Carbon County, Montana Income Statistics
Carbon 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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B
Carbon County Around averageWealthier than 80% of counties in Montana
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Carbon County | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $79,608 | $72,476 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $55,460 | $54,706 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.1% | 5.2% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 12.9% | 10.8% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 11.0% | 9.0% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Carbon County is about 10% higher than in Montana. Income has been growing slower in Carbon County (5.1%/yr) than in Montana (5.2%/yr).
About 13% of adults in Carbon County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, higher than the Montana average of 11%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Carbon County, Montana grew by 56.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $79,608 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.1% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Carbon County
| Metric | Carbon County | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.525 | 0.523 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $67,821 | $64,583 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $55,434 | $50,364 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 18.3% | 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 Carbon County, it is 0.525, about the same as Montana's 0.523, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 22% more than women's income in Carbon County, Montana. Over a 35-year career, a 22% wage gap accumulates to roughly $433,545 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Carbon County, Montana has narrowed from about 35% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 40% in 2016. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $3,158 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Carbon County | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4% | 3.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 11.0% | 12.5% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 17 | 16 | 22 |
Approximately 249 people are unemployed in Carbon County, Montana.
The average commute time in Carbon County is 17 minutes, longer than the 16 minutes in Montana.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
The unemployment rate in Carbon County, Montana has stayed about flat at 4.4% since 2011. Over that period the rate peaked at 5.0% in 2023 and fell as low as 3.4% in 2012.
Carbon County, MT Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Carbon County, MT is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 11,116 residents against a local median of 9,183. Where Carbon County, MT breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 103% above the local median of 2.2% at 4.4%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 5.1%/yr against a local median of 4.2%/yr, 22% above it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: income growth runs ahead of the neighbourhood while unemployment runs behind it, so Carbon County, MT is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 1.8% on unemployment, so Carbon County, MT sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Carbon 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carbon County, MT | 11,116 | $79,608 #2/6 | 5.1%/yr #2/6 | 4.4% #6/6 | 0.525 #4/6 |
| Stillwater County, MT | 9,183 | $88,279 | 5.0%/yr | 3.1% | 0.537 |
| Park County, WY | 30,448 | $73,221 | 2.4%/yr | 2.2% | 0.525 |
| Yellowstone County, MT | 168,956 | $77,024 | 4.2%/yr | 3.4% | 0.511 |
| Sweet Grass County, MT | 3,720 | $76,628 | 5.5%/yr | 1.8% | 0.507 |
| Golden Valley County, MT | 897 | $54,482 | 3.0%/yr | 1.5% | 0.565 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Carbon County, Montana has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it somewhat better than Montana, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Carbon County, Montana.
How Rich Is Carbon County, Montana?
Carbon County has a wealth index grade of B. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a B grade means residents are quite well off compared to the U.S. average. The median household income is $79,608, about 10% higher than the Montana average of $72,476.
How has median household income changed in Carbon County, Montana?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Carbon County, Montana rose 57%, from $50,755 to $79,608. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Montana as a whole: +57% against +68%.
What was the median household income in Carbon County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Carbon County, Montana was $70,983, up 7% from $66,509 in 2022. The Montana median that year was $69,624.
What was the median household income in Carbon County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Carbon County, Montana was $62,031. By 2024 it had risen 28% to $79,608.
What is the Gini coefficient in Carbon County, Montana?
The Gini coefficient in Carbon County is 0.525. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Carbon County, Montana?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Carbon County, Montana has narrowed from about 35% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 40% in 2016. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $3,158 since 2009.
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