Big Horn County, Montana Income Statistics
Big Horn County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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D
Big Horn County Well below averageAmong the 5 least wealthy counties in Montana
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Big Horn County | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $57,516 | $72,476 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $42,695 | $54,706 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.3% | 5.2% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 4.1% | 10.8% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 3.0% | 9.0% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Big Horn County is about 21% lower than in Montana. Income has been growing slower in Big Horn County (3.3%/yr) than in Montana (5.2%/yr).
About 4% of adults in Big Horn County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Montana average of 11%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Big Horn County, Montana grew by 64.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $57,516 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.3% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Big Horn County
| Metric | Big Horn County | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.595 | 0.523 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $40,464 | $64,583 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $43,579 | $50,364 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | -7.7% | 22.0% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Big Horn County, it is 0.595, higher than Montana's 0.523, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Women's income is about 8% more than men's income in Big Horn County, Montana. Over a 35-year career, a 8% wage gap accumulates to roughly $109,025 in unearned income for male workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Big Horn County, Montana has narrowed from about 32% to -8% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $13,797 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Big Horn County | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 13.2% | 3.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 10.4% | 12.5% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 13 | 16 | 22 |
Approximately 717 people are unemployed in Big Horn County, Montana.
The average commute time in Big Horn County is 13 minutes, shorter than the 16 minutes in Montana.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Big Horn County, Montana has fallen from 18.9% to 13.2% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 20.0% in 2013 and fell as low as 12.0% in 2019.
Big Horn County, MT Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Big Horn County, MT is typical in size for this group, 12,894 residents against a local median of 11,828, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. Where Big Horn County, MT breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 299% above the local median of 3.3% at 13.2%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income inequality tells the same story from another angle: 0.595 against a local median of 0.511, 17% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Big Horn County, MT reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 9.6% on unemployment, so Big Horn County, MT sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Big Horn County, MT has the 6th lowest unemployment of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Horn County, MT | 12,894 | $57,516 #5/6 | 3.3%/yr #4/6 | 13.2% #6/6 | 0.595 #5/6 |
| Treasure County, MT | 732 | $67,777 | 6.2%/yr | 1.0% | 0.472 |
| Sheridan County, WY | 32,052 | $72,117 | 3.8%/yr | 2.2% | 0.507 |
| Yellowstone County, MT | 168,956 | $77,024 | 4.2%/yr | 3.4% | 0.511 |
| Big Horn County, WY | 11,828 | $64,430 | 3.0%/yr | 3.3% | 0.521 |
| Rosebud County, MT | 8,165 | $49,973 | -1.1%/yr | 10.6% | 0.601 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Big Horn County, Montana has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than Montana, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Big Horn County, Montana.
How Rich Is Big Horn County, Montana?
Big Horn County has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $57,516, about 21% lower than the Montana average of $72,476.
How fast is household income rising in Big Horn County, Montana?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Big Horn County, Montana rose 65%, from $34,874 to $57,516. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Montana as a whole: +65% against +68%.
What was the median household income in Big Horn County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Big Horn County, Montana was $56,552, up 9% from $51,675 in 2022. The Montana median that year was $69,624.
What was the median household income in Big Horn County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Big Horn County, Montana was $48,256. By 2024 it had risen 19% to $57,516.
How strong is the job market in Big Horn County, Montana?
Unemployment in Big Horn County, Montana is 13.2%, well above the Montana rate of 3.6%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Big Horn County, Montana?
The Gini coefficient in Big Horn County is 0.595. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Big Horn County, Montana?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Big Horn County, Montana has narrowed from about 32% to -8% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $13,797 since 2009.
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