Custer County, Montana Income Statistics
Custer 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
Custer County Around averageWealthier than 73% of counties in Montana
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Custer County | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $69,447 | $72,476 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $52,352 | $54,706 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.2% | 5.2% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 8.0% | 10.8% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 5.7% | 9.0% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Custer County is about 4% lower than in Montana. Income has been growing slower in Custer County (4.2%/yr) than in Montana (5.2%/yr).
About 8% of adults in Custer 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 Custer County, Montana grew by 80.0% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $69,447 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.2% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Custer County
| Metric | Custer County | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.513 | 0.523 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $64,172 | $64,583 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $48,198 | $50,364 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 24.9% | 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 Custer County, it is 0.513, lower than Montana's 0.523, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 33% more than women's income in Custer County, Montana. Over a 35-year career, a 33% wage gap accumulates to roughly $559,090 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Custer County, Montana has narrowed from about 32% to 25% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 18% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $3,754 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Custer County | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% | 3.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 5.0% | 12.5% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 10 | 16 | 22 |
Approximately 224 people are unemployed in Custer County, Montana.
The average commute time in Custer County is 10 minutes, shorter than the 16 minutes in Montana.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Custer County, Montana has fallen from 4.5% to 3.4% in 2024. Over that period the rate fell as low as 1.7% in 2017.
Custer County, MT Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Custer County, MT is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 11,960 residents against a local median of 2,760. The measure that sets Custer County, MT apart most is unemployment: 3.4%, 244% above the local median of 1.0%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 4.2%/yr against a local median of 3.1%/yr, 37% above it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: income growth runs ahead of the neighbourhood while unemployment runs behind it, so Custer County, MT is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 9.6% on unemployment, so Custer County, MT sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Custer County, MT has the 5th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Custer County, MT | 11,960 | $69,447 #2/6 | 4.2%/yr #2/6 | 3.4% #5/6 | 0.513 #3/6 |
| Prairie County, MT | 1,249 | $53,163 | 2.6%/yr | 1.0% | 0.553 |
| Powder River County, MT | 1,815 | $65,480 | 3.9%/yr | 1.0% | 0.509 |
| Fallon County, MT | 2,760 | $75,839 | 5.9%/yr | 1.0% | 0.549 |
| Rosebud County, MT | 8,165 | $49,973 | -1.1%/yr | 10.6% | 0.601 |
| Dawson County, MT | 8,827 | $68,912 | 3.1%/yr | 2.7% | 0.498 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Custer 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 Custer County, Montana.
How Rich Is Custer County, Montana?
Custer 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 $69,447, about 4% lower than the Montana average of $72,476.
How fast is household income rising in Custer County, Montana?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Custer County, Montana rose 80%, from $38,574 to $69,447. Over the same years, income here outpaced Montana as a whole: +80% against +68%.
What was the median household income in Custer County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Custer County, Montana was $65,496, up 6% from $61,528 in 2022. The Montana median that year was $69,624.
What was the median household income in Custer County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Custer County, Montana was $54,906. By 2024 it had risen 26% to $69,447.
What is the Gini coefficient in Custer County, Montana?
The Gini coefficient in Custer County is 0.513. 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 Custer County, Montana?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Custer County, Montana has narrowed from about 32% to 25% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 18% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $3,754 since 2009.
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