Counties in Montana by wages and salaries paid

Yellowstone County had the highest wages and salaries paid of 56 counties in 2018, at $4.24 billion. Petroleum County had the lowest, at $4.63 million. The median was $102.53 million and the figure for Montana was $21.6 billion. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest4,244Yellowstone County
Median102.556 counties
Montana21,599.4History

Map of counties, 2018

Beaverhead County: 154.3 USD millionBig Horn County: 197.5 USD millionBlaine County: 56.6 USD millionBroadwater County: 57.7 USD millionCarbon County: 104.3 USD millionCarter County: 13.1 USD millionCascade County: 1,800.6 USD millionChouteau County: 51.2 USD millionCuster County: 211.4 USD millionDaniels County: 30.7 USD millionDawson County: 181.9 USD millionDeer Lodge County: 129.6 USD millionFallon County: 78.3 USD millionFergus County: 184.9 USD millionFlathead County: 1,987.9 USD millionGallatin County: 2,790.9 USD millionGarfield County: 12.4 USD millionGlacier County: 175.4 USD millionGolden Valley County: 7.3 USD millionGranite County: 35.4 USD millionHill County: 338.5 USD millionJefferson County: 115 USD millionJudith Basin County: 19.1 USD millionLake County: 343.3 USD millionLewis and Clark County: 1,751.3 USD millionLiberty County: 23.2 USD millionLincoln County: 213.5 USD millionMcCone County: 24.3 USD millionMadison County: 195.7 USD millionMeagher County: 20.8 USD millionMineral County: 37.5 USD millionMissoula County: 2,807.7 USD millionMusselshell County: 61.5 USD millionPark County: 239.8 USD millionPetroleum County: 4.6 USD millionPhillips County: 48.8 USD millionPondera County: 63.2 USD millionPowder River County: 18.1 USD millionPowell County: 100.7 USD millionPrairie County: 12.8 USD millionRavalli County: 471.8 USD millionRichland County: 316.8 USD millionRoosevelt County: 153.6 USD millionRosebud County: 210.7 USD millionSanders County: 107.6 USD millionSheridan County: 57.4 USD millionSilver Bow County: 700.3 USD millionStillwater County: 208 USD millionSweet Grass County: 80.9 USD millionTeton County: 65.4 USD millionToole County: 96.2 USD millionTreasure County: 7.5 USD millionValley County: 143.8 USD millionWheatland County: 22.9 USD millionWibaux County: 11.2 USD millionYellowstone County: 4,244 USD million
  • Under 20
  • 20 to 60
  • 60 to 100
  • 100 to 180
  • 180 to 330
  • 330 and over
USD million, 2018. 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, 2018

Yellowstone County: 4,244 USD millionYellowstone County4,244Missoula County: 2,807.7 USD millionMissoula County2,807.7Gallatin County: 2,790.9 USD millionGallatin County2,790.9Flathead County: 1,987.9 USD millionFlathead County1,987.9Cascade County: 1,800.6 USD millionCascade County1,800.6Lewis and Clark County: 1,751.3 USD millionLewis and Clark County1,751.3Silver Bow County: 700.3 USD millionSilver Bow County700.3Ravalli County: 471.8 USD millionRavalli County471.8Lake County: 343.3 USD millionLake County343.3Hill County: 338.5 USD millionHill County338.5Richland County: 316.8 USD millionRichland County316.8Park County: 239.8 USD millionPark County239.8Lincoln County: 213.5 USD millionLincoln County213.5Custer County: 211.4 USD millionCuster County211.4Rosebud County: 210.7 USD millionRosebud County210.7Stillwater County: 208 USD millionStillwater County208Big Horn County: 197.5 USD millionBig Horn County197.5Madison County: 195.7 USD millionMadison County195.7Fergus County: 184.9 USD millionFergus County184.9Dawson County: 181.9 USD millionDawson County181.9Glacier County: 175.4 USD millionGlacier County175.4Beaverhead County: 154.3 USD millionBeaverhead County154.3Roosevelt County: 153.6 USD millionRoosevelt County153.6Valley County: 143.8 USD millionValley County143.8Deer Lodge County: 129.6 USD millionDeer Lodge County129.6Jefferson County: 115 USD millionJefferson County115Sanders County: 107.6 USD millionSanders County107.6Carbon County: 104.3 USD millionCarbon County104.3Powell County: 100.7 USD millionPowell County100.7Toole County: 96.2 USD millionToole County96.2Sweet Grass County: 80.9 USD millionSweet Grass County80.9Fallon County: 78.3 USD millionFallon County78.3Teton County: 65.4 USD millionTeton County65.4Pondera County: 63.2 USD millionPondera County63.2Musselshell County: 61.5 USD millionMusselshell County61.5Broadwater County: 57.7 USD millionBroadwater County57.7Sheridan County: 57.4 USD millionSheridan County57.4Blaine County: 56.6 USD millionBlaine County56.6Chouteau County: 51.2 USD millionChouteau County51.2Phillips County: 48.8 USD millionPhillips County48.8Mineral County: 37.5 USD millionMineral County37.5Granite County: 35.4 USD millionGranite County35.4Daniels County: 30.7 USD millionDaniels County30.7McCone County: 24.3 USD millionMcCone County24.3Liberty County: 23.2 USD millionLiberty County23.2Wheatland County: 22.9 USD millionWheatland County22.9Meagher County: 20.8 USD millionMeagher County20.8Judith Basin County: 19.1 USD millionJudith Basin County19.1Powder River County: 18.1 USD millionPowder River County18.1Carter County: 13.1 USD millionCarter County13.1Prairie County: 12.8 USD millionPrairie County12.8Garfield County: 12.4 USD millionGarfield County12.4Wibaux County: 11.2 USD millionWibaux County11.2Treasure County: 7.5 USD millionTreasure County7.5Golden Valley County: 7.3 USD millionGolden Valley County7.3Petroleum County: 4.6 USD millionPetroleum County4.6Yellowstone County: 4,244 USD millionYellowstone County4,244Missoula County: 2,807.7 USD millionMissoula County2,807.7Gallatin County: 2,790.9 USD millionGallatin County2,790.9Flathead County: 1,987.9 USD millionFlathead County1,987.9Cascade County: 1,800.6 USD millionCascade County1,800.6Lewis and Clark County: 1,751.3 USD millionLewis and Clark County1,751.3Silver Bow County: 700.3 USD millionSilver Bow County700.3Ravalli County: 471.8 USD millionRavalli County471.8Lake County: 343.3 USD millionLake County343.3Hill County: 338.5 USD millionHill County338.5Richland County: 316.8 USD millionRichland County316.8Park County: 239.8 USD millionPark County239.8Lincoln County: 213.5 USD millionLincoln County213.5Custer County: 211.4 USD millionCuster County211.4Rosebud County: 210.7 USD millionRosebud County210.7Stillwater County: 208 USD millionStillwater County208Big Horn County: 197.5 USD millionBig Horn County197.5Madison County: 195.7 USD millionMadison County195.7Fergus County: 184.9 USD millionFergus County184.9Dawson County: 181.9 USD millionDawson County181.9Glacier County: 175.4 USD millionGlacier County175.4Beaverhead County: 154.3 USD millionBeaverhead County154.3Roosevelt County: 153.6 USD millionRoosevelt County153.6Valley County: 143.8 USD millionValley County143.8Deer Lodge County: 129.6 USD millionDeer Lodge County129.6Jefferson County: 115 USD millionJefferson County115Sanders County: 107.6 USD millionSanders County107.6Carbon County: 104.3 USD millionCarbon County104.3Powell County: 100.7 USD millionPowell County100.7Toole County: 96.2 USD millionToole County96.2Sweet Grass County: 80.9 USD millionSweet Grass County80.9Fallon County: 78.3 USD millionFallon County78.3Teton County: 65.4 USD millionTeton County65.4Pondera County: 63.2 USD millionPondera County63.2Musselshell County: 61.5 USD millionMusselshell County61.5Broadwater County: 57.7 USD millionBroadwater County57.7Sheridan County: 57.4 USD millionSheridan County57.4Blaine County: 56.6 USD millionBlaine County56.6Chouteau County: 51.2 USD millionChouteau County51.2Phillips County: 48.8 USD millionPhillips County48.8Mineral County: 37.5 USD millionMineral County37.5Granite County: 35.4 USD millionGranite County35.4Daniels County: 30.7 USD millionDaniels County30.7McCone County: 24.3 USD millionMcCone County24.3Liberty County: 23.2 USD millionLiberty County23.2Wheatland County: 22.9 USD millionWheatland County22.9Meagher County: 20.8 USD millionMeagher County20.8Judith Basin County: 19.1 USD millionJudith Basin County19.1Powder River County: 18.1 USD millionPowder River County18.1Carter County: 13.1 USD millionCarter County13.1Prairie County: 12.8 USD millionPrairie County12.8Garfield County: 12.4 USD millionGarfield County12.4Wibaux County: 11.2 USD millionWibaux County11.2Treasure County: 7.5 USD millionTreasure County7.5Golden Valley County: 7.3 USD millionGolden Valley County7.3Petroleum County: 4.6 USD millionPetroleum County4.6
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

RankCounties2018
USD million
Change on 2017
1Yellowstone County4,244+4.7%
2Missoula County2,807.7+5.5%
3Gallatin County2,790.9+7.7%
4Flathead County1,987.9+4.5%
5Cascade County1,800.6+3.5%
6Lewis and Clark County1,751.3+2.4%
7Silver Bow County700.3+1.5%
8Ravalli County471.8+4.3%
9Lake County343.3+3.3%
10Hill County338.5+2.8%
11Richland County316.8+5.2%
12Park County239.8+6.5%
13Lincoln County213.5+7.7%
14Custer County211.4+2.2%
15Rosebud County210.7-1.8%
16Stillwater County208+6.7%
17Big Horn County197.5+4.5%
18Madison County195.7+14.2%
19Fergus County184.9+4.3%
20Dawson County181.9+3.2%
21Glacier County175.4+3.9%
22Beaverhead County154.3+1.8%
23Roosevelt County153.6+3.3%
24Valley County143.8+5.6%
25Deer Lodge County129.6+3.1%
26Jefferson County115+1.7%
27Sanders County107.6+3.9%
28Carbon County104.3+1.9%
29Powell County100.7+2.4%
30Toole County96.2+4.3%
31Sweet Grass County80.9+1.1%
32Fallon County78.3+4.5%
33Teton County65.4-2.9%
34Pondera County63.2+1.3%
35Musselshell County61.5+2.5%
36Broadwater County57.7+6.4%
37Sheridan County57.4-5.2%
38Blaine County56.6-0.8%
39Chouteau County51.2+2.7%
40Phillips County48.8+4.1%
41Mineral County37.5+3.3%
42Granite County35.4+6.1%
43Daniels County30.7+5.9%
44McCone County24.3-2.3%
45Liberty County23.2+2.9%
46Wheatland County22.9+0.7%
47Meagher County20.8+11.2%
48Judith Basin County19.1+2.9%
49Powder River County18.1+0.2%
50Carter County13.1-0.2%
51Prairie County12.8+7.3%
52Garfield County12.4+1.9%
53Wibaux County11.2-1.4%
54Treasure County7.5+5.5%
55Golden Valley County7.3-1.4%
56Petroleum County4.6+1.2%

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, 2018) [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, 2018. 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=2018. 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, 2018. 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=2018.

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, 2018 [Dataset]. Available at: https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/montana-counties?period=2018 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_montana_by_2018,
  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, 2018}},
  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=2018. 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, 2018
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=2018
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/montana-counties?period=2018.
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 $4.24 billion in 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Which county has the lowest wages and salaries paid?

Petroleum County, with $4.63 million in 2018.

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