Powell County, Montana Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Powell 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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D
Income Well below averageAmong the 5 least wealthy counties in Montana
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D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Powell County | Montana Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 7,053 | 1,116,812 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 3.0 | 7.6 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.22% | 1.09% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 45.9 | 40.7 | 37.3 |
| Households | 2,432 | 458,835 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Powell County declined by 0.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 7,053 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Powell County is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 25.0% of residents. That is 5.5 points above Montana as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 1,278 18.1% -3.4 pts
- Millennials 29–44 1,544 21.9% +1.4 pts
- Gen X 45–60 1,762 25.0% +5.5 pts
- Boomers 61–79 1,461 20.7% +1.3 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 36.6% of the people living in Powell County and men 63.4%.
- Women 36.6% Montana 49.4%
- Men 63.4% Montana 50.6%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Powell County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Powell County has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Powell County | Montana Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $66,363 | $72,476 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 5.79% | 5.17% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.3% | 3.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Powell County is about 8% lower than in Montana.
Housing
| Metric | Powell County | Montana Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $235,714 | $249,140 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $820 | $1,081 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 72.5% | 69.2% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Powell County is about 23.9 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $820 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Powell County spend about 24 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 101 hours, about 4.2 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Powell County | Montana Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 12.1 | 16.0 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 24.2 | 32.1 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 101 | 134 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,131 | $4,143 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 9.4% | 12.5% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,418 | 2,162 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 212 | 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 Powell County is 12 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
Powell County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Powell County | Montana Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.4% | 31.3% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.22 | 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
Powell County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Powell County | Montana Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 78.0 | 79.0 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 14.8% | 14.7% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 20.1% | 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).
Powell County, MT Compared With Nearby Counties
Powell County, MT is the smallest of the 4 counties compared here, 7,053 residents against a local median of 73,430. Where Powell County, MT breaks from the counties next to it is commute, sitting 25% below the local median of 16.1 min at 12.1 min. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Median home price tells the same story from another angle: $235,714 against a local median of $310,934, 24% below it. The counties themselves spread 3.2 min on commute, so Powell County, MT sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Powell County, MT has the lowest commute of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powell County, MT | 7,053 | $66,363 #3/4 | $235,714 #3/4 | 12.1 min #1/4 |
| Lewis and Clark County, MT | 73,430 | $79,279 | $310,934 | 16.2 min |
| Silver Bow County, MT | 35,793 | $61,292 | $165,062 | 13.0 min |
| Missoula County, MT | 120,671 | $75,565 | $463,380 | 16.1 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Powell County, Montana.
How many people live in Powell County, Montana?
About 7,053 people live in Powell County, Montana, in 2,432 households of 2.2 people on average. The median age is 45.9, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 9 years.
Is Powell County, Montana urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Powell County, Montana has 3 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 3% of the U.S. average of 86.
Is Powell County, Montana an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 3.6 times the median household income ($235,714 against $66,363), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $820 a month takes about 15% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Powell County, Montana?
Unemployment in Powell County, Montana is only 2.3%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What share of adults in Powell County, Montana have a college degree?
18.4% of adults in Powell 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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