Fergus County, Montana Income Statistics
Fergus 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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C
Fergus County Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Fergus County | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $63,883 | $72,476 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $47,026 | $54,706 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.0% | 5.2% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 8.6% | 10.8% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 5.2% | 9.0% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Fergus County is about 12% lower than in Montana. Income has been growing slower in Fergus County (5.0%/yr) than in Montana (5.2%/yr).
About 9% of adults in Fergus 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 Fergus County, Montana grew by 77.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $63,883 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.0% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Fergus County
| Metric | Fergus County | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.504 | 0.523 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $51,906 | $64,583 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $47,785 | $50,364 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 7.9% | 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 Fergus County, it is 0.504, 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 9% more than women's income in Fergus County, Montana. Over a 35-year career, a 9% wage gap accumulates to roughly $144,235 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Fergus County, Montana has narrowed from about 28% to 8% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 40% in 2010. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $5,274 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Fergus County | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.2% | 3.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 16.8% | 12.5% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 10 | 16 | 22 |
Approximately 257 people are unemployed in Fergus County, Montana.
The average commute time in Fergus County is 10 minutes, shorter than the 16 minutes in Montana.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Fergus County, Montana has fallen from 4.7% to 4.2% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 4.9% in 2013 and fell as low as 2.2% in 2021.
Fergus County, MT Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Fergus County, MT is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 11,687 residents against a local median of 2,056. The measure that sets Fergus County, MT apart most is unemployment: 4.2%, more than 4 times 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: 5.0%/yr against a local median of 4.2%/yr, 18% above it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: income growth runs ahead of the neighbourhood while unemployment runs behind it, so Fergus County, MT is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 8.2% on unemployment, so Fergus County, MT sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Fergus 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fergus County, MT | 11,687 | $63,883 #1/6 | 5.0%/yr #2/6 | 4.2% #5/6 | 0.504 #2/6 |
| Golden Valley County, MT | 897 | $54,482 | 3.0%/yr | 1.5% | 0.565 |
| Petroleum County, MT | 447 | $60,208 | 7.5%/yr | 1.0% | 0.456 |
| Wheatland County, MT | 2,056 | $49,196 | 4.2%/yr | 1.0% | 0.545 |
| Judith Basin County, MT | 2,070 | $59,436 | 3.7%/yr | 1.0% | 0.527 |
| Musselshell County, MT | 5,152 | $58,855 | 4.4%/yr | 9.2% | 0.534 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Fergus County, Montana has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it about on par with Montana, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Fergus County, Montana.
How Rich Is Fergus County, Montana?
Fergus County has a wealth index grade of C. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average. The median household income is $63,883, about 12% lower than the Montana average of $72,476.
How has median household income changed in Fergus County, Montana?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Fergus County, Montana rose 77%, from $36,016 to $63,883. Over the same years, income here outpaced Montana as a whole: +77% against +68%.
What was the median household income in Fergus County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Fergus County, Montana was $59,686, up 3% from $58,156 in 2022. The Montana median that year was $69,624.
What was the median household income in Fergus County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Fergus County, Montana was $48,233. By 2024 it had risen 32% to $63,883.
What is the Gini coefficient in Fergus County, Montana?
The Gini coefficient in Fergus County is 0.504. 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 Fergus County, Montana?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Fergus County, Montana has narrowed from about 28% to 8% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 40% in 2010. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $5,274 since 2009.
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