Counties in Montana by average weekly wage (QCEW)

Stillwater County had the highest average weekly wage (QCEW) of 56 counties in 2015, at $1,103. Garfield County had the lowest, at $502. The median was $671 and the figure for Montana was $770. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest1,103Stillwater County
Median67156 counties
Montana770History

Map of counties, 2015

Beaverhead County: 661 USDBig Horn County: 767 USDBlaine County: 632 USDBroadwater County: 685 USDCarbon County: 621 USDCarter County: 558 USDCascade County: 728 USDChouteau County: 588 USDCuster County: 714 USDDaniels County: 725 USDDawson County: 792 USDDeer Lodge County: 660 USDFallon County: 1,016 USDFergus County: 661 USDFlathead County: 740 USDGallatin County: 761 USDGarfield County: 502 USDGlacier County: 687 USDGolden Valley County: 548 USDGranite County: 579 USDHill County: 678 USDJefferson County: 750 USDJudith Basin County: 638 USDLake County: 645 USDLewis and Clark County: 829 USDLiberty County: 560 USDLincoln County: 652 USDMcCone County: 735 USDMadison County: 664 USDMeagher County: 529 USDMineral County: 559 USDMissoula County: 740 USDMusselshell County: 918 USDPark County: 616 USDPetroleum County: 576 USDPhillips County: 612 USDPondera County: 618 USDPowder River County: 547 USDPowell County: 732 USDPrairie County: 704 USDRavalli County: 650 USDRichland County: 1,038 USDRoosevelt County: 691 USDRosebud County: 922 USDSanders County: 585 USDSheridan County: 765 USDSilver Bow County: 775 USDStillwater County: 1,103 USDSweet Grass County: 926 USDTeton County: 640 USDToole County: 783 USDTreasure County: 647 USDValley County: 690 USDWheatland County: 605 USDWibaux County: 584 USDYellowstone County: 861 USD
  • Under 580
  • 580 to 640
  • 640 to 670
  • 670 to 730
  • 730 to 780
  • 780 and over
USD, 2015. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2015

Stillwater County: 1,103 USDStillwater County1,103Richland County: 1,038 USDRichland County1,038Fallon County: 1,016 USDFallon County1,016Sweet Grass County: 926 USDSweet Grass County926Rosebud County: 922 USDRosebud County922Musselshell County: 918 USDMusselshell County918Yellowstone County: 861 USDYellowstone County861Lewis and Clark County: 829 USDLewis and Clark County829Dawson County: 792 USDDawson County792Toole County: 783 USDToole County783Silver Bow County: 775 USDSilver Bow County775Big Horn County: 767 USDBig Horn County767Sheridan County: 765 USDSheridan County765Gallatin County: 761 USDGallatin County761Jefferson County: 750 USDJefferson County750Flathead County: 740 USDFlathead County740Missoula County: 740 USDMissoula County740McCone County: 735 USDMcCone County735Powell County: 732 USDPowell County732Cascade County: 728 USDCascade County728Daniels County: 725 USDDaniels County725Custer County: 714 USDCuster County714Prairie County: 704 USDPrairie County704Roosevelt County: 691 USDRoosevelt County691Valley County: 690 USDValley County690Glacier County: 687 USDGlacier County687Broadwater County: 685 USDBroadwater County685Hill County: 678 USDHill County678Madison County: 664 USDMadison County664Beaverhead County: 661 USDBeaverhead County661Fergus County: 661 USDFergus County661Deer Lodge County: 660 USDDeer Lodge County660Lincoln County: 652 USDLincoln County652Ravalli County: 650 USDRavalli County650Treasure County: 647 USDTreasure County647Lake County: 645 USDLake County645Teton County: 640 USDTeton County640Judith Basin County: 638 USDJudith Basin County638Blaine County: 632 USDBlaine County632Carbon County: 621 USDCarbon County621Pondera County: 618 USDPondera County618Park County: 616 USDPark County616Phillips County: 612 USDPhillips County612Wheatland County: 605 USDWheatland County605Chouteau County: 588 USDChouteau County588Sanders County: 585 USDSanders County585Wibaux County: 584 USDWibaux County584Granite County: 579 USDGranite County579Petroleum County: 576 USDPetroleum County576Liberty County: 560 USDLiberty County560Mineral County: 559 USDMineral County559Carter County: 558 USDCarter County558Golden Valley County: 548 USDGolden Valley County548Powder River County: 547 USDPowder River County547Meagher County: 529 USDMeagher County529Garfield County: 502 USDGarfield County502Stillwater County: 1,103 USDStillwater County1,103Richland County: 1,038 USDRichland County1,038Fallon County: 1,016 USDFallon County1,016Sweet Grass County: 926 USDSweet Grass County926Rosebud County: 922 USDRosebud County922Musselshell County: 918 USDMusselshell County918Yellowstone County: 861 USDYellowstone County861Lewis and Clark County: 829 USDLewis and Clark County829Dawson County: 792 USDDawson County792Toole County: 783 USDToole County783Silver Bow County: 775 USDSilver Bow County775Big Horn County: 767 USDBig Horn County767Sheridan County: 765 USDSheridan County765Gallatin County: 761 USDGallatin County761Jefferson County: 750 USDJefferson County750Flathead County: 740 USDFlathead County740Missoula County: 740 USDMissoula County740McCone County: 735 USDMcCone County735Powell County: 732 USDPowell County732Cascade County: 728 USDCascade County728Daniels County: 725 USDDaniels County725Custer County: 714 USDCuster County714Prairie County: 704 USDPrairie County704Roosevelt County: 691 USDRoosevelt County691Valley County: 690 USDValley County690Glacier County: 687 USDGlacier County687Broadwater County: 685 USDBroadwater County685Hill County: 678 USDHill County678Madison County: 664 USDMadison County664Beaverhead County: 661 USDBeaverhead County661Fergus County: 661 USDFergus County661Deer Lodge County: 660 USDDeer Lodge County660Lincoln County: 652 USDLincoln County652Ravalli County: 650 USDRavalli County650Treasure County: 647 USDTreasure County647Lake County: 645 USDLake County645Teton County: 640 USDTeton County640Judith Basin County: 638 USDJudith Basin County638Blaine County: 632 USDBlaine County632Carbon County: 621 USDCarbon County621Pondera County: 618 USDPondera County618Park County: 616 USDPark County616Phillips County: 612 USDPhillips County612Wheatland County: 605 USDWheatland County605Chouteau County: 588 USDChouteau County588Sanders County: 585 USDSanders County585Wibaux County: 584 USDWibaux County584Granite County: 579 USDGranite County579Petroleum County: 576 USDPetroleum County576Liberty County: 560 USDLiberty County560Mineral County: 559 USDMineral County559Carter County: 558 USDCarter County558Golden Valley County: 548 USDGolden Valley County548Powder River County: 547 USDPowder River County547Meagher County: 529 USDMeagher County529Garfield County: 502 USDGarfield County502
USD. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2015
USD
Change on 2014
1Stillwater County1,103-2.8%
2Richland County1,038-6.1%
3Fallon County1,016-6.2%
4Sweet Grass County926+0.7%
5Rosebud County922+1.5%
6Musselshell County918+1%
7Yellowstone County861+3.4%
8Lewis and Clark County829+4%
9Dawson County792+0.9%
10Toole County783+1.8%
11Silver Bow County775+3.7%
12Big Horn County767+2.8%
13Sheridan County765-6.3%
14Gallatin County761+5.1%
15Jefferson County750+7.1%
16Flathead County740+3.1%
16Missoula County740+4.1%
18McCone County735+0.3%
19Powell County732+2.7%
20Cascade County728+3.4%
21Daniels County725+3.9%
22Custer County714+0.3%
23Prairie County704+2.6%
24Roosevelt County691+0.6%
25Valley County690+5.2%
26Glacier County687+0.4%
27Broadwater County685+9.1%
28Hill County678+2.1%
29Madison County664+7.1%
30Beaverhead County661+2.6%
30Fergus County661+4.1%
32Deer Lodge County660+5.4%
33Lincoln County652+2.4%
34Ravalli County650+2.7%
35Treasure County647+2.2%
36Lake County645+3.2%
37Teton County640-0.5%
38Judith Basin County638+3.6%
39Blaine County632+2.1%
40Carbon County621+5.4%
41Pondera County618+0.3%
42Park County616+3.5%
43Phillips County612+4.4%
44Wheatland County605+8.4%
45Chouteau County588+5.6%
46Sanders County585+3.5%
47Wibaux County584-2%
48Granite County579-0.7%
49Petroleum County576+14.5%
50Liberty County560+0.4%
51Mineral County559+1.6%
52Carter County558+13.2%
53Golden Valley County548+10.5%
54Powder River County547+1.5%
55Meagher County529+5.6%
56Garfield County502+6.6%

Other periods

About this ranking

Total wages paid during the year divided by the average number of covered jobs and by 52, in US dollars, all industries, private and government, from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Counted where the job is located, from the reports employers file each quarter; monthly employment counts the jobs in the pay period that includes the 12th.

In current dollars, not adjusted for inflation. An average per job, so part-time jobs pull it down and high earners pull it up; for the typical job use median_annual_wage. Wages include bonuses, stock options exercised, severance pay and tips, which makes counties with corporate headquarters stand out. Covers about 95 percent of US wage and salary jobs. Excludes the self-employed, most agricultural workers on small farms, the armed forces, elected officials in most states, most railroad employees, some domestic workers and most student workers at schools.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026). Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties (Counties in Montana by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2015) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv

MLA 9

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, Counties in Montana by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2015. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/montana-counties?period=2015. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2026. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Counties in Montana by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2015. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/montana-counties?period=2015.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2026) Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, Counties in Montana by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2015 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/montana-counties?period=2015 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_montana_by_2015,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics}},
  title = {{Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: Counties in Montana by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2015}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/montana-counties?period=2015. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
TI  - Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: Counties in Montana by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2015
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/montana-counties?period=2015
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/montana-counties?period=2015.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2015/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Rank Counties in Montana by average weekly wage (QCEW) using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest average weekly wage (QCEW)?

Stillwater County, with $1,103 in 2015, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest average weekly wage (QCEW)?

Garfield County, with $502 in 2015.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Average weekly wage (QCEW): other rankings

Counties in Montana: more rankings