Counties in Montana by wages and salaries paid

Yellowstone County had the highest wages and salaries paid of 56 counties in 2015, at $3.87 billion. Petroleum County had the lowest, at $4.21 million. The median was $94.32 million and the figure for Montana was $19.25 billion. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

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Highest3,867.5Yellowstone County
Median94.356 counties
Montana19,253.6History

Map of counties, 2015

Beaverhead County: 139.5 USD millionBig Horn County: 198.4 USD millionBlaine County: 54.1 USD millionBroadwater County: 51 USD millionCarbon County: 91.3 USD millionCarter County: 11.5 USD millionCascade County: 1,621.9 USD millionChouteau County: 45.8 USD millionCuster County: 218.1 USD millionDaniels County: 27.3 USD millionDawson County: 188.8 USD millionDeer Lodge County: 118.6 USD millionFallon County: 89.3 USD millionFergus County: 164.4 USD millionFlathead County: 1,696.1 USD millionGallatin County: 2,196.1 USD millionGarfield County: 10.2 USD millionGlacier County: 165.9 USD millionGolden Valley County: 7 USD millionGranite County: 28.5 USD millionHill County: 308 USD millionJefferson County: 106.5 USD millionJudith Basin County: 17.1 USD millionLake County: 302.7 USD millionLewis and Clark County: 1,607.9 USD millionLiberty County: 20.4 USD millionLincoln County: 188.9 USD millionMcCone County: 25.7 USD millionMadison County: 152.6 USD millionMeagher County: 17.8 USD millionMineral County: 35.1 USD millionMissoula County: 2,390.7 USD millionMusselshell County: 67.1 USD millionPark County: 199.6 USD millionPetroleum County: 4.2 USD millionPhillips County: 46.3 USD millionPondera County: 64.4 USD millionPowder River County: 18.5 USD millionPowell County: 97.5 USD millionPrairie County: 12.5 USD millionRavalli County: 408 USD millionRichland County: 373.8 USD millionRoosevelt County: 144.4 USD millionRosebud County: 214.9 USD millionSanders County: 94.2 USD millionSheridan County: 67.4 USD millionSilver Bow County: 668.6 USD millionStillwater County: 190.1 USD millionSweet Grass County: 76.5 USD millionTeton County: 67.9 USD millionToole County: 94.5 USD millionTreasure County: 6.6 USD millionValley County: 140 USD millionWheatland County: 20.2 USD millionWibaux County: 11.9 USD millionYellowstone County: 3,867.5 USD million
  • Under 20
  • 20 to 50
  • 50 to 90
  • 90 to 170
  • 170 to 310
  • 310 and over
USD million, 2015. Source: BEA, CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2015

Yellowstone County: 3,867.5 USD millionYellowstone County3,867.5Missoula County: 2,390.7 USD millionMissoula County2,390.7Gallatin County: 2,196.1 USD millionGallatin County2,196.1Flathead County: 1,696.1 USD millionFlathead County1,696.1Cascade County: 1,621.9 USD millionCascade County1,621.9Lewis and Clark County: 1,607.9 USD millionLewis and Clark County1,607.9Silver Bow County: 668.6 USD millionSilver Bow County668.6Ravalli County: 408 USD millionRavalli County408Richland County: 373.8 USD millionRichland County373.8Hill County: 308 USD millionHill County308Lake County: 302.7 USD millionLake County302.7Custer County: 218.1 USD millionCuster County218.1Rosebud County: 214.9 USD millionRosebud County214.9Park County: 199.6 USD millionPark County199.6Big Horn County: 198.4 USD millionBig Horn County198.4Stillwater County: 190.1 USD millionStillwater County190.1Lincoln County: 188.9 USD millionLincoln County188.9Dawson County: 188.8 USD millionDawson County188.8Glacier County: 165.9 USD millionGlacier County165.9Fergus County: 164.4 USD millionFergus County164.4Madison County: 152.6 USD millionMadison County152.6Roosevelt County: 144.4 USD millionRoosevelt County144.4Valley County: 140 USD millionValley County140Beaverhead County: 139.5 USD millionBeaverhead County139.5Deer Lodge County: 118.6 USD millionDeer Lodge County118.6Jefferson County: 106.5 USD millionJefferson County106.5Powell County: 97.5 USD millionPowell County97.5Toole County: 94.5 USD millionToole County94.5Sanders County: 94.2 USD millionSanders County94.2Carbon County: 91.3 USD millionCarbon County91.3Fallon County: 89.3 USD millionFallon County89.3Sweet Grass County: 76.5 USD millionSweet Grass County76.5Teton County: 67.9 USD millionTeton County67.9Sheridan County: 67.4 USD millionSheridan County67.4Musselshell County: 67.1 USD millionMusselshell County67.1Pondera County: 64.4 USD millionPondera County64.4Blaine County: 54.1 USD millionBlaine County54.1Broadwater County: 51 USD millionBroadwater County51Phillips County: 46.3 USD millionPhillips County46.3Chouteau County: 45.8 USD millionChouteau County45.8Mineral County: 35.1 USD millionMineral County35.1Granite County: 28.5 USD millionGranite County28.5Daniels County: 27.3 USD millionDaniels County27.3McCone County: 25.7 USD millionMcCone County25.7Liberty County: 20.4 USD millionLiberty County20.4Wheatland County: 20.2 USD millionWheatland County20.2Powder River County: 18.5 USD millionPowder River County18.5Meagher County: 17.8 USD millionMeagher County17.8Judith Basin County: 17.1 USD millionJudith Basin County17.1Prairie County: 12.5 USD millionPrairie County12.5Wibaux County: 11.9 USD millionWibaux County11.9Carter County: 11.5 USD millionCarter County11.5Garfield County: 10.2 USD millionGarfield County10.2Golden Valley County: 7 USD millionGolden Valley County7Treasure County: 6.6 USD millionTreasure County6.6Petroleum County: 4.2 USD millionPetroleum County4.2Yellowstone County: 3,867.5 USD millionYellowstone County3,867.5Missoula County: 2,390.7 USD millionMissoula County2,390.7Gallatin County: 2,196.1 USD millionGallatin County2,196.1Flathead County: 1,696.1 USD millionFlathead County1,696.1Cascade County: 1,621.9 USD millionCascade County1,621.9Lewis and Clark County: 1,607.9 USD millionLewis and Clark County1,607.9Silver Bow County: 668.6 USD millionSilver Bow County668.6Ravalli County: 408 USD millionRavalli County408Richland County: 373.8 USD millionRichland County373.8Hill County: 308 USD millionHill County308Lake County: 302.7 USD millionLake County302.7Custer County: 218.1 USD millionCuster County218.1Rosebud County: 214.9 USD millionRosebud County214.9Park County: 199.6 USD millionPark County199.6Big Horn County: 198.4 USD millionBig Horn County198.4Stillwater County: 190.1 USD millionStillwater County190.1Lincoln County: 188.9 USD millionLincoln County188.9Dawson County: 188.8 USD millionDawson County188.8Glacier County: 165.9 USD millionGlacier County165.9Fergus County: 164.4 USD millionFergus County164.4Madison County: 152.6 USD millionMadison County152.6Roosevelt County: 144.4 USD millionRoosevelt County144.4Valley County: 140 USD millionValley County140Beaverhead County: 139.5 USD millionBeaverhead County139.5Deer Lodge County: 118.6 USD millionDeer Lodge County118.6Jefferson County: 106.5 USD millionJefferson County106.5Powell County: 97.5 USD millionPowell County97.5Toole County: 94.5 USD millionToole County94.5Sanders County: 94.2 USD millionSanders County94.2Carbon County: 91.3 USD millionCarbon County91.3Fallon County: 89.3 USD millionFallon County89.3Sweet Grass County: 76.5 USD millionSweet Grass County76.5Teton County: 67.9 USD millionTeton County67.9Sheridan County: 67.4 USD millionSheridan County67.4Musselshell County: 67.1 USD millionMusselshell County67.1Pondera County: 64.4 USD millionPondera County64.4Blaine County: 54.1 USD millionBlaine County54.1Broadwater County: 51 USD millionBroadwater County51Phillips County: 46.3 USD millionPhillips County46.3Chouteau County: 45.8 USD millionChouteau County45.8Mineral County: 35.1 USD millionMineral County35.1Granite County: 28.5 USD millionGranite County28.5Daniels County: 27.3 USD millionDaniels County27.3McCone County: 25.7 USD millionMcCone County25.7Liberty County: 20.4 USD millionLiberty County20.4Wheatland County: 20.2 USD millionWheatland County20.2Powder River County: 18.5 USD millionPowder River County18.5Meagher County: 17.8 USD millionMeagher County17.8Judith Basin County: 17.1 USD millionJudith Basin County17.1Prairie County: 12.5 USD millionPrairie County12.5Wibaux County: 11.9 USD millionWibaux County11.9Carter County: 11.5 USD millionCarter County11.5Garfield County: 10.2 USD millionGarfield County10.2Golden Valley County: 7 USD millionGolden Valley County7Treasure County: 6.6 USD millionTreasure County6.6Petroleum County: 4.2 USD millionPetroleum County4.2
USD million. Source: BEA, CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2015
USD million
Change on 2014
1Yellowstone County3,867.5+6.3%
2Missoula County2,390.7+5.8%
3Gallatin County2,196.1+10.6%
4Flathead County1,696.1+6.9%
5Cascade County1,621.9+3.6%
6Lewis and Clark County1,607.9+3.5%
7Silver Bow County668.6+5.4%
8Ravalli County408+7.9%
9Richland County373.8-13.3%
10Hill County308+2.3%
11Lake County302.7+6%
12Custer County218.1-4.2%
13Rosebud County214.9-1.4%
14Park County199.6+7.9%
15Big Horn County198.4+4.7%
16Stillwater County190.1-5.8%
17Lincoln County188.9+3.1%
18Dawson County188.8-2.5%
19Glacier County165.9-0%
20Fergus County164.4+3.1%
21Madison County152.6+9.8%
22Roosevelt County144.4-2.9%
23Valley County140+2.7%
24Beaverhead County139.5+4.9%
25Deer Lodge County118.6+5.7%
26Jefferson County106.5+11.4%
27Powell County97.5+3.9%
28Toole County94.5-1.4%
29Sanders County94.2+7%
30Carbon County91.3+5.7%
31Fallon County89.3-13.8%
32Sweet Grass County76.5+3.3%
33Teton County67.9+2.2%
34Sheridan County67.4-10%
35Musselshell County67.1+4.4%
36Pondera County64.4+1.8%
37Blaine County54.1+0.8%
38Broadwater County51+6.9%
39Phillips County46.3+2.7%
40Chouteau County45.8-1%
41Mineral County35.1+1.6%
42Granite County28.5+4.2%
43Daniels County27.3+3.7%
44McCone County25.7-3.6%
45Liberty County20.4-1.5%
46Wheatland County20.2+4.5%
47Powder River County18.5-2.5%
48Meagher County17.8+8%
49Judith Basin County17.1+3.2%
50Prairie County12.5+9.3%
51Wibaux County11.9-4.3%
52Carter County11.5+1.1%
53Garfield County10.2+4.2%
54Golden Valley County7+4.1%
55Treasure County6.6+0.7%
56Petroleum County4.2-0.3%

Other periods

About this ranking

Total wages and salaries paid to employees for jobs located in a place, including tips, bonuses and pay in kind, before deductions, in millions of current US dollars. United States: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional accounts, table SAINC4 line 50 for the nation and states and CAINC4 line 50 for counties.

Counted where the jobs are, not where the workers live, so places with many commuters coming in can pay more in wages than their residents receive in personal income (the District of Columbia does). Excludes employer contributions to pensions, insurance and social security, and the income of the self-employed.

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 Economic Analysis. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. 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 Economic Analysis. (2026). CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents (Counties in Montana by wages and salaries paid, 2015) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip

MLA 9

CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents, Counties in Montana by wages and salaries paid, 2015. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 5 Feb. 2026, https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/montana-counties?period=2015. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. 2026. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Counties in Montana by wages and salaries paid, 2015. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/montana-counties?period=2015.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (2026) CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents, Counties in Montana by wages and salaries paid, 2015 [Dataset]. Available at: https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/montana-counties?period=2015 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_montana_by_2015,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis}},
  title = {{CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents: Counties in Montana by wages and salaries paid, 2015}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/montana-counties?period=2015. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
TI  - CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents: Counties in Montana by wages and salaries paid, 2015
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/02/05
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/montana-counties?period=2015
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/montana-counties?period=2015.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest wages and salaries paid?

Yellowstone County, with $3.87 billion in 2015, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Which county has the lowest wages and salaries paid?

Petroleum County, with $4.21 million in 2015.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Wages and salaries paid: other rankings

Counties in Montana: more rankings