Counties in Montana by business establishments (QCEW)

Gallatin County had the highest business establishments (QCEW) of 56 counties in 2022, at 8,611. Petroleum County had the lowest, at 23. The median was 271 and the figure for Montana was 60,113. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest8,611Gallatin County
Median27156 counties
Montana60,113History

Map of counties, 2022

Beaverhead County: 556 countBig Horn County: 286 countBlaine County: 200 countBroadwater County: 244 countCarbon County: 551 countCarter County: 59 countCascade County: 2,958 countChouteau County: 229 countCuster County: 516 countDaniels County: 98 countDawson County: 408 countDeer Lodge County: 306 countFallon County: 182 countFergus County: 562 countFlathead County: 6,110 countGallatin County: 8,611 countGarfield County: 69 countGlacier County: 331 countGolden Valley County: 41 countGranite County: 165 countHill County: 595 countJefferson County: 435 countJudith Basin County: 113 countLake County: 1,183 countLewis and Clark County: 3,428 countLiberty County: 102 countLincoln County: 867 countMcCone County: 79 countMadison County: 552 countMeagher County: 127 countMineral County: 181 countMissoula County: 6,180 countMusselshell County: 163 countPark County: 1,179 countPetroleum County: 23 countPhillips County: 192 countPondera County: 235 countPowder River County: 106 countPowell County: 227 countPrairie County: 55 countRavalli County: 2,155 countRichland County: 643 countRoosevelt County: 288 countRosebud County: 256 countSanders County: 516 countSheridan County: 225 countSilver Bow County: 1,385 countStillwater County: 358 countSweet Grass County: 253 countTeton County: 303 countToole County: 232 countTreasure County: 35 countValley County: 345 countWheatland County: 111 countWibaux County: 44 countYellowstone County: 7,247 count
  • Under 100
  • 100 to 190
  • 190 to 270
  • 270 to 490
  • 490 to 1,100
  • 1,100 and over
count, 2022. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2022

Gallatin County: 8,611 countGallatin County8,611Yellowstone County: 7,247 countYellowstone County7,247Missoula County: 6,180 countMissoula County6,180Flathead County: 6,110 countFlathead County6,110Lewis and Clark County: 3,428 countLewis and Clark County3,428Cascade County: 2,958 countCascade County2,958Ravalli County: 2,155 countRavalli County2,155Silver Bow County: 1,385 countSilver Bow County1,385Lake County: 1,183 countLake County1,183Park County: 1,179 countPark County1,179Lincoln County: 867 countLincoln County867Richland County: 643 countRichland County643Hill County: 595 countHill County595Fergus County: 562 countFergus County562Beaverhead County: 556 countBeaverhead County556Madison County: 552 countMadison County552Carbon County: 551 countCarbon County551Custer County: 516 countCuster County516Sanders County: 516 countSanders County516Jefferson County: 435 countJefferson County435Dawson County: 408 countDawson County408Stillwater County: 358 countStillwater County358Valley County: 345 countValley County345Glacier County: 331 countGlacier County331Deer Lodge County: 306 countDeer Lodge County306Teton County: 303 countTeton County303Roosevelt County: 288 countRoosevelt County288Big Horn County: 286 countBig Horn County286Rosebud County: 256 countRosebud County256Sweet Grass County: 253 countSweet Grass County253Broadwater County: 244 countBroadwater County244Pondera County: 235 countPondera County235Toole County: 232 countToole County232Chouteau County: 229 countChouteau County229Powell County: 227 countPowell County227Sheridan County: 225 countSheridan County225Blaine County: 200 countBlaine County200Phillips County: 192 countPhillips County192Fallon County: 182 countFallon County182Mineral County: 181 countMineral County181Granite County: 165 countGranite County165Musselshell County: 163 countMusselshell County163Meagher County: 127 countMeagher County127Judith Basin County: 113 countJudith Basin County113Wheatland County: 111 countWheatland County111Powder River County: 106 countPowder River County106Liberty County: 102 countLiberty County102Daniels County: 98 countDaniels County98McCone County: 79 countMcCone County79Garfield County: 69 countGarfield County69Carter County: 59 countCarter County59Prairie County: 55 countPrairie County55Wibaux County: 44 countWibaux County44Golden Valley County: 41 countGolden Valley County41Treasure County: 35 countTreasure County35Petroleum County: 23 countPetroleum County23Gallatin County: 8,611 countGallatin County8,611Yellowstone County: 7,247 countYellowstone County7,247Missoula County: 6,180 countMissoula County6,180Flathead County: 6,110 countFlathead County6,110Lewis and Clark County: 3,428 countLewis and Clark County3,428Cascade County: 2,958 countCascade County2,958Ravalli County: 2,155 countRavalli County2,155Silver Bow County: 1,385 countSilver Bow County1,385Lake County: 1,183 countLake County1,183Park County: 1,179 countPark County1,179Lincoln County: 867 countLincoln County867Richland County: 643 countRichland County643Hill County: 595 countHill County595Fergus County: 562 countFergus County562Beaverhead County: 556 countBeaverhead County556Madison County: 552 countMadison County552Carbon County: 551 countCarbon County551Custer County: 516 countCuster County516Sanders County: 516 countSanders County516Jefferson County: 435 countJefferson County435Dawson County: 408 countDawson County408Stillwater County: 358 countStillwater County358Valley County: 345 countValley County345Glacier County: 331 countGlacier County331Deer Lodge County: 306 countDeer Lodge County306Teton County: 303 countTeton County303Roosevelt County: 288 countRoosevelt County288Big Horn County: 286 countBig Horn County286Rosebud County: 256 countRosebud County256Sweet Grass County: 253 countSweet Grass County253Broadwater County: 244 countBroadwater County244Pondera County: 235 countPondera County235Toole County: 232 countToole County232Chouteau County: 229 countChouteau County229Powell County: 227 countPowell County227Sheridan County: 225 countSheridan County225Blaine County: 200 countBlaine County200Phillips County: 192 countPhillips County192Fallon County: 182 countFallon County182Mineral County: 181 countMineral County181Granite County: 165 countGranite County165Musselshell County: 163 countMusselshell County163Meagher County: 127 countMeagher County127Judith Basin County: 113 countJudith Basin County113Wheatland County: 111 countWheatland County111Powder River County: 106 countPowder River County106Liberty County: 102 countLiberty County102Daniels County: 98 countDaniels County98McCone County: 79 countMcCone County79Garfield County: 69 countGarfield County69Carter County: 59 countCarter County59Prairie County: 55 countPrairie County55Wibaux County: 44 countWibaux County44Golden Valley County: 41 countGolden Valley County41Treasure County: 35 countTreasure County35Petroleum County: 23 countPetroleum County23
count. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2022
count
Change on 2021
1Gallatin County8,611+11.2%
2Yellowstone County7,247+7.1%
3Missoula County6,180+9.9%
4Flathead County6,110+11.8%
5Lewis and Clark County3,428+9.5%
6Cascade County2,958+6.1%
7Ravalli County2,155+11.4%
8Silver Bow County1,385+7.1%
9Lake County1,183+9.7%
10Park County1,179+9.8%
11Lincoln County867+14.5%
12Richland County643+5.2%
13Hill County595+2.4%
14Fergus County562+3.9%
15Beaverhead County556+9.9%
16Madison County552+10.8%
17Carbon County551+6.8%
18Custer County516+4.5%
18Sanders County516+10%
20Jefferson County435+6.9%
21Dawson County408+7.4%
22Stillwater County358+5.6%
23Valley County345+2.1%
24Glacier County331+7.8%
25Deer Lodge County306+5.2%
26Teton County303+4.1%
27Roosevelt County288+5.1%
28Big Horn County286+7.9%
29Rosebud County256+5.3%
30Sweet Grass County253+5%
31Broadwater County244+11.9%
32Pondera County235+6.3%
33Toole County232+5.5%
34Chouteau County229+7.5%
35Powell County227+5.1%
36Sheridan County225+5.6%
37Blaine County200+7%
38Phillips County192+6.7%
39Fallon County182+9.6%
40Mineral County181+13.8%
41Granite County165+7.1%
42Musselshell County163+7.9%
43Meagher County127+6.7%
44Judith Basin County113+8.7%
45Wheatland County111+11%
46Powder River County106+7.1%
47Liberty County102+8.5%
48Daniels County98+6.5%
49McCone County79+9.7%
50Garfield County69+16.9%
51Carter County59+20.4%
52Prairie County55+7.8%
53Wibaux County44+10%
54Golden Valley County41+41.4%
55Treasure County350%
56Petroleum County23+15%

Other periods

About this ranking

Average number of establishments with jobs covered by unemployment insurance during the year, all industries, private and government, from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. An establishment is a single place of business, such as a factory, store or office; a company with several locations has several.

Counts places of business, not firms: for firms use employer_firms. Changes in how large employers report their locations can move the count without any change in activity.

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 establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2022/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 establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties (Counties in Montana by business establishments (QCEW), 2022) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2022/a/industry/10.csv

MLA 9

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, Counties in Montana by business establishments (QCEW), 2022. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2022/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/montana-counties?period=2022. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2026. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Counties in Montana by business establishments (QCEW), 2022. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2022/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/montana-counties?period=2022.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2026) Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, Counties in Montana by business establishments (QCEW), 2022 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2022/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/montana-counties?period=2022 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_montana_by_2022,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics}},
  title = {{Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: Counties in Montana by business establishments (QCEW), 2022}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2022/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/montana-counties?period=2022. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2022/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 establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: Counties in Montana by business establishments (QCEW), 2022
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2022/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/montana-counties?period=2022
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/montana-counties?period=2022.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2022/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Rank Counties in Montana by business establishments (QCEW) using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest business establishments (QCEW)?

Gallatin County, with 8,611 in 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest business establishments (QCEW)?

Petroleum County, with 23 in 2022.

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 establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Business establishments (QCEW): other rankings

Counties in Montana: more rankings