Dawson County, Montana Income Statistics
Dawson 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
Dawson County Around averageWealthier than 78% of counties in Montana
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Dawson County | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $68,912 | $72,476 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $49,191 | $54,706 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.1% | 5.2% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 9.2% | 10.8% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 5.2% | 9.0% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Dawson County is about 5% lower than in Montana. Income has been growing slower in Dawson County (3.1%/yr) than in Montana (5.2%/yr).
About 9% of adults in Dawson 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 Dawson County, Montana grew by 44.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $68,912 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.1% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Dawson County
| Metric | Dawson County | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.498 | 0.523 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $63,037 | $64,583 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $43,264 | $50,364 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 31.4% | 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 Dawson County, it is 0.498, 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 46% more than women's income in Dawson County, Montana. Over a 35-year career, a 46% wage gap accumulates to roughly $692,055 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Dawson County, Montana has widened from about 29% to 31% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 41% in 2014, and was narrowest at 23% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $7,099 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Dawson County widened by 1.9 points while Montana's narrowed by 6.2 points.
Employment
| Metric | Dawson County | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 2.7% | 3.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 6.1% | 12.5% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 11 | 16 | 22 |
Approximately 119 people are unemployed in Dawson County, Montana.
The average commute time in Dawson County is 11 minutes, shorter than the 16 minutes in Montana.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Dawson County, Montana has fallen from 3.1% to 2.7% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 4.0% in 2012 and fell as low as 1.1% in 2017.
Dawson County, MT Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Dawson County, MT is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 8,827 residents against a local median of 1,669. The measure that sets Dawson County, MT apart most is income growth: 3.1%/yr, 43% below the local median of 5.4%/yr. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 2.7% against a local median of 2.1%, 25% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Dawson County, MT reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 6.5%/yr on income growth, so Dawson County, MT sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Dawson County, MT has the 4th highest income growth 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dawson County, MT | 8,827 | $68,912 #3/6 | 3.1%/yr #4/6 | 2.7% #4/6 | 0.498 #2/6 |
| Richland County, MT | 11,232 | $72,349 | 1.3%/yr | 3.3% | 0.543 |
| Prairie County, MT | 1,249 | $53,163 | 2.6%/yr | 1.0% | 0.553 |
| Wibaux County, MT | 1,193 | $72,838 | 7.8%/yr | 1.7% | 0.520 |
| McCone County, MT | 1,669 | $65,753 | 5.4%/yr | 2.1% | 0.498 |
| Roosevelt County, MT | 10,526 | $57,132 | 6.5%/yr | 10.8% | 0.613 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Dawson 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 Dawson County, Montana.
How Rich Is Dawson County, Montana?
Dawson 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 $68,912, about 5% lower than the Montana average of $72,476.
How has median household income changed in Dawson County, Montana?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Dawson County, Montana rose 44%, from $47,790 to $68,912. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Montana as a whole: +44% against +68%.
What was the median household income in Dawson County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Dawson County, Montana was $69,302, about the same as in 2022. The Montana median that year was $69,624.
What was the median household income in Dawson County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Dawson County, Montana was $52,209. By 2024 it had risen 32% to $68,912.
What is the Gini coefficient in Dawson County, Montana?
The Gini coefficient in Dawson County is 0.498. 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 Dawson County, Montana?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Dawson County, Montana has widened from about 29% to 31% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 41% in 2014, and was narrowest at 23% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $7,099 since 2009.
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