Counties in Montana by average weekly wage (QCEW)

Stillwater County had the highest average weekly wage (QCEW) of 56 counties in 2024, at $1,444. Petroleum County had the lowest, at $666. The median was $956 and the figure for Montana was $1,155. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest1,444Stillwater County
Median95656 counties
Montana1,155History

Map of counties, 2024

Beaverhead County: 932 USDBig Horn County: 1,077 USDBlaine County: 904 USDBroadwater County: 867 USDCarbon County: 913 USDCarter County: 864 USDCascade County: 1,066 USDChouteau County: 852 USDCuster County: 968 USDDaniels County: 956 USDDawson County: 964 USDDeer Lodge County: 1,024 USDFallon County: 1,141 USDFergus County: 938 USDFlathead County: 1,122 USDGallatin County: 1,273 USDGarfield County: 701 USDGlacier County: 991 USDGolden Valley County: 933 USDGranite County: 851 USDHill County: 946 USDJefferson County: 1,049 USDJudith Basin County: 809 USDLake County: 967 USDLewis and Clark County: 1,197 USDLiberty County: 796 USDLincoln County: 915 USDMcCone County: 959 USDMadison County: 1,104 USDMeagher County: 823 USDMineral County: 837 USDMissoula County: 1,146 USDMusselshell County: 1,200 USDPark County: 1,003 USDPetroleum County: 666 USDPhillips County: 797 USDPondera County: 872 USDPowder River County: 1,022 USDPowell County: 1,124 USDPrairie County: 840 USDRavalli County: 1,019 USDRichland County: 1,214 USDRoosevelt County: 947 USDRosebud County: 1,227 USDSanders County: 883 USDSheridan County: 935 USDSilver Bow County: 1,061 USDStillwater County: 1,444 USDSweet Grass County: 1,326 USDTeton County: 843 USDToole County: 1,073 USDTreasure County: 823 USDValley County: 955 USDWheatland County: 813 USDWibaux County: 776 USDYellowstone County: 1,206 USD
  • Under 840
  • 840 to 910
  • 910 to 960
  • 960 to 1,000
  • 1,000 to 1,100
  • 1,100 and over
USD, 2024. 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, 2024

Stillwater County: 1,444 USDStillwater County1,444Sweet Grass County: 1,326 USDSweet Grass County1,326Gallatin County: 1,273 USDGallatin County1,273Rosebud County: 1,227 USDRosebud County1,227Richland County: 1,214 USDRichland County1,214Yellowstone County: 1,206 USDYellowstone County1,206Musselshell County: 1,200 USDMusselshell County1,200Lewis and Clark County: 1,197 USDLewis and Clark County1,197Missoula County: 1,146 USDMissoula County1,146Fallon County: 1,141 USDFallon County1,141Powell County: 1,124 USDPowell County1,124Flathead County: 1,122 USDFlathead County1,122Madison County: 1,104 USDMadison County1,104Big Horn County: 1,077 USDBig Horn County1,077Toole County: 1,073 USDToole County1,073Cascade County: 1,066 USDCascade County1,066Silver Bow County: 1,061 USDSilver Bow County1,061Jefferson County: 1,049 USDJefferson County1,049Deer Lodge County: 1,024 USDDeer Lodge County1,024Powder River County: 1,022 USDPowder River County1,022Ravalli County: 1,019 USDRavalli County1,019Park County: 1,003 USDPark County1,003Glacier County: 991 USDGlacier County991Custer County: 968 USDCuster County968Lake County: 967 USDLake County967Dawson County: 964 USDDawson County964McCone County: 959 USDMcCone County959Daniels County: 956 USDDaniels County956Valley County: 955 USDValley County955Roosevelt County: 947 USDRoosevelt County947Hill County: 946 USDHill County946Fergus County: 938 USDFergus County938Sheridan County: 935 USDSheridan County935Golden Valley County: 933 USDGolden Valley County933Beaverhead County: 932 USDBeaverhead County932Lincoln County: 915 USDLincoln County915Carbon County: 913 USDCarbon County913Blaine County: 904 USDBlaine County904Sanders County: 883 USDSanders County883Pondera County: 872 USDPondera County872Broadwater County: 867 USDBroadwater County867Carter County: 864 USDCarter County864Chouteau County: 852 USDChouteau County852Granite County: 851 USDGranite County851Teton County: 843 USDTeton County843Prairie County: 840 USDPrairie County840Mineral County: 837 USDMineral County837Meagher County: 823 USDMeagher County823Treasure County: 823 USDTreasure County823Wheatland County: 813 USDWheatland County813Judith Basin County: 809 USDJudith Basin County809Phillips County: 797 USDPhillips County797Liberty County: 796 USDLiberty County796Wibaux County: 776 USDWibaux County776Garfield County: 701 USDGarfield County701Petroleum County: 666 USDPetroleum County666Stillwater County: 1,444 USDStillwater County1,444Sweet Grass County: 1,326 USDSweet Grass County1,326Gallatin County: 1,273 USDGallatin County1,273Rosebud County: 1,227 USDRosebud County1,227Richland County: 1,214 USDRichland County1,214Yellowstone County: 1,206 USDYellowstone County1,206Musselshell County: 1,200 USDMusselshell County1,200Lewis and Clark County: 1,197 USDLewis and Clark County1,197Missoula County: 1,146 USDMissoula County1,146Fallon County: 1,141 USDFallon County1,141Powell County: 1,124 USDPowell County1,124Flathead County: 1,122 USDFlathead County1,122Madison County: 1,104 USDMadison County1,104Big Horn County: 1,077 USDBig Horn County1,077Toole County: 1,073 USDToole County1,073Cascade County: 1,066 USDCascade County1,066Silver Bow County: 1,061 USDSilver Bow County1,061Jefferson County: 1,049 USDJefferson County1,049Deer Lodge County: 1,024 USDDeer Lodge County1,024Powder River County: 1,022 USDPowder River County1,022Ravalli County: 1,019 USDRavalli County1,019Park County: 1,003 USDPark County1,003Glacier County: 991 USDGlacier County991Custer County: 968 USDCuster County968Lake County: 967 USDLake County967Dawson County: 964 USDDawson County964McCone County: 959 USDMcCone County959Daniels County: 956 USDDaniels County956Valley County: 955 USDValley County955Roosevelt County: 947 USDRoosevelt County947Hill County: 946 USDHill County946Fergus County: 938 USDFergus County938Sheridan County: 935 USDSheridan County935Golden Valley County: 933 USDGolden Valley County933Beaverhead County: 932 USDBeaverhead County932Lincoln County: 915 USDLincoln County915Carbon County: 913 USDCarbon County913Blaine County: 904 USDBlaine County904Sanders County: 883 USDSanders County883Pondera County: 872 USDPondera County872Broadwater County: 867 USDBroadwater County867Carter County: 864 USDCarter County864Chouteau County: 852 USDChouteau County852Granite County: 851 USDGranite County851Teton County: 843 USDTeton County843Prairie County: 840 USDPrairie County840Mineral County: 837 USDMineral County837Meagher County: 823 USDMeagher County823Treasure County: 823 USDTreasure County823Wheatland County: 813 USDWheatland County813Judith Basin County: 809 USDJudith Basin County809Phillips County: 797 USDPhillips County797Liberty County: 796 USDLiberty County796Wibaux County: 776 USDWibaux County776Garfield County: 701 USDGarfield County701Petroleum County: 666 USDPetroleum County666
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

RankCounties2024
USD
Change on 2023
1Stillwater County1,444-3.1%
2Sweet Grass County1,326+16.1%
3Gallatin County1,273+6%
4Rosebud County1,227+7.3%
5Richland County1,214+6.5%
6Yellowstone County1,206+4.8%
7Musselshell County1,200+3.5%
8Lewis and Clark County1,197+4.2%
9Missoula County1,146+4.8%
10Fallon County1,141+0.6%
11Powell County1,124-0.2%
12Flathead County1,122+6.4%
13Madison County1,104-6%
14Big Horn County1,077+4.5%
15Toole County1,073+4.3%
16Cascade County1,066+4.7%
17Silver Bow County1,061+3.6%
18Jefferson County1,049+2.2%
19Deer Lodge County1,024+0.2%
20Powder River County1,022+12.1%
21Ravalli County1,019+5.5%
22Park County1,003+0.7%
23Glacier County991+5.1%
24Custer County968+7.2%
25Lake County967+6.4%
26Dawson County964+2.6%
27McCone County959+5.6%
28Daniels County956+4.9%
29Valley County955+4.3%
30Roosevelt County947+3.6%
31Hill County946+4.9%
32Fergus County938+4.6%
33Sheridan County935+2.2%
34Golden Valley County933+16.5%
35Beaverhead County932+0.9%
36Lincoln County915+6.3%
37Carbon County913+7.3%
38Blaine County904+4.8%
39Sanders County883+6.5%
40Pondera County872+7%
41Broadwater County867+1.9%
42Carter County864+5.2%
43Chouteau County852+10.8%
44Granite County851+3%
45Teton County843+4.5%
46Prairie County840+5.7%
47Mineral County837+7.6%
48Meagher County823+10.9%
48Treasure County823+3.4%
50Wheatland County813+5.7%
51Judith Basin County809+2.8%
52Phillips County797+5%
53Liberty County796+8.4%
54Wibaux County776+3.2%
55Garfield County701-1.8%
56Petroleum County666+1.2%

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/2024/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), 2024) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2024/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), 2024. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2024/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/montana-counties?period=2024. 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), 2024. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2024/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/montana-counties?period=2024.

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), 2024 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2024/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/montana-counties?period=2024 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_montana_by_2024,
  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), 2024}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2024/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/montana-counties?period=2024. 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/2024/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), 2024
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2024/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/montana-counties?period=2024
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/montana-counties?period=2024.
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/2024/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 $1,444 in 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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

Petroleum County, with $666 in 2024.

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