Sanders County, Montana Income Statistics
Sanders 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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D
Sanders County Well below averageLess wealthy than 84% of counties in Montana
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Sanders County | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $59,078 | $72,476 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $45,800 | $54,706 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 7.1% | 5.2% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 6.6% | 10.8% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 3.6% | 9.0% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Sanders County is about 18% lower than in Montana. Income has been growing faster in Sanders County (7.1%/yr) than in Montana (5.2%/yr).
About 7% of adults in Sanders 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 Sanders County, Montana grew by 85.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $59,078 in 2024. That's an average of about 7.1% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Sanders County
| Metric | Sanders County | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.552 | 0.523 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $56,666 | $64,583 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $45,258 | $50,364 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 20.1% | 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 Sanders County, it is 0.552, 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.
Men's income is about 25% more than women's income in Sanders County, Montana. Over a 35-year career, a 25% wage gap accumulates to roughly $399,280 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Sanders County, Montana has narrowed from about 36% to 20% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 40% in 2011, and was narrowest at 17% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $1,011 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Sanders County | Montana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 6.0% | 3.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 15.2% | 12.5% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 12 | 16 | 22 |
Approximately 283 people are unemployed in Sanders County, Montana.
The average commute time in Sanders County is 12 minutes, shorter than the 16 minutes in Montana.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Sanders County, Montana has fallen from 10.5% to 6.0% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 11.1% in 2012 and fell as low as 4.2% in 2023.
Sanders County, MT Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Sanders County, MT is typical in size for this group, 13,282 residents against a local median of 13,782, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. Where Sanders County, MT breaks from the counties next to it is income growth, sitting 32% above the local median of 5.4%/yr at 7.1%/yr. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 6.0% against a local median of 5.1%, 18% above it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: income growth runs ahead of the neighbourhood while unemployment runs behind it, so Sanders County, MT is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 3.7%/yr on income growth, so Sanders County, MT sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Sanders County, MT has the 2nd 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sanders County, MT | 13,282 | $59,078 #4/6 | 7.1%/yr #2/6 | 6.0% #6/6 | 0.552 #4/6 |
| Mineral County, MT | 4,955 | $65,850 | 7.6%/yr | 3.1% | 0.527 |
| Shoshone County, ID | 13,782 | $56,255 | 5.4%/yr | 5.3% | 0.521 |
| Lincoln County, MT | 21,175 | $47,976 | 3.9%/yr | 5.1% | 0.540 |
| Lake County, MT | 32,553 | $63,733 | 6.1%/yr | 5.7% | 0.558 |
| Clearwater County, ID | 9,011 | $59,999 | 5.3%/yr | 4.5% | 0.554 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Sanders County, Montana has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than Montana, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Sanders County, Montana.
How Rich Is Sanders County, Montana?
Sanders County has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $59,078, about 18% lower than the Montana average of $72,476.
How fast is household income rising in Sanders County, Montana?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Sanders County, Montana rose 86%, from $31,781 to $59,078. Over the same years, income here outpaced Montana as a whole: +86% against +68%.
What was the median household income in Sanders County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Sanders County, Montana was $54,588, up 15% from $47,478 in 2022. The Montana median that year was $69,624.
What was the median household income in Sanders County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Sanders County, Montana was $42,454. By 2024 it had risen 39% to $59,078.
Is unemployment high in Sanders County, Montana?
Unemployment in Sanders County, Montana is 6.0%, well above the Montana rate of 3.6%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Sanders County, Montana?
The Gini coefficient in Sanders County is 0.552. 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 Sanders County, Montana?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Sanders County, Montana has narrowed from about 36% to 20% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 40% in 2011, and was narrowest at 17% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $1,011 since 2009.
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