Prairie County, MT

County

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2023 Population

1,251

2.49% 1-year decline

US Senator

Steve Daines

Republican Party

US Senator

Tim Sheehy

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

49.1

4.03% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

23.9%

7.52% 1-year increase

2023 Median Household Income

$45,192

2.46% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$167,100

18.8% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

515

8.04% 1-year decline

About

In 2023, Prairie County, MT had a population of 1.25k people with a median age of 49.1 and a median household income of $45,192. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Prairie County, MT declined from 1,283 to 1,251, a −2.49% decrease and its median household income grew from $44,107 to $45,192, a 2.46% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Prairie County, MT are White (Non-Hispanic) (89.4%), Other (Non-Hispanic) (4.48%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (3.92%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (1.36%), and White (Hispanic) (0.4%).

None of the households in Prairie 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.

96.1% of the residents in Prairie County, MT are U.S. citizens.

In 2023, the median property value in Prairie County, MT was $167,100, and the homeownership rate was 76.3%.

Most people in Prairie County, MT drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 15.7 minutes. The average car ownership in Prairie County, MT was 3 cars per household.

Prairie County, MT borders Custer County, MT, Dawson County, MT, Fallon County, MT, Garfield County, MT, McCone County, MT, and Wibaux County, MT.

United States Montana

Population & Diversity

Prairie County, MT is home to a population of 1.25k people, from which 96.1% are citizens. As of 2023, 6.87% of Prairie County, MT residents were born outside of the country (86 people).

In 2023, there were 20 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (1.12k people) in Prairie County, MT than any other race or ethnicity. There were 56 Other (Non-Hispanic) and 49 Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

96.1%

2023 Citizenship

95.3%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 96.1% of Prairie County, MT residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Prairie County, MT was 95.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Prairie County, MT

White (Non-Hispanic)
1.12k ± 174
Other (Non-Hispanic)
56 ± 50
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
49 ± 45

0.799%

Hispanic Population

10 people

0.799% of the people in Prairie County, MT are hispanic (10 people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Prairie 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

6.87%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

86 people

8.11%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

104 people

As of 2023, 6.87% of Prairie County, MT residents (86 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 Prairie County, MT was 8.11%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
59 ± 36
Gulf War (2001-)
11 ± 22
Gulf War (1990s)
6 ± 15

Prairie County, MT has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 5.36 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Prairie County, MT employs 515 people. The largest industries in Prairie County, MT are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (189 people), Accommodation & Food Services (50 people), and Educational Services (40 people), and the highest paying industries are Public Administration ($76,875), Transportation & Warehousing ($67,614), and Other Services Except Public Administration ($65,682).

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

515

2023 Value

± 115

−8.04%

1 Year decline

± 33.4%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Prairie County, MT declined at a rate of −8.04%, from 560 employees to 515 employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Prairie County, MT, are Management Occupations (214 people), Production Occupations (48 people), and Farming, Fishing, & Forestry Occupations (47 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Prairie 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

515

2023 Value

± 115

−8.04%

1 Year decline

± 33.4%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Prairie County, MT declined at a rate of −8.04%, from 560 employees to 515 employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Prairie County, MT, are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (189 people), Accommodation & Food Services (50 people), and Educational Services (40 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Prairie County, MT, though some of these residents may live in Prairie County, MT and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$41,667

Median earning men ± $9,637

$35,469

Median earning women ± $26,943

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Arts, Entertainment, & Recreation, & Accommodations & Food Services ($70,156), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($68,523), and Other Services Except Public Administration ($65,682).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Public Administration ($77,188), Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($45,446), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($36,250).

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

6
Other Services (except Public Administration)
3
Information

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

$1.25k
Finance and Insurance
$744
Retail Trade
$207
Other Services (except Public Administration)

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

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Prairie County, MT went to Donald J. Trump with 81% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (16.9%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (2.02%).

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 (81%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (16.9%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (2.02%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Prairie County, MT went to Donald J. Trump with 81% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (16.9%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (2.02%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Prairie 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 Prairie County, MT was $167,100 in 2023, which is 0.551 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $140,600 to $167,100, a 18.8% increase. The homeownership rate in Prairie County, MT is 76.3%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Prairie County, MT have an average commute time of 15.7 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Prairie County, MT is higher than the national average, with an average of 3 cars per household.

In 2023, 5.58% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Prairie County, MT. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 6.52%.

Housing

Property

$167,100

Median Property Value 2023

±$42,368

$397

Median Property Taxes

±$92

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 Prairie 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 Prairie County, MT compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

76.3%

Homeownership

2023

61.1%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 76.3% of the housing units in Prairie County, MT were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 75.1%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Prairie 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 Prairie 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.

$45,192

Median Household Income

± $7,928

520

Number of Households

± 98

In 2023, the median household income of the 520 households in Prairie County, MT grew to $45,192 from the previous year's value of $44,107.

The following chart displays the households in Prairie 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 $60k - $75k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Prairie 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 (52.4%)
Worked At Home (31.8%)
Walked (7.96%)

In 2023, 52.4% of workers in Prairie County, MT drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (31.8%) and those who walked to work (7.96%).

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

15.7 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Prairie County, MT have a shorter commute time (15.7 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 0% of the workforce in Prairie County, MT have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

3 cars

Average Number

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

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 5.58% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Prairie County, MT. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 6.52%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

23.9% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Prairie County, MT (291 out of 1.22k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 65 - 74, followed by Males 35 - 44 and then Females 65 - 74.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Prairie County, MT is White, followed by Asian 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, 17.8% of the children was living in poverty in Prairie County, MT. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 8.4%.

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.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 214 in Prairie County, MT. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 156 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

Health

94.3% of the population of Prairie County, MT has health coverage, with 17.3% on employee plans, 29.6% on Medicaid, 28.2% on Medicare, 15% on non-group plans, and 4.32% on military or VA plans.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 52.4% were men and 47.6% were women.

Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 22.9% under 18 years, 9.69% between 18 and 34 years, 34.7% between 35 and 64 years, and 32.7% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 52.4% were men and 47.6% were women.

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

Uninsured People

5.7%

Uninsured

17.3%

Employer Coverage

29.6%

Medicaid

28.2%

Medicare

15%

Non-Group

4.32%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Prairie County, MT declined by 1.61% from 5.79% to 5.7%.

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