Petroleum County, Montana Income Statistics
Petroleum 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
Petroleum County Around averageWealthier than 85% of counties in Montana
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Petroleum County | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $60,208 | $72,476 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $51,135 | $54,706 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 7.5% | 5.2% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 7.0% | 10.8% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 5.4% | 9.0% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Petroleum County is about 17% lower than in Montana. Income has been growing faster in Petroleum County (7.5%/yr) than in Montana (5.2%/yr).
About 7% of adults in Petroleum 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 Petroleum County, Montana grew by 57.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $60,208 in 2024. That's an average of about 7.5% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Petroleum County
| Metric | Petroleum County | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.456 | 0.523 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $58,636 | $64,583 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $34,624 | $50,364 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 41.0% | 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 Petroleum County, it is 0.456, 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 69% more than women's income in Petroleum County, Montana. Over a 35-year career, a 69% wage gap accumulates to roughly $840,420 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Petroleum County, Montana has widened from about -1% to 41% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 41% in 2012, and in 2020 women out-earned men by 10%. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $24,315 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Petroleum County widened by 42.0 points while Montana's narrowed by 6.2 points.
Employment
| Metric | Petroleum County | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 1.0% | 3.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 15.3% | 12.5% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 8 | 16 | 22 |
The average commute time in Petroleum County is 8 minutes, shorter than the 16 minutes in Montana.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Petroleum County, Montana has fallen from 2.7% to 1.0% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 6.6% in 2015 and fell as low as 1.0% in 2022.
Petroleum County, MT Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Petroleum County, MT is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 447 residents against a local median of 5,152. Petroleum County, MT's income growth, at 7.5%/yr, runs 71% above the 4.4%/yr typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 1.0% against a local median of 3.4%, 70% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, so Petroleum County, MT is not trading one advantage for another, it reads stronger than its neighbours across the board. The counties themselves sit within 2.0%/yr of each other on income growth, a tighter band than the gap between any of them and Petroleum County, MT, which makes it a genuine outlier here rather than one end of a wide local spread. Petroleum County, MT has the 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petroleum County, MT | 447 | $60,208 #3/6 | 7.5%/yr #1/6 | 1.0% #1/6 | 0.456 #1/6 |
| Musselshell County, MT | 5,152 | $58,855 | 4.4%/yr | 9.2% | 0.534 |
| Fergus County, MT | 11,687 | $63,883 | 5.0%/yr | 4.2% | 0.504 |
| Yellowstone County, MT | 168,956 | $77,024 | 4.2%/yr | 3.4% | 0.511 |
| Golden Valley County, MT | 897 | $54,482 | 3.0%/yr | 1.5% | 0.565 |
| Phillips County, MT | 4,221 | $54,198 | 4.7%/yr | 1.8% | 0.540 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Petroleum 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 Petroleum County, Montana.
How Rich Is Petroleum County, Montana?
Petroleum 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 $60,208, about 17% lower than the Montana average of $72,476.
Are incomes growing in Petroleum County, Montana?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Petroleum County, Montana rose 57%, from $38,257 to $60,208. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Montana as a whole: +57% against +68%.
What was the median household income in Petroleum County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Petroleum County, Montana was $57,856, up 6% from $54,750 in 2022. The Montana median that year was $69,624.
What was the median household income in Petroleum County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Petroleum County, Montana was $40,001. By 2024 it had risen 51% to $60,208.
Is unemployment high in Petroleum County, Montana?
Unemployment in Petroleum County, Montana is only 1.0%, well below the Montana rate of 3.6%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What is the Gini coefficient in Petroleum County, Montana?
The Gini coefficient in Petroleum County is 0.456. 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 Petroleum County, Montana?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Petroleum County, Montana has widened from about -1% to 41% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 41% in 2012, and in 2020 women out-earned men by 10%. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $24,315 since 2009.
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