Prairie County, Montana Income Statistics
Prairie 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
Prairie County Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Prairie County | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $53,163 | $72,476 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $51,649 | $54,706 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 2.6% | 5.2% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 10.7% | 10.8% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 5.5% | 9.0% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Prairie County is about 27% lower than in Montana. Income has been growing slower in Prairie County (2.6%/yr) than in Montana (5.2%/yr).
About 11% of adults in Prairie County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, about the same as the Montana average of 11%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Prairie County, Montana grew by 45.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $53,163 in 2024. That's an average of about 2.6% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Prairie County
| Metric | Prairie County | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.553 | 0.523 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $55,789 | $64,583 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $69,999 | $50,364 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | -25.5% | 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 Prairie County, it is 0.553, higher than Montana's 0.523, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and about the same as the US's 0.552, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there.
Women's income is about 25% more than men's income in Prairie County, Montana. Over a 35-year career, a 25% wage gap accumulates to roughly $497,350 in unearned income for male workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Prairie County, Montana has widened from about 12% to -25% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 52% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $17,931 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Prairie County | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 1.0% | 3.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 36.4% | 12.5% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 13 | 16 | 22 |
Approximately 5 people are unemployed in Prairie County, Montana.
The average commute time in Prairie County is 13 minutes, shorter than the 16 minutes in Montana.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Prairie County, Montana has fallen from 1.8% to 1.0% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 8.2% in 2012.
Prairie County, MT Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Prairie County, MT is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 1,249 residents against a local median of 2,760. The measure that sets Prairie County, MT apart most is unemployment: 1.0%, 53% below the local median of 2.1%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 2.6%/yr against a local median of 5.4%/yr, 52% below it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: unemployment runs ahead of the neighbourhood while income growth runs behind it, so Prairie County, MT is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 2.4% on unemployment, so Prairie County, MT sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Prairie County, MT has the 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prairie County, MT | 1,249 | $53,163 #6/6 | 2.6%/yr #6/6 | 1.0% #1/6 | 0.553 #6/6 |
| Dawson County, MT | 8,827 | $68,912 | 3.1%/yr | 2.7% | 0.498 |
| Custer County, MT | 11,960 | $69,447 | 4.2%/yr | 3.4% | 0.513 |
| McCone County, MT | 1,669 | $65,753 | 5.4%/yr | 2.1% | 0.498 |
| Fallon County, MT | 2,760 | $75,839 | 5.9%/yr | 1.0% | 0.549 |
| Wibaux County, MT | 1,193 | $72,838 | 7.8%/yr | 1.7% | 0.520 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Prairie 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 Prairie County, Montana.
How Rich Is Prairie County, Montana?
Prairie 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 $53,163, about 27% lower than the Montana average of $72,476.
Are incomes growing in Prairie County, Montana?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Prairie County, Montana rose 45%, from $36,620 to $53,163. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Montana as a whole: +45% against +68%.
What was the median household income in Prairie County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Prairie County, Montana was $45,172, up 1% from $44,582 in 2022. The Montana median that year was $69,624.
What was the median household income in Prairie County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Prairie County, Montana was $44,699. By 2024 it had risen 19% to $53,163.
How strong is the job market in Prairie County, Montana?
Unemployment in Prairie 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 Prairie County, Montana?
The Gini coefficient in Prairie County is 0.553. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is almost the same as the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed about as equally as in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Prairie County, Montana?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Prairie County, Montana has widened from about 12% to -25% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 52% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $17,931 since 2009.
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