Data / Rankings / Job destruction rate / Counties in Montana

Counties in Montana by job destruction rate

Petroleum County had the highest job destruction rate of 56 counties in 2018, at 42.105%. Sweet Grass County had the lowest, at 6.407%. The median was 12.035% and the figure for Montana was 13.938%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest42.105Petroleum County
Lowest6.407Sweet Grass County
Median12.03556 counties
Montana13.938History

Map of counties, 2018

Beaverhead County: 13.758 %Big Horn County: 13.728 %Blaine County: 8.828 %Broadwater County: 15.337 %Carbon County: 11.426 %Carter County: 25.83 %Cascade County: 11.083 %Chouteau County: 16.591 %Custer County: 12.803 %Daniels County: 10.228 %Dawson County: 11.426 %Deer Lodge County: 17.3 %Fallon County: 14.257 %Fergus County: 8.989 %Flathead County: 9.679 %Gallatin County: 12.393 %Garfield County: 8.8 %Glacier County: 13.643 %Golden Valley County: 13.675 %Granite County: 14.167 %Hill County: 15.754 %Jefferson County: 11.186 %Judith Basin County: 17.631 %Lake County: 9.405 %Lewis and Clark County: 9.279 %Liberty County: 11.679 %Lincoln County: 14.193 %McCone County: 12.991 %Madison County: 14.997 %Meagher County: 7.059 %Mineral County: 17.34 %Missoula County: 11.533 %Musselshell County: 9.66 %Park County: 11.393 %Petroleum County: 42.105 %Phillips County: 9.153 %Pondera County: 6.981 %Powder River County: 6.95 %Powell County: 9.591 %Prairie County: 14.194 %Ravalli County: 10.228 %Richland County: 14.915 %Roosevelt County: 12.053 %Rosebud County: 11.255 %Sanders County: 14.346 %Sheridan County: 15.686 %Silver Bow County: 9.689 %Stillwater County: 12.017 %Sweet Grass County: 6.407 %Teton County: 16.715 %Toole County: 7.906 %Treasure County: 10.526 %Valley County: 15.548 %Wheatland County: 13.285 %Wibaux County: 32.759 %Yellowstone County: 9.948 %
  • Under 9.3
  • 9.3 to 11
  • 11 to 12
  • 12 to 14
  • 14 to 16
  • 16 and over
%, 2018. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2018

Petroleum County: 42.105 %Petroleum County42.105Wibaux County: 32.759 %Wibaux County32.759Carter County: 25.83 %Carter County25.83Judith Basin County: 17.631 %Judith Basin County17.631Mineral County: 17.34 %Mineral County17.34Deer Lodge County: 17.3 %Deer Lodge County17.3Teton County: 16.715 %Teton County16.715Chouteau County: 16.591 %Chouteau County16.591Hill County: 15.754 %Hill County15.754Sheridan County: 15.686 %Sheridan County15.686Valley County: 15.548 %Valley County15.548Broadwater County: 15.337 %Broadwater County15.337Madison County: 14.997 %Madison County14.997Richland County: 14.915 %Richland County14.915Sanders County: 14.346 %Sanders County14.346Fallon County: 14.257 %Fallon County14.257Prairie County: 14.194 %Prairie County14.194Lincoln County: 14.193 %Lincoln County14.193Granite County: 14.167 %Granite County14.167Beaverhead County: 13.758 %Beaverhead County13.758Big Horn County: 13.728 %Big Horn County13.728Golden Valley County: 13.675 %Golden Valley County13.675Glacier County: 13.643 %Glacier County13.643Wheatland County: 13.285 %Wheatland County13.285McCone County: 12.991 %McCone County12.991Custer County: 12.803 %Custer County12.803Gallatin County: 12.393 %Gallatin County12.393Roosevelt County: 12.053 %Roosevelt County12.053Stillwater County: 12.017 %Stillwater County12.017Liberty County: 11.679 %Liberty County11.679Missoula County: 11.533 %Missoula County11.533Carbon County: 11.426 %Carbon County11.426Dawson County: 11.426 %Dawson County11.426Park County: 11.393 %Park County11.393Rosebud County: 11.255 %Rosebud County11.255Jefferson County: 11.186 %Jefferson County11.186Cascade County: 11.083 %Cascade County11.083Treasure County: 10.526 %Treasure County10.526Daniels County: 10.228 %Daniels County10.228Ravalli County: 10.228 %Ravalli County10.228Yellowstone County: 9.948 %Yellowstone County9.948Silver Bow County: 9.689 %Silver Bow County9.689Flathead County: 9.679 %Flathead County9.679Musselshell County: 9.66 %Musselshell County9.66Powell County: 9.591 %Powell County9.591Lake County: 9.405 %Lake County9.405Lewis and Clark County: 9.279 %Lewis and Clark County9.279Phillips County: 9.153 %Phillips County9.153Fergus County: 8.989 %Fergus County8.989Blaine County: 8.828 %Blaine County8.828Garfield County: 8.8 %Garfield County8.8Toole County: 7.906 %Toole County7.906Meagher County: 7.059 %Meagher County7.059Pondera County: 6.981 %Pondera County6.981Powder River County: 6.95 %Powder River County6.95Sweet Grass County: 6.407 %Sweet Grass County6.407Petroleum County: 42.105 %Petroleum County42.105Wibaux County: 32.759 %Wibaux County32.759Carter County: 25.83 %Carter County25.83Judith Basin County: 17.631 %Judith Basin County17.631Mineral County: 17.34 %Mineral County17.34Deer Lodge County: 17.3 %Deer Lodge County17.3Teton County: 16.715 %Teton County16.715Chouteau County: 16.591 %Chouteau County16.591Hill County: 15.754 %Hill County15.754Sheridan County: 15.686 %Sheridan County15.686Valley County: 15.548 %Valley County15.548Broadwater County: 15.337 %Broadwater County15.337Madison County: 14.997 %Madison County14.997Richland County: 14.915 %Richland County14.915Sanders County: 14.346 %Sanders County14.346Fallon County: 14.257 %Fallon County14.257Prairie County: 14.194 %Prairie County14.194Lincoln County: 14.193 %Lincoln County14.193Granite County: 14.167 %Granite County14.167Beaverhead County: 13.758 %Beaverhead County13.758Big Horn County: 13.728 %Big Horn County13.728Golden Valley County: 13.675 %Golden Valley County13.675Glacier County: 13.643 %Glacier County13.643Wheatland County: 13.285 %Wheatland County13.285McCone County: 12.991 %McCone County12.991Custer County: 12.803 %Custer County12.803Gallatin County: 12.393 %Gallatin County12.393Roosevelt County: 12.053 %Roosevelt County12.053Stillwater County: 12.017 %Stillwater County12.017Liberty County: 11.679 %Liberty County11.679Missoula County: 11.533 %Missoula County11.533Carbon County: 11.426 %Carbon County11.426Dawson County: 11.426 %Dawson County11.426Park County: 11.393 %Park County11.393Rosebud County: 11.255 %Rosebud County11.255Jefferson County: 11.186 %Jefferson County11.186Cascade County: 11.083 %Cascade County11.083Treasure County: 10.526 %Treasure County10.526Daniels County: 10.228 %Daniels County10.228Ravalli County: 10.228 %Ravalli County10.228Yellowstone County: 9.948 %Yellowstone County9.948Silver Bow County: 9.689 %Silver Bow County9.689Flathead County: 9.679 %Flathead County9.679Musselshell County: 9.66 %Musselshell County9.66Powell County: 9.591 %Powell County9.591Lake County: 9.405 %Lake County9.405Lewis and Clark County: 9.279 %Lewis and Clark County9.279Phillips County: 9.153 %Phillips County9.153Fergus County: 8.989 %Fergus County8.989Blaine County: 8.828 %Blaine County8.828Garfield County: 8.8 %Garfield County8.8Toole County: 7.906 %Toole County7.906Meagher County: 7.059 %Meagher County7.059Pondera County: 6.981 %Pondera County6.981Powder River County: 6.95 %Powder River County6.95Sweet Grass County: 6.407 %Sweet Grass County6.407
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2018 (%)Change on 2017
1Petroleum County42.105+36.7 pts
2Wibaux County32.759+9.85 pts
3Carter County25.83+15.76 pts
4Judith Basin County17.631+4.12 pts
5Mineral County17.34+0.27 pts
6Deer Lodge County17.3+5.9 pts
7Teton County16.715+1.77 pts
8Chouteau County16.591+5.93 pts
9Hill County15.754+3.74 pts
10Sheridan County15.686-6.07 pts
11Valley County15.548+4.4 pts
12Broadwater County15.337+4.42 pts
13Madison County14.997+3.95 pts
14Richland County14.915-3 pts
15Sanders County14.346+3.79 pts
16Fallon County14.257+0.77 pts
17Prairie County14.194+0.45 pts
18Lincoln County14.193-1.5 pts
19Granite County14.167-7.46 pts
20Beaverhead County13.758-10.3 pts
21Big Horn County13.728+3.29 pts
22Golden Valley County13.675+0.14 pts
23Glacier County13.643-3.27 pts
24Wheatland County13.285+4.38 pts
25McCone County12.991+4.89 pts
26Custer County12.803-5.25 pts
27Gallatin County12.393+0.09 pts
28Roosevelt County12.053-5.41 pts
29Stillwater County12.017-6.49 pts
30Liberty County11.679-2.31 pts
31Missoula County11.533-1.62 pts
32Carbon County11.426-9.3 pts
32Dawson County11.426-3.77 pts
34Park County11.393-5.68 pts
35Rosebud County11.255-2.61 pts
36Jefferson County11.186-6.66 pts
37Cascade County11.083-1.07 pts
38Treasure County10.526-18.05 pts
39Daniels County10.228-4.55 pts
39Ravalli County10.228-3.06 pts
41Yellowstone County9.948-2.47 pts
42Silver Bow County9.689-0.61 pts
43Flathead County9.679-1.74 pts
44Musselshell County9.66-19.6 pts
45Powell County9.591+1.77 pts
46Lake County9.405-2.86 pts
47Lewis and Clark County9.279-4.05 pts
48Phillips County9.153-2.91 pts
49Fergus County8.989-0.18 pts
50Blaine County8.828-1.08 pts
51Garfield County8.8-8.27 pts
52Toole County7.906-8.99 pts
53Meagher County7.059-9.84 pts
54Pondera County6.981-5.65 pts
55Powder River County6.95-6.28 pts
56Sweet Grass County6.407-1.87 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Jobs lost at closing and shrinking establishments during the year, as a percentage of average employment in the two years. United States: Census Bureau Business Dynamics Statistics.

A gross flow: jobs added elsewhere are not subtracted, so the net change is job_creation_rate minus this rate. Not a layoff rate: it counts positions lost at establishments, not people who lost a job. The year is the twelve months to March: 2023 compares March 2022 with March 2023.

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. Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.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. Census Bureau. (2025). Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010 (Counties in Montana by job destruction rate, 2018) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv

MLA 9

Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010, Counties in Montana by job destruction rate, 2018. U.S. Census Bureau, 25 Sept. 2025, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-destruction-rate/montana-counties?period=2018. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2025. Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Counties in Montana by job destruction rate, 2018. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-destruction-rate/montana-counties?period=2018.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2025) Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010, Counties in Montana by job destruction rate, 2018 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-destruction-rate/montana-counties?period=2018 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_montana_by_2018,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010: Counties in Montana by job destruction rate, 2018}},
  year = {2025},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-destruction-rate/montana-counties?period=2018. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023\_st\_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010: Counties in Montana by job destruction rate, 2018
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/09/25
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-destruction-rate/montana-counties?period=2018
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-destruction-rate/montana-counties?period=2018.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest job destruction rate?

Petroleum County, with 42.105% in 2018, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest job destruction rate?

Sweet Grass County, with 6.407% in 2018.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: job destruction rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Job destruction rate: other rankings

Counties in Montana: more rankings