Counties in Montana by housing units authorized by building permits

Gallatin County had the highest housing units authorized by building permits of 45 counties in 2023, at 1,864. Toole County had the lowest, at 0. The median was 3. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest1,864Gallatin County
Median345 counties

All counties, 2023

CSVChart (SVG)

Gallatin CountyGallatin County: 1,864 count1,864Missoula CountyMissoula County: 656 count656Flathead CountyFlathead County: 622 count622Lewis and Clark CountyLewis and Clark County: 314 count314Yellowstone CountyYellowstone County: 290 count290Cascade CountyCascade County: 151 count151Silver Bow CountySilver Bow County: 100 count100Carbon CountyCarbon County: 56 count56Powell CountyPowell County: 46 count46Ravalli CountyRavalli County: 42 count42Park CountyPark County: 31 count31Deer Lodge CountyDeer Lodge County: 21 count21Chouteau CountyChouteau County: 16 count16Jefferson CountyJefferson County: 16 count16Lincoln CountyLincoln County: 16 count16Beaverhead CountyBeaverhead County: 15 count15Lake CountyLake County: 11 count11Madison CountyMadison County: 11 count11Musselshell CountyMusselshell County: 5 count5Mineral CountyMineral County: 4 count4Fergus CountyFergus County: 3 count3Stillwater CountyStillwater County: 3 count3Teton CountyTeton County: 3 count3Broadwater CountyBroadwater County: 2 count2Pondera CountyPondera County: 2 count2Sheridan CountySheridan County: 2 count2Carter CountyCarter County: 1 count1Hill CountyHill County: 1 count1Phillips CountyPhillips County: 1 count1Valley CountyValley County: 1 count1Wibaux CountyWibaux County: 1 count1Big Horn CountyBig Horn County: 0 count0Blaine CountyBlaine County: 0 count0Custer CountyCuster County: 0 count0Daniels CountyDaniels County: 0 count0Dawson CountyDawson County: 0 count0Fallon CountyFallon County: 0 count0Garfield CountyGarfield County: 0 count0Glacier CountyGlacier County: 0 count0McCone CountyMcCone County: 0 count0Richland CountyRichland County: 0 count0Roosevelt CountyRoosevelt County: 0 count0Rosebud CountyRosebud County: 0 count0Sweet Grass CountySweet Grass County: 0 count0Toole CountyToole County: 0 count0
count. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-10.

Full ranking

RankCounties2023
count
1Gallatin County Estimated1,864
2Missoula County Estimated656
3Flathead County Estimated622
4Lewis and Clark County Estimated314
5Yellowstone County Estimated290
6Cascade County Estimated151
7Silver Bow County Estimated100
8Carbon County Estimated56
9Powell County Estimated46
10Ravalli County Estimated42
11Park County Estimated31
12Deer Lodge County Estimated21
13Chouteau County Estimated16
13Jefferson County Estimated16
13Lincoln County Estimated16
16Beaverhead County Estimated15
17Lake County Estimated11
17Madison County Estimated11
19Musselshell County Estimated5
20Mineral County Estimated4
21Fergus County Estimated3
21Stillwater County Estimated3
21Teton County Estimated3
24Broadwater County Estimated2
24Pondera County Estimated2
24Sheridan County Estimated2
27Carter County Estimated1
27Hill County Estimated1
27Phillips County Estimated1
27Valley County Estimated1
27Wibaux County Estimated1
32Big Horn County Estimated0
32Blaine County Estimated0
32Custer County Estimated0
32Daniels County Estimated0
32Dawson County Estimated0
32Fallon County Estimated0
32Garfield County Estimated0
32Glacier County Estimated0
32McCone County Estimated0
32Richland County Estimated0
32Roosevelt County Estimated0
32Rosebud County Estimated0
32Sweet Grass County Estimated0
32Toole County Estimated0

Other periods

About this ranking

Annual number of new privately owned housing units authorized by building permits, from the US Census Bureau Building Permits Survey.

Final annual county estimates include imputation for missing reports. Counts housing units, not buildings, starts, completions or sales. Covers permit-issuing areas; areas where permits are not required are outside the survey. Not seasonally adjusted or expressed as an annualized monthly rate. The total is the sum of units in the four published structure categories; inputs are retained.

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. Census Bureau. Building Permits Survey: final annual county estimates of new privately owned housing units authorized, including imputation. https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/County/co2023a.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-10.

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Questions

Which county has the highest housing units authorized by building permits?

Gallatin County, with 1,864 in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest housing units authorized by building permits?

Toole County, with 0 in 2023.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey: final annual county estimates of new privately owned housing units authorized, including imputation. Retrieved 2026-10-10.

Housing units authorized by building permits: other rankings

Counties in Montana: more rankings