Montana Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Montana Population Density Map and Area Scores
State Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
-
B
Health Around average
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C
Income Below average
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C
Education Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Montana | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,116,812 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 7.6 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 1.09% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 40.7 | 37.3 |
| Households | 458,835 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Montana grew by 16.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 1,116,812 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Montana is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 21.5% of residents. That is about the same share as the US.
- Gen Z 13–28 239,795 21.5% on par
- Millennials 29–44 228,625 20.5% -1.7 pts
- Gen X 45–60 217,273 19.5% -0.4 pts
- Boomers 61–79 216,754 19.4% +2.5 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 the US, 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 49.4% of the people living in Montana and men 50.6%.
- Women 49.4% the US 50.5%
- Men 50.6% the US 49.5%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Montana
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Montana has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Montana | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $72,476 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 5.17% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Montana is about 10% lower than in US.
Housing
| Metric | Montana | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $249,140 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,081 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 69.2% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Montana is about 19.2 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,081 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Montana spend about 32 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 134 hours, about 5.6 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Montana | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 16.0 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 32.1 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 134 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,143 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 12.5% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,162 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 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 Montana is 16 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in US.
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
Montana has a education index of C, which means it is somewhat educated.
| Metric | Montana | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.3% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 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
Montana has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Montana | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 79.0 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 14.7% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 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).
Montana Compared With Nearby States
Montana is the 4th largest of the 6 states compared here, 1,116,812 residents against a local median of 1,929,983. The measure that sets Montana apart most is median home price: $249,140, 37% below the local median of $394,140.
The states themselves spread $372,675 on median home price, so Montana sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Montana has the 5th highest median home price of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montana | 1,116,812 | $72,476 #6/6 | $249,140 #5/6 | 16.0 min #3/6 |
| Wyoming | 582,314 | $76,390 | $262,084 | 13.2 min |
| Idaho | 1,929,983 | $78,141 | $394,140 | 18.0 min |
| Utah | 3,390,702 | $95,466 | $498,552 | 18.9 min |
| Colorado | 5,842,429 | $95,803 | $484,034 | 22.0 min |
| North Dakota | 784,730 | $76,862 | $125,877 | 13.8 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Montana.
How big is Montana by population?
About 1,116,812 people live in Montana, in 458,835 households of 2.4 people on average. The median age is 40.7, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 3 years.
Is Montana urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Montana has 8 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 9% of the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Montana?
The median home costs 3.4 times the median household income ($249,140 against $72,476), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,081 a month takes about 18% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is it hard to find a job in Montana?
Unemployment in Montana is only 3.6%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
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