Counties in Montana by average weekly wage (QCEW)

Stillwater County had the highest average weekly wage (QCEW) of 56 counties in 2019, at $1,264. Golden Valley County had the lowest, at $528. The median was $756 and the figure for Montana was $863. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest1,264Stillwater County
Median75656 counties
Montana863History

Map of counties, 2019

Beaverhead County: 715 USDBig Horn County: 902 USDBlaine County: 691 USDBroadwater County: 709 USDCarbon County: 678 USDCarter County: 672 USDCascade County: 822 USDChouteau County: 601 USDCuster County: 750 USDDaniels County: 786 USDDawson County: 802 USDDeer Lodge County: 768 USDFallon County: 1,017 USDFergus County: 773 USDFlathead County: 819 USDGallatin County: 887 USDGarfield County: 548 USDGlacier County: 780 USDGolden Valley County: 528 USDGranite County: 633 USDHill County: 752 USDJefferson County: 834 USDJudith Basin County: 735 USDLake County: 712 USDLewis and Clark County: 920 USDLiberty County: 630 USDLincoln County: 690 USDMcCone County: 796 USDMadison County: 796 USDMeagher County: 599 USDMineral County: 630 USDMissoula County: 838 USDMusselshell County: 936 USDPark County: 732 USDPetroleum County: 566 USDPhillips County: 669 USDPondera County: 662 USDPowder River County: 601 USDPowell County: 766 USDPrairie County: 760 USDRavalli County: 725 USDRichland County: 1,041 USDRoosevelt County: 786 USDRosebud County: 1,007 USDSanders County: 650 USDSheridan County: 760 USDSilver Bow County: 822 USDStillwater County: 1,264 USDSweet Grass County: 1,013 USDTeton County: 672 USDToole County: 861 USDTreasure County: 682 USDValley County: 766 USDWheatland County: 653 USDWibaux County: 671 USDYellowstone County: 949 USD
  • Under 650
  • 650 to 690
  • 690 to 760
  • 760 to 790
  • 790 to 880
  • 880 and over
USD, 2019. 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, 2019

Stillwater County: 1,264 USDStillwater County1,264Richland County: 1,041 USDRichland County1,041Fallon County: 1,017 USDFallon County1,017Sweet Grass County: 1,013 USDSweet Grass County1,013Rosebud County: 1,007 USDRosebud County1,007Yellowstone County: 949 USDYellowstone County949Musselshell County: 936 USDMusselshell County936Lewis and Clark County: 920 USDLewis and Clark County920Big Horn County: 902 USDBig Horn County902Gallatin County: 887 USDGallatin County887Toole County: 861 USDToole County861Missoula County: 838 USDMissoula County838Jefferson County: 834 USDJefferson County834Cascade County: 822 USDCascade County822Silver Bow County: 822 USDSilver Bow County822Flathead County: 819 USDFlathead County819Dawson County: 802 USDDawson County802Madison County: 796 USDMadison County796McCone County: 796 USDMcCone County796Daniels County: 786 USDDaniels County786Roosevelt County: 786 USDRoosevelt County786Glacier County: 780 USDGlacier County780Fergus County: 773 USDFergus County773Deer Lodge County: 768 USDDeer Lodge County768Powell County: 766 USDPowell County766Valley County: 766 USDValley County766Prairie County: 760 USDPrairie County760Sheridan County: 760 USDSheridan County760Hill County: 752 USDHill County752Custer County: 750 USDCuster County750Judith Basin County: 735 USDJudith Basin County735Park County: 732 USDPark County732Ravalli County: 725 USDRavalli County725Beaverhead County: 715 USDBeaverhead County715Lake County: 712 USDLake County712Broadwater County: 709 USDBroadwater County709Blaine County: 691 USDBlaine County691Lincoln County: 690 USDLincoln County690Treasure County: 682 USDTreasure County682Carbon County: 678 USDCarbon County678Carter County: 672 USDCarter County672Teton County: 672 USDTeton County672Wibaux County: 671 USDWibaux County671Phillips County: 669 USDPhillips County669Pondera County: 662 USDPondera County662Wheatland County: 653 USDWheatland County653Sanders County: 650 USDSanders County650Granite County: 633 USDGranite County633Liberty County: 630 USDLiberty County630Mineral County: 630 USDMineral County630Chouteau County: 601 USDChouteau County601Powder River County: 601 USDPowder River County601Meagher County: 599 USDMeagher County599Petroleum County: 566 USDPetroleum County566Garfield County: 548 USDGarfield County548Golden Valley County: 528 USDGolden Valley County528Stillwater County: 1,264 USDStillwater County1,264Richland County: 1,041 USDRichland County1,041Fallon County: 1,017 USDFallon County1,017Sweet Grass County: 1,013 USDSweet Grass County1,013Rosebud County: 1,007 USDRosebud County1,007Yellowstone County: 949 USDYellowstone County949Musselshell County: 936 USDMusselshell County936Lewis and Clark County: 920 USDLewis and Clark County920Big Horn County: 902 USDBig Horn County902Gallatin County: 887 USDGallatin County887Toole County: 861 USDToole County861Missoula County: 838 USDMissoula County838Jefferson County: 834 USDJefferson County834Cascade County: 822 USDCascade County822Silver Bow County: 822 USDSilver Bow County822Flathead County: 819 USDFlathead County819Dawson County: 802 USDDawson County802Madison County: 796 USDMadison County796McCone County: 796 USDMcCone County796Daniels County: 786 USDDaniels County786Roosevelt County: 786 USDRoosevelt County786Glacier County: 780 USDGlacier County780Fergus County: 773 USDFergus County773Deer Lodge County: 768 USDDeer Lodge County768Powell County: 766 USDPowell County766Valley County: 766 USDValley County766Prairie County: 760 USDPrairie County760Sheridan County: 760 USDSheridan County760Hill County: 752 USDHill County752Custer County: 750 USDCuster County750Judith Basin County: 735 USDJudith Basin County735Park County: 732 USDPark County732Ravalli County: 725 USDRavalli County725Beaverhead County: 715 USDBeaverhead County715Lake County: 712 USDLake County712Broadwater County: 709 USDBroadwater County709Blaine County: 691 USDBlaine County691Lincoln County: 690 USDLincoln County690Treasure County: 682 USDTreasure County682Carbon County: 678 USDCarbon County678Carter County: 672 USDCarter County672Teton County: 672 USDTeton County672Wibaux County: 671 USDWibaux County671Phillips County: 669 USDPhillips County669Pondera County: 662 USDPondera County662Wheatland County: 653 USDWheatland County653Sanders County: 650 USDSanders County650Granite County: 633 USDGranite County633Liberty County: 630 USDLiberty County630Mineral County: 630 USDMineral County630Chouteau County: 601 USDChouteau County601Powder River County: 601 USDPowder River County601Meagher County: 599 USDMeagher County599Petroleum County: 566 USDPetroleum County566Garfield County: 548 USDGarfield County548Golden Valley County: 528 USDGolden Valley County528
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

RankCounties2019
USD
Change on 2018
1Stillwater County1,264+6.6%
2Richland County1,041+2.6%
3Fallon County1,017+1.8%
4Sweet Grass County1,013+4.2%
5Rosebud County1,007+3.8%
6Yellowstone County949+2.8%
7Musselshell County936+3.7%
8Lewis and Clark County920+3.5%
9Big Horn County902+5.3%
10Gallatin County887+4.4%
11Toole County861+3.5%
12Missoula County838+2.9%
13Jefferson County834+2.7%
14Cascade County822+2.8%
14Silver Bow County822+2.5%
16Flathead County819+2.5%
17Dawson County802+0.3%
18Madison County796+1.9%
18McCone County796+6.8%
20Daniels County786-7.9%
20Roosevelt County786+2.9%
22Glacier County780+3.3%
23Fergus County773+8.4%
24Deer Lodge County768+4.1%
25Powell County766+0.8%
25Valley County766+3.8%
27Prairie County760+3.3%
27Sheridan County760+0.7%
29Hill County752+1.5%
30Custer County750+4.2%
31Judith Basin County735+18%
32Park County732+7%
33Ravalli County725+2.5%
34Beaverhead County715+1.9%
35Lake County712+2.3%
36Broadwater County709+1.7%
37Blaine County691+1.2%
38Lincoln County690+1.5%
39Treasure County682+0.4%
40Carbon County678+1.8%
41Carter County672+5%
41Teton County672+1.5%
43Wibaux County671+8.9%
44Phillips County669+4.9%
45Pondera County662+5.2%
46Wheatland County653-6.4%
47Sanders County650+2.2%
48Granite County633+1.1%
49Liberty County630+4%
49Mineral County630+5.7%
51Chouteau County601-6.2%
51Powder River County601+3.8%
53Meagher County599+2.7%
54Petroleum County566+10.3%
55Garfield County548+0.2%
56Golden Valley County528+0.2%

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/2019/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), 2019) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/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), 2019. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/montana-counties?period=2019. 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), 2019. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/montana-counties?period=2019.

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), 2019 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/montana-counties?period=2019 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_montana_by_2019,
  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), 2019}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/montana-counties?period=2019. 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/2019/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), 2019
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2019/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/montana-counties?period=2019
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/montana-counties?period=2019.
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/2019/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

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

Stillwater County, with $1,264 in 2019, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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

Golden Valley County, with $528 in 2019.

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