Counties in Montana by wages and salaries paid

Yellowstone County had the highest wages and salaries paid of 56 counties in 2016, at $3.93 billion. Petroleum County had the lowest, at $4.37 million. The median was $94.41 million and the figure for Montana was $19.82 billion. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest3,926.7Yellowstone County
Median94.456 counties
Montana19,823.1History

Map of counties, 2016

Beaverhead County: 148 USD millionBig Horn County: 194.8 USD millionBlaine County: 56.9 USD millionBroadwater County: 52.4 USD millionCarbon County: 93.4 USD millionCarter County: 12.6 USD millionCascade County: 1,669.5 USD millionChouteau County: 47.3 USD millionCuster County: 207.2 USD millionDaniels County: 28.6 USD millionDawson County: 172.5 USD millionDeer Lodge County: 124.7 USD millionFallon County: 74.9 USD millionFergus County: 173.9 USD millionFlathead County: 1,785.2 USD millionGallatin County: 2,389.8 USD millionGarfield County: 11.2 USD millionGlacier County: 165.4 USD millionGolden Valley County: 7.3 USD millionGranite County: 31.8 USD millionHill County: 317.1 USD millionJefferson County: 115.4 USD millionJudith Basin County: 18.7 USD millionLake County: 319.2 USD millionLewis and Clark County: 1,655 USD millionLiberty County: 21.3 USD millionLincoln County: 192.9 USD millionMcCone County: 24.9 USD millionMadison County: 164.4 USD millionMeagher County: 17.7 USD millionMineral County: 34.8 USD millionMissoula County: 2,517.5 USD millionMusselshell County: 58.8 USD millionPark County: 212.6 USD millionPetroleum County: 4.4 USD millionPhillips County: 47.6 USD millionPondera County: 66 USD millionPowder River County: 20.2 USD millionPowell County: 95.4 USD millionPrairie County: 12.3 USD millionRavalli County: 434.5 USD millionRichland County: 305.4 USD millionRoosevelt County: 145.3 USD millionRosebud County: 212.8 USD millionSanders County: 98.5 USD millionSheridan County: 62.7 USD millionSilver Bow County: 677.6 USD millionStillwater County: 182.5 USD millionSweet Grass County: 78 USD millionTeton County: 66.7 USD millionToole County: 91.3 USD millionTreasure County: 6.9 USD millionValley County: 137.5 USD millionWheatland County: 22.1 USD millionWibaux County: 11.3 USD millionYellowstone County: 3,926.7 USD million
  • Under 20
  • 20 to 50
  • 50 to 90
  • 90 to 170
  • 170 to 320
  • 320 and over
USD million, 2016. 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, 2016

Yellowstone County: 3,926.7 USD millionYellowstone County3,926.7Missoula County: 2,517.5 USD millionMissoula County2,517.5Gallatin County: 2,389.8 USD millionGallatin County2,389.8Flathead County: 1,785.2 USD millionFlathead County1,785.2Cascade County: 1,669.5 USD millionCascade County1,669.5Lewis and Clark County: 1,655 USD millionLewis and Clark County1,655Silver Bow County: 677.6 USD millionSilver Bow County677.6Ravalli County: 434.5 USD millionRavalli County434.5Lake County: 319.2 USD millionLake County319.2Hill County: 317.1 USD millionHill County317.1Richland County: 305.4 USD millionRichland County305.4Rosebud County: 212.8 USD millionRosebud County212.8Park County: 212.6 USD millionPark County212.6Custer County: 207.2 USD millionCuster County207.2Big Horn County: 194.8 USD millionBig Horn County194.8Lincoln County: 192.9 USD millionLincoln County192.9Stillwater County: 182.5 USD millionStillwater County182.5Fergus County: 173.9 USD millionFergus County173.9Dawson County: 172.5 USD millionDawson County172.5Glacier County: 165.4 USD millionGlacier County165.4Madison County: 164.4 USD millionMadison County164.4Beaverhead County: 148 USD millionBeaverhead County148Roosevelt County: 145.3 USD millionRoosevelt County145.3Valley County: 137.5 USD millionValley County137.5Deer Lodge County: 124.7 USD millionDeer Lodge County124.7Jefferson County: 115.4 USD millionJefferson County115.4Sanders County: 98.5 USD millionSanders County98.5Powell County: 95.4 USD millionPowell County95.4Carbon County: 93.4 USD millionCarbon County93.4Toole County: 91.3 USD millionToole County91.3Sweet Grass County: 78 USD millionSweet Grass County78Fallon County: 74.9 USD millionFallon County74.9Teton County: 66.7 USD millionTeton County66.7Pondera County: 66 USD millionPondera County66Sheridan County: 62.7 USD millionSheridan County62.7Musselshell County: 58.8 USD millionMusselshell County58.8Blaine County: 56.9 USD millionBlaine County56.9Broadwater County: 52.4 USD millionBroadwater County52.4Phillips County: 47.6 USD millionPhillips County47.6Chouteau County: 47.3 USD millionChouteau County47.3Mineral County: 34.8 USD millionMineral County34.8Granite County: 31.8 USD millionGranite County31.8Daniels County: 28.6 USD millionDaniels County28.6McCone County: 24.9 USD millionMcCone County24.9Wheatland County: 22.1 USD millionWheatland County22.1Liberty County: 21.3 USD millionLiberty County21.3Powder River County: 20.2 USD millionPowder River County20.2Judith Basin County: 18.7 USD millionJudith Basin County18.7Meagher County: 17.7 USD millionMeagher County17.7Carter County: 12.6 USD millionCarter County12.6Prairie County: 12.3 USD millionPrairie County12.3Wibaux County: 11.3 USD millionWibaux County11.3Garfield County: 11.2 USD millionGarfield County11.2Golden Valley County: 7.3 USD millionGolden Valley County7.3Treasure County: 6.9 USD millionTreasure County6.9Petroleum County: 4.4 USD millionPetroleum County4.4Yellowstone County: 3,926.7 USD millionYellowstone County3,926.7Missoula County: 2,517.5 USD millionMissoula County2,517.5Gallatin County: 2,389.8 USD millionGallatin County2,389.8Flathead County: 1,785.2 USD millionFlathead County1,785.2Cascade County: 1,669.5 USD millionCascade County1,669.5Lewis and Clark County: 1,655 USD millionLewis and Clark County1,655Silver Bow County: 677.6 USD millionSilver Bow County677.6Ravalli County: 434.5 USD millionRavalli County434.5Lake County: 319.2 USD millionLake County319.2Hill County: 317.1 USD millionHill County317.1Richland County: 305.4 USD millionRichland County305.4Rosebud County: 212.8 USD millionRosebud County212.8Park County: 212.6 USD millionPark County212.6Custer County: 207.2 USD millionCuster County207.2Big Horn County: 194.8 USD millionBig Horn County194.8Lincoln County: 192.9 USD millionLincoln County192.9Stillwater County: 182.5 USD millionStillwater County182.5Fergus County: 173.9 USD millionFergus County173.9Dawson County: 172.5 USD millionDawson County172.5Glacier County: 165.4 USD millionGlacier County165.4Madison County: 164.4 USD millionMadison County164.4Beaverhead County: 148 USD millionBeaverhead County148Roosevelt County: 145.3 USD millionRoosevelt County145.3Valley County: 137.5 USD millionValley County137.5Deer Lodge County: 124.7 USD millionDeer Lodge County124.7Jefferson County: 115.4 USD millionJefferson County115.4Sanders County: 98.5 USD millionSanders County98.5Powell County: 95.4 USD millionPowell County95.4Carbon County: 93.4 USD millionCarbon County93.4Toole County: 91.3 USD millionToole County91.3Sweet Grass County: 78 USD millionSweet Grass County78Fallon County: 74.9 USD millionFallon County74.9Teton County: 66.7 USD millionTeton County66.7Pondera County: 66 USD millionPondera County66Sheridan County: 62.7 USD millionSheridan County62.7Musselshell County: 58.8 USD millionMusselshell County58.8Blaine County: 56.9 USD millionBlaine County56.9Broadwater County: 52.4 USD millionBroadwater County52.4Phillips County: 47.6 USD millionPhillips County47.6Chouteau County: 47.3 USD millionChouteau County47.3Mineral County: 34.8 USD millionMineral County34.8Granite County: 31.8 USD millionGranite County31.8Daniels County: 28.6 USD millionDaniels County28.6McCone County: 24.9 USD millionMcCone County24.9Wheatland County: 22.1 USD millionWheatland County22.1Liberty County: 21.3 USD millionLiberty County21.3Powder River County: 20.2 USD millionPowder River County20.2Judith Basin County: 18.7 USD millionJudith Basin County18.7Meagher County: 17.7 USD millionMeagher County17.7Carter County: 12.6 USD millionCarter County12.6Prairie County: 12.3 USD millionPrairie County12.3Wibaux County: 11.3 USD millionWibaux County11.3Garfield County: 11.2 USD millionGarfield County11.2Golden Valley County: 7.3 USD millionGolden Valley County7.3Treasure County: 6.9 USD millionTreasure County6.9Petroleum County: 4.4 USD millionPetroleum County4.4
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

RankCounties2016
USD million
Change on 2015
1Yellowstone County3,926.7+1.5%
2Missoula County2,517.5+5.3%
3Gallatin County2,389.8+8.8%
4Flathead County1,785.2+5.3%
5Cascade County1,669.5+2.9%
6Lewis and Clark County1,655+2.9%
7Silver Bow County677.6+1.3%
8Ravalli County434.5+6.5%
9Lake County319.2+5.4%
10Hill County317.1+2.9%
11Richland County305.4-18.3%
12Rosebud County212.8-1%
13Park County212.6+6.5%
14Custer County207.2-5%
15Big Horn County194.8-1.8%
16Lincoln County192.9+2.1%
17Stillwater County182.5-4%
18Fergus County173.9+5.8%
19Dawson County172.5-8.7%
20Glacier County165.4-0.3%
21Madison County164.4+7.7%
22Beaverhead County148+6.1%
23Roosevelt County145.3+0.6%
24Valley County137.5-1.8%
25Deer Lodge County124.7+5.1%
26Jefferson County115.4+8.3%
27Sanders County98.5+4.5%
28Powell County95.4-2.1%
29Carbon County93.4+2.3%
30Toole County91.3-3.3%
31Sweet Grass County78+2%
32Fallon County74.9-16.1%
33Teton County66.7-1.7%
34Pondera County66+2.5%
35Sheridan County62.7-7.1%
36Musselshell County58.8-12.3%
37Blaine County56.9+5.2%
38Broadwater County52.4+2.6%
39Phillips County47.6+2.8%
40Chouteau County47.3+3.4%
41Mineral County34.8-0.7%
42Granite County31.8+11.6%
43Daniels County28.6+4.8%
44McCone County24.9-2.8%
45Wheatland County22.1+9.1%
46Liberty County21.3+4.4%
47Powder River County20.2+9.3%
48Judith Basin County18.7+9.2%
49Meagher County17.7-0.4%
50Carter County12.6+9.5%
51Prairie County12.3-1.7%
52Wibaux County11.3-5.1%
53Garfield County11.2+9.5%
54Golden Valley County7.3+4.2%
55Treasure County6.9+4.5%
56Petroleum County4.4+3.9%

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, 2016) [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, 2016. 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=2016. 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, 2016. 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=2016.

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, 2016 [Dataset]. Available at: https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/montana-counties?period=2016 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_montana_by_2016,
  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, 2016}},
  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=2016. 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, 2016
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=2016
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/montana-counties?period=2016.
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  - 
Embed this chart

Paste this code into a web page or a blog post. The chart shows the latest figures as they are published, with the source and a link back to this page.

Sites that read oEmbed links, such as WordPress, can show the chart when you paste the link to this page.

Use this data in your AI agent

Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:

Rank Counties in Montana by wages and salaries paid using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"wages_and_salaries","level":"province","within":"Montana","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=wages_and_salaries&level=province&within=Montana&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

Which county has the highest wages and salaries paid?

Yellowstone County, with $3.93 billion in 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Which county has the lowest wages and salaries paid?

Petroleum County, with $4.37 million in 2016.

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