Counties in Montana by wages and salaries paid

Yellowstone County had the highest wages and salaries paid of 56 counties in 2020, at $4.54 billion. Petroleum County had the lowest, at $4.84 million. The median was $109.4 million and the figure for Montana was $23.59 billion. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

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Highest4,535.9Yellowstone County
Median109.456 counties
Montana23,588.2History

Map of counties, 2020

Beaverhead County: 167.6 USD millionBig Horn County: 200.9 USD millionBlaine County: 61.2 USD millionBroadwater County: 57.2 USD millionCarbon County: 109.9 USD millionCarter County: 14.2 USD millionCascade County: 1,909.2 USD millionChouteau County: 52.4 USD millionCuster County: 226.7 USD millionDaniels County: 30.1 USD millionDawson County: 171.6 USD millionDeer Lodge County: 137.1 USD millionFallon County: 74.8 USD millionFergus County: 203.2 USD millionFlathead County: 2,151.4 USD millionGallatin County: 3,304.7 USD millionGarfield County: 13.8 USD millionGlacier County: 192.2 USD millionGolden Valley County: 8 USD millionGranite County: 33.9 USD millionHill County: 347.2 USD millionJefferson County: 110.3 USD millionJudith Basin County: 23.5 USD millionLake County: 379.5 USD millionLewis and Clark County: 1,950.1 USD millionLiberty County: 25.5 USD millionLincoln County: 223.4 USD millionMcCone County: 26.6 USD millionMadison County: 255.5 USD millionMeagher County: 23.1 USD millionMineral County: 40.7 USD millionMissoula County: 3,078.1 USD millionMusselshell County: 61.7 USD millionPark County: 262.2 USD millionPetroleum County: 4.8 USD millionPhillips County: 53.6 USD millionPondera County: 69.1 USD millionPowder River County: 19.9 USD millionPowell County: 108.9 USD millionPrairie County: 12.8 USD millionRavalli County: 538.4 USD millionRichland County: 309.7 USD millionRoosevelt County: 162.7 USD millionRosebud County: 216.3 USD millionSanders County: 120.8 USD millionSheridan County: 58.7 USD millionSilver Bow County: 734.6 USD millionStillwater County: 255.3 USD millionSweet Grass County: 90 USD millionTeton County: 71.7 USD millionToole County: 106.9 USD millionTreasure County: 8 USD millionValley County: 147.3 USD millionWheatland County: 23.8 USD millionWibaux County: 11.6 USD millionYellowstone County: 4,535.9 USD million
  • Under 20
  • 20 to 60
  • 60 to 110
  • 110 to 200
  • 200 to 340
  • 340 and over
USD million, 2020. 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, 2020

Yellowstone County: 4,535.9 USD millionYellowstone County4,535.9Gallatin County: 3,304.7 USD millionGallatin County3,304.7Missoula County: 3,078.1 USD millionMissoula County3,078.1Flathead County: 2,151.4 USD millionFlathead County2,151.4Lewis and Clark County: 1,950.1 USD millionLewis and Clark County1,950.1Cascade County: 1,909.2 USD millionCascade County1,909.2Silver Bow County: 734.6 USD millionSilver Bow County734.6Ravalli County: 538.4 USD millionRavalli County538.4Lake County: 379.5 USD millionLake County379.5Hill County: 347.2 USD millionHill County347.2Richland County: 309.7 USD millionRichland County309.7Park County: 262.2 USD millionPark County262.2Madison County: 255.5 USD millionMadison County255.5Stillwater County: 255.3 USD millionStillwater County255.3Custer County: 226.7 USD millionCuster County226.7Lincoln County: 223.4 USD millionLincoln County223.4Rosebud County: 216.3 USD millionRosebud County216.3Fergus County: 203.2 USD millionFergus County203.2Big Horn County: 200.9 USD millionBig Horn County200.9Glacier County: 192.2 USD millionGlacier County192.2Dawson County: 171.6 USD millionDawson County171.6Beaverhead County: 167.6 USD millionBeaverhead County167.6Roosevelt County: 162.7 USD millionRoosevelt County162.7Valley County: 147.3 USD millionValley County147.3Deer Lodge County: 137.1 USD millionDeer Lodge County137.1Sanders County: 120.8 USD millionSanders County120.8Jefferson County: 110.3 USD millionJefferson County110.3Carbon County: 109.9 USD millionCarbon County109.9Powell County: 108.9 USD millionPowell County108.9Toole County: 106.9 USD millionToole County106.9Sweet Grass County: 90 USD millionSweet Grass County90Fallon County: 74.8 USD millionFallon County74.8Teton County: 71.7 USD millionTeton County71.7Pondera County: 69.1 USD millionPondera County69.1Musselshell County: 61.7 USD millionMusselshell County61.7Blaine County: 61.2 USD millionBlaine County61.2Sheridan County: 58.7 USD millionSheridan County58.7Broadwater County: 57.2 USD millionBroadwater County57.2Phillips County: 53.6 USD millionPhillips County53.6Chouteau County: 52.4 USD millionChouteau County52.4Mineral County: 40.7 USD millionMineral County40.7Granite County: 33.9 USD millionGranite County33.9Daniels County: 30.1 USD millionDaniels County30.1McCone County: 26.6 USD millionMcCone County26.6Liberty County: 25.5 USD millionLiberty County25.5Wheatland County: 23.8 USD millionWheatland County23.8Judith Basin County: 23.5 USD millionJudith Basin County23.5Meagher County: 23.1 USD millionMeagher County23.1Powder River County: 19.9 USD millionPowder River County19.9Carter County: 14.2 USD millionCarter County14.2Garfield County: 13.8 USD millionGarfield County13.8Prairie County: 12.8 USD millionPrairie County12.8Wibaux County: 11.6 USD millionWibaux County11.6Golden Valley County: 8 USD millionGolden Valley County8Treasure County: 8 USD millionTreasure County8Petroleum County: 4.8 USD millionPetroleum County4.8Yellowstone County: 4,535.9 USD millionYellowstone County4,535.9Gallatin County: 3,304.7 USD millionGallatin County3,304.7Missoula County: 3,078.1 USD millionMissoula County3,078.1Flathead County: 2,151.4 USD millionFlathead County2,151.4Lewis and Clark County: 1,950.1 USD millionLewis and Clark County1,950.1Cascade County: 1,909.2 USD millionCascade County1,909.2Silver Bow County: 734.6 USD millionSilver Bow County734.6Ravalli County: 538.4 USD millionRavalli County538.4Lake County: 379.5 USD millionLake County379.5Hill County: 347.2 USD millionHill County347.2Richland County: 309.7 USD millionRichland County309.7Park County: 262.2 USD millionPark County262.2Madison County: 255.5 USD millionMadison County255.5Stillwater County: 255.3 USD millionStillwater County255.3Custer County: 226.7 USD millionCuster County226.7Lincoln County: 223.4 USD millionLincoln County223.4Rosebud County: 216.3 USD millionRosebud County216.3Fergus County: 203.2 USD millionFergus County203.2Big Horn County: 200.9 USD millionBig Horn County200.9Glacier County: 192.2 USD millionGlacier County192.2Dawson County: 171.6 USD millionDawson County171.6Beaverhead County: 167.6 USD millionBeaverhead County167.6Roosevelt County: 162.7 USD millionRoosevelt County162.7Valley County: 147.3 USD millionValley County147.3Deer Lodge County: 137.1 USD millionDeer Lodge County137.1Sanders County: 120.8 USD millionSanders County120.8Jefferson County: 110.3 USD millionJefferson County110.3Carbon County: 109.9 USD millionCarbon County109.9Powell County: 108.9 USD millionPowell County108.9Toole County: 106.9 USD millionToole County106.9Sweet Grass County: 90 USD millionSweet Grass County90Fallon County: 74.8 USD millionFallon County74.8Teton County: 71.7 USD millionTeton County71.7Pondera County: 69.1 USD millionPondera County69.1Musselshell County: 61.7 USD millionMusselshell County61.7Blaine County: 61.2 USD millionBlaine County61.2Sheridan County: 58.7 USD millionSheridan County58.7Broadwater County: 57.2 USD millionBroadwater County57.2Phillips County: 53.6 USD millionPhillips County53.6Chouteau County: 52.4 USD millionChouteau County52.4Mineral County: 40.7 USD millionMineral County40.7Granite County: 33.9 USD millionGranite County33.9Daniels County: 30.1 USD millionDaniels County30.1McCone County: 26.6 USD millionMcCone County26.6Liberty County: 25.5 USD millionLiberty County25.5Wheatland County: 23.8 USD millionWheatland County23.8Judith Basin County: 23.5 USD millionJudith Basin County23.5Meagher County: 23.1 USD millionMeagher County23.1Powder River County: 19.9 USD millionPowder River County19.9Carter County: 14.2 USD millionCarter County14.2Garfield County: 13.8 USD millionGarfield County13.8Prairie County: 12.8 USD millionPrairie County12.8Wibaux County: 11.6 USD millionWibaux County11.6Golden Valley County: 8 USD millionGolden Valley County8Treasure County: 8 USD millionTreasure County8Petroleum County: 4.8 USD millionPetroleum County4.8
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

RankCounties2020
USD million
Change on 2019
1Yellowstone County4,535.9+3.3%
2Gallatin County3,304.7+9.1%
3Missoula County3,078.1+4.5%
4Flathead County2,151.4+5.1%
5Lewis and Clark County1,950.1+5.2%
6Cascade County1,909.2+2.8%
7Silver Bow County734.6+2.9%
8Ravalli County538.4+8.7%
9Lake County379.5+7.1%
10Hill County347.2+4.1%
11Richland County309.7-4.4%
12Park County262.2+1.2%
13Madison County255.5+22%
14Stillwater County255.3+6.4%
15Custer County226.7+3.5%
16Lincoln County223.4+2.9%
17Rosebud County216.3+1.2%
18Fergus County203.2-3.2%
19Big Horn County200.9+0.2%
20Glacier County192.2+7%
21Dawson County171.6-2.9%
22Beaverhead County167.6+6.8%
23Roosevelt County162.7+2.5%
24Valley County147.3+2.9%
25Deer Lodge County137.1+3.8%
26Sanders County120.8+7.7%
27Jefferson County110.3-1.3%
28Carbon County109.9+4%
29Powell County108.9+6.4%
30Toole County106.9+8.8%
31Sweet Grass County90+5.6%
32Fallon County74.8-5.5%
33Teton County71.7+7.8%
34Pondera County69.1+8.2%
35Musselshell County61.7-2.3%
36Blaine County61.2+8.1%
37Sheridan County58.7+3.6%
38Broadwater County57.2+2.5%
39Phillips County53.6+6.9%
40Chouteau County52.4+13.8%
41Mineral County40.7-2.3%
42Granite County33.9-3.9%
43Daniels County30.1+6.2%
44McCone County26.6+10.7%
45Liberty County25.5+13.3%
46Wheatland County23.8+5.9%
47Judith Basin County23.5+4.3%
48Meagher County23.1+11%
49Powder River County19.9+9.6%
50Carter County14.2+16.8%
51Garfield County13.8+10.6%
52Prairie County12.8+3.5%
53Wibaux County11.6+0.2%
54Golden Valley County8+16.6%
55Treasure County8+15.4%
56Petroleum County4.8+12.4%

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, 2020) [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, 2020. 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=2020. 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, 2020. 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=2020.

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, 2020 [Dataset]. Available at: https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/montana-counties?period=2020 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_montana_by_2020,
  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, 2020}},
  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=2020. 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, 2020
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=2020
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/montana-counties?period=2020.
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 $4.54 billion in 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Which county has the lowest wages and salaries paid?

Petroleum County, with $4.84 million in 2020.

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