Garfield County, Montana Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Garfield County, MT Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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B
Health Around average
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C
Income Below average
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F
Education Well below averageAmong the 5 least educated counties in Montana
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Garfield County | Montana Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,094 | 1,116,812 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 0.2 | 7.6 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.65% | 1.09% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 41.8 | 40.7 | 37.3 |
| Households | 432 | 458,835 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Garfield County declined by 3.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 1,094 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Garfield County is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 21.8% of residents. That is 2.4 points above Montana as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 177 16.1% -5.3 pts
- Millennials 29–44 195 17.9% -2.6 pts
- Gen X 45–60 227 20.7% +1.3 pts
- Boomers 61–79 239 21.8% +2.4 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Montana, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 49.9% of the people living in Garfield County and men 50.1%.
- Women 49.9% Montana 49.4%
- Men 50.1% Montana 50.6%
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Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Garfield County
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Economy
Garfield County has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Garfield County | Montana Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $70,344 | $72,476 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 7.13% | 5.17% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 1.0% | 3.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Garfield County is about 3% lower than in Montana.
Housing
| Metric | Garfield County | Montana Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $167,187 | $249,140 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $725 | $1,081 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 72.2% | 69.2% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Garfield County is about 19.2 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $725 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Garfield County spend about 18 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 74 hours, about 3.1 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Garfield County | Montana Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 8.9 | 16.0 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 17.8 | 32.1 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 74 | 134 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $2,299 | $4,143 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 43.7% | 12.5% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | — | 2,162 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 62 | 403 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Montana:
Treasure County (7.2 min), Rosebud County (8.2 min), Fallon County (8.4 min).
Slowest:
Broadwater County (30.3 min), Stillwater County (27.8 min), Granite County (23.3 min).
The average commute time in Garfield County is 9 minutes, shorter than the 16 minutes in Montana.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Garfield County has a education index of F, which means it scores poorly in education.
| Metric | Garfield County | Montana Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.4% | 31.3% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.50 | 2.37 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Montana:
Gallatin County (0.4), Missoula County (0.3), Lewis and Clark County (0.3).
Lowest:
Liberty County (0.2), Toole County (0.2), Wheatland County (0.2).
Health
Garfield County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Garfield County | Montana Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 79.9 | 79.0 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 14.4% | 14.7% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 19.0% | 18.8% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Montana:
Gallatin County (0.8), Missoula County (0.8), Granite County (0.8).
Lowest:
Glacier County (0.7), Big Horn County (0.8), Roosevelt County (0.8).
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Garfield County, Montana.
How many people live in Garfield County, Montana?
About 1,094 people live in Garfield County, Montana, in 432 households of 2.5 people on average. The median age is 41.8, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 5 years.
How densely populated is Garfield County, Montana?
Averaged over its land area, Garfield County, Montana has 0 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 0% of the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Garfield County, Montana?
The median home costs 2.4 times the median household income ($167,187 against $70,344), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $725 a month takes about 12% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Garfield County, Montana?
Unemployment in Garfield County, Montana is only 1.0%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
How common is a college degree in Garfield County, Montana?
19.4% of adults in Garfield County, Montana hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 5), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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