Powder River County, MT

County

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2024 Population

1,815

US Senator

Steve Daines

Republican Party

US Senator

Tim Sheehy

Republican Party

2024 Median Age

47.3

2.67% 1-year decrease

2024 Poverty Rate

8.12%

16.5% 1-year decrease

2024 Median Household Income

$67,045

1.42% 1-year decline

2024 Median Property Value

$192,100

28.6% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

835

1.07% 1-year decline

About

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.

98.6% of the residents in Powder River County, MT are U.S. citizens.

In 2024, the median property value in Powder River County, MT was $192,100, and the homeownership rate was 78.8%.

Most people in Powder River County, MT drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 19.4 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 1.82k people, from which 98.6% are citizens. As of 2024, 1.38% of Powder River County, MT residents were born outside of the country (25 people).

In 2024, there were 21.9 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (1.62k people) in Powder River County, MT than any other race or ethnicity. There were 74 Two Races Including Other (Non-Hispanic) and 40 American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

98.6%

2024 Citizenship

98%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 98.6% of Powder River County, MT residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Powder River County, MT was 98%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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)
1.62k ± 148
Two Races Including Other (Non-Hispanic)
74 ± 62
American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic)
40 ± 32

1.43%

Hispanic Population

26 people

1.43% of the people in Powder River County, MT are hispanic (26 people).

The following chart shows the 8 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
3,832 ± 1,517 people
Mexico
2,638 ± 1,259 people
Germany
1,932 ± 1,078 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Montana was Canada, the natal country of 3,832 Montana residents, followed by Mexico with 2,638 and Germany with 1,932.

Foreign-Born Population

1.38%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

25 people

1.99%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

35 people

As of 2024, 1.38% of Powder River County, MT residents (25 people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Powder River County, MT was 1.99%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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-)
34 ± 29
Vietnam
27 ± 22
Gulf War (1990s)
3 ± 12

Powder River County, MT has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.26 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Powder River County, MT.

Economy

The economy of Powder River County, MT employs 835 people. In 2024, the largest industries in Powder River County, MT were Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (236 people), Construction (99 people), and Educational Services (86 people), and the highest paying industries were Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($88,036), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($87,083), and Health Care & Social Assistance ($78,750).

Employment

Occupations

835

2024 Value

± 129

−1.07%

1 Year decline

± 22%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Powder River County, MT declined at a rate of −1.07%, from 844 employees to 835 employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Powder River County, MT, are Management Occupations (247 people), Construction & Extraction Occupations (89 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (74 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 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.

Industries

Employment by Industries

835

2024 Value

± 129

−1.07%

1 Year decline

± 22%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Powder River County, MT declined at a rate of −1.07%, from 844 employees to 835 employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Powder River County, MT, are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (236 people), Construction (99 people), and Educational Services (86 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

$48,906

Median earning men ± $12,421

$33,672

Median earning women ± $9,073

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Public Administration ($95,833), Construction ($74,722), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($49,762).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($88,631), Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($61,591), and Public Administration ($42,083).

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.

The visualization shows the 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 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Montana went to Donald J. Trump with 58.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (38.5%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.96%).

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

Voting results are not available for Powder River County, MT. Showing the available data for Montana.

2024 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (58.4%)
Republican Party
Kamala Harris (38.5%)
Democratic Party
Robert Kennedy (1.96%)
Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Montana went to Donald J. Trump with 58.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (38.5%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.96%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Montana for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

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.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Powder River County, MT was $192,100 in 2024, which is 0.577 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $149,400 to $192,100, a 28.6% increase. The homeownership rate in Powder River County, MT is 78.8%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Powder River County, MT have an average commute time of 19.4 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 2025, 5.79% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Powder River County, MT. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 4.31%.

Housing

Property

$192,100

Median Property Value 2024

±$44,516

$558

Median Property Taxes

±$97

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

78.8%

Homeownership

2024

62.3%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 78.8% of the housing units in Powder River County, MT were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 77.6%.

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

Equity

Household Income

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

$67,045

Median Household Income

± $14,071

708

Number of Households

± 107

In 2024, the median household income of the 708 households in Powder River County, MT declined from $67,045 from the previous year's value of $68,009.

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.

0.46

2023 Wage GINI in Montana

0.463

2022 Wage GINI in Montana

In 2023, the income inequality in Montana was 0.46 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.635% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Montana was lower than than the national average of 0.476. 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 2024

Drove Alone (51.1%)
Worked At Home (19.6%)
Carpooled (13.5%)

In 2024, 51.1% of workers in Powder River County, MT drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (19.6%) and those who carpooled to work (13.5%).

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

19.4 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Powder River County, MT have a shorter commute time (19.4 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 3.41% 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 2025, 5.79% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Powder River County, MT. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 4.31%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

8.12% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Powder River County, MT (143 out of 1.76k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 75+, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Females 55 - 64.

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

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 2025, 17.1% of the children was living in poverty in Powder River County, MT. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator grew 1.2%.

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

92.4% of the population of Powder River County, MT has health coverage, with 34.3% on employee plans, 18.1% on Medicaid, 20.6% on Medicare, 17.6% on non-group plans, and 1.82% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Powder River County, MT see 0 patients per year on average, which represents a NaNk% change from the previous year (0 patients). Compare this to dentists who see null patients per year, and mental health providers who see null patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.9% were men and 50.1% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

0 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Powder River County, MT

Primary care physicians in Powder River County, MT see an average of 0 patients per year. This represents a NaNk% change from the previous year (0 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 20.7% under 18 years, 15.4% between 18 and 34 years, 34.6% between 35 and 64 years, and 29.3% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.9% were men and 50.1% were women.

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

Uninsured People

7.61%

Uninsured

34.3%

Employer Coverage

18.1%

Medicaid

20.6%

Medicare

17.6%

Non-Group

1.82%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Powder River County, MT grew by 34.7% from 5.65% to 7.61%.

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.