

Median earning men ± $12,228

$37,083

Median earning women ± $9,291

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Construction ($79,375), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($50,000), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($49,792).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($86,250), Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($58,618), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($53,750).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

2.24%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 508k people employed in Montana. This represents a 2.24% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 11.8%.

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

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

13
Construction
7
Other Services (except Public Administration)
7
Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$2.27k
Retail Trade
$1.91k
Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction
$719
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Powder River County, MT went to Donald J. Trump with 85.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (13.6%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.06%).

Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy 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 2 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (85.4%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (13.6%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.06%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Powder River County, MT for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Montana

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Montana.

Steve Daines

Senator from Montana

Assumed office on January 3, 2015

Tim Sheehy

Senator from Montana

Assumed office on January 3, 2025

Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy 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 Representative Elections

US Representatives from Montana

Montana is currently represented by 2 members in the U.S. house.

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

Education

Completions

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

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

Measure

In 2022, 0.324% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.29% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

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

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (252k), Some college (211k), and Bachelors Degree (180k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Powder River County, MT was $149,400 in 2023, which is 0.492 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $167,500 to $149,400, a 10.8% decrease. The homeownership rate in Powder River County, MT is 77.6%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Powder River County, MT have an average commute time of 20.1 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Powder River County, MT is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2023, 5.44% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Powder River County, MT. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 4.66%.

Housing

Property

$149,400

Median Property Value 2023

±$50,339

$553

Median Property Taxes

±$99

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Powder River County, MT the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Powder River County, MT compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

77.6%

Homeownership

2023

61.8%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 77.6% of the housing units in Powder River County, MT were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 78.8%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Powder River County, MT compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Census Tract 1

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

The following map shows all of the tracts in Powder River County, MT colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

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

$68,009

Median Household Income

± $13,645

713

Number of Households

± 105

In 2023, the median household income of the 713 households in Powder River County, MT grew to $68,009 from the previous year's value of $60,313.

The following chart displays the households in Powder River County, MT 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 $50k - $60k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Powder River County, MT is from Montana.

0.463

2022 Wage GINI in Montana

0.463

2021 Wage GINI in Montana

In 2022, the income inequality in Montana was 0.463 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.0827% growth from 2021 to 2022, 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.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (48.2%)
Carpooled (18.3%)
Worked At Home (14.9%)

In 2023, 48.2% of workers in Powder River County, MT drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (18.3%) and those who worked at home (14.9%).

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.

Commute Time

20.1 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Powder River County, MT have a shorter commute time (20.1 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 3.75% of the workforce in Powder River County, MT have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Powder River County, MT compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Powder River County, MT distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Powder River County, MT have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 5.44% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Powder River County, MT. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 4.66%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

9.73% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Powder River County, MT (167 out of 1.72k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 75+, followed by Females 65 - 74 and then Males < 5.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Powder River County, MT is White, followed by Black and Native American.

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.

Children in Poverty

In 2023, 15.5% of the children was living in poverty in Powder River County, MT. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 0.4%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

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.

Health

94.4% of the population of Powder River County, MT has health coverage, with 37% on employee plans, 17.6% on Medicaid, 19.9% on Medicare, 17% on non-group plans, and 2.85% on military or VA plans.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.9% were men and 52.1% were women.

Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 19.3% under 18 years, 15.7% between 18 and 34 years, 34.2% between 35 and 64 years, and 30.8% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.9% were men and 52.1% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

5.65%

Uninsured

37%

Employer Coverage

17.6%

Medicaid

19.9%

Medicare

17%

Non-Group

2.85%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Powder River County, MT declined by 26.9% from 7.73% to 5.65%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Powder River County, MT changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.