Counties in Montana by wages and salaries paid

Yellowstone County had the highest wages and salaries paid of 56 counties in 2021, at $4.95 billion. Petroleum County had the lowest, at $4.99 million. The median was $117.33 million and the figure for Montana was $26.16 billion. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

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Highest4,951Yellowstone County
Median117.356 counties
Montana26,159.3History

Map of counties, 2021

Beaverhead County: 182.4 USD millionBig Horn County: 197.9 USD millionBlaine County: 62.9 USD millionBroadwater County: 62.7 USD millionCarbon County: 124 USD millionCarter County: 15.4 USD millionCascade County: 2,066.2 USD millionChouteau County: 56.2 USD millionCuster County: 242.1 USD millionDaniels County: 30.8 USD millionDawson County: 170.7 USD millionDeer Lodge County: 148.4 USD millionFallon County: 72.6 USD millionFergus County: 215.9 USD millionFlathead County: 2,497 USD millionGallatin County: 3,926.8 USD millionGarfield County: 14.5 USD millionGlacier County: 189.8 USD millionGolden Valley County: 8.4 USD millionGranite County: 41 USD millionHill County: 362.2 USD millionJefferson County: 120.1 USD millionJudith Basin County: 23.4 USD millionLake County: 418.7 USD millionLewis and Clark County: 2,104.1 USD millionLiberty County: 28.2 USD millionLincoln County: 242.3 USD millionMcCone County: 28.9 USD millionMadison County: 270.1 USD millionMeagher County: 25.3 USD millionMineral County: 48.5 USD millionMissoula County: 3,469.1 USD millionMusselshell County: 64.4 USD millionPark County: 306.5 USD millionPetroleum County: 5 USD millionPhillips County: 54.1 USD millionPondera County: 73.1 USD millionPowder River County: 20.6 USD millionPowell County: 114.6 USD millionPrairie County: 13.7 USD millionRavalli County: 610.4 USD millionRichland County: 316.9 USD millionRoosevelt County: 162.3 USD millionRosebud County: 216.1 USD millionSanders County: 134.7 USD millionSheridan County: 60.2 USD millionSilver Bow County: 820.2 USD millionStillwater County: 290.6 USD millionSweet Grass County: 98.6 USD millionTeton County: 79.1 USD millionToole County: 104.9 USD millionTreasure County: 8.6 USD millionValley County: 150.5 USD millionWheatland County: 25.4 USD millionWibaux County: 11.9 USD millionYellowstone County: 4,951 USD million
  • Under 30
  • 30 to 60
  • 60 to 120
  • 120 to 200
  • 200 to 350
  • 350 and over
USD million, 2021. 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, 2021

Yellowstone County: 4,951 USD millionYellowstone County4,951Gallatin County: 3,926.8 USD millionGallatin County3,926.8Missoula County: 3,469.1 USD millionMissoula County3,469.1Flathead County: 2,497 USD millionFlathead County2,497Lewis and Clark County: 2,104.1 USD millionLewis and Clark County2,104.1Cascade County: 2,066.2 USD millionCascade County2,066.2Silver Bow County: 820.2 USD millionSilver Bow County820.2Ravalli County: 610.4 USD millionRavalli County610.4Lake County: 418.7 USD millionLake County418.7Hill County: 362.2 USD millionHill County362.2Richland County: 316.9 USD millionRichland County316.9Park County: 306.5 USD millionPark County306.5Stillwater County: 290.6 USD millionStillwater County290.6Madison County: 270.1 USD millionMadison County270.1Lincoln County: 242.3 USD millionLincoln County242.3Custer County: 242.1 USD millionCuster County242.1Rosebud County: 216.1 USD millionRosebud County216.1Fergus County: 215.9 USD millionFergus County215.9Big Horn County: 197.9 USD millionBig Horn County197.9Glacier County: 189.8 USD millionGlacier County189.8Beaverhead County: 182.4 USD millionBeaverhead County182.4Dawson County: 170.7 USD millionDawson County170.7Roosevelt County: 162.3 USD millionRoosevelt County162.3Valley County: 150.5 USD millionValley County150.5Deer Lodge County: 148.4 USD millionDeer Lodge County148.4Sanders County: 134.7 USD millionSanders County134.7Carbon County: 124 USD millionCarbon County124Jefferson County: 120.1 USD millionJefferson County120.1Powell County: 114.6 USD millionPowell County114.6Toole County: 104.9 USD millionToole County104.9Sweet Grass County: 98.6 USD millionSweet Grass County98.6Teton County: 79.1 USD millionTeton County79.1Pondera County: 73.1 USD millionPondera County73.1Fallon County: 72.6 USD millionFallon County72.6Musselshell County: 64.4 USD millionMusselshell County64.4Blaine County: 62.9 USD millionBlaine County62.9Broadwater County: 62.7 USD millionBroadwater County62.7Sheridan County: 60.2 USD millionSheridan County60.2Chouteau County: 56.2 USD millionChouteau County56.2Phillips County: 54.1 USD millionPhillips County54.1Mineral County: 48.5 USD millionMineral County48.5Granite County: 41 USD millionGranite County41Daniels County: 30.8 USD millionDaniels County30.8McCone County: 28.9 USD millionMcCone County28.9Liberty County: 28.2 USD millionLiberty County28.2Wheatland County: 25.4 USD millionWheatland County25.4Meagher County: 25.3 USD millionMeagher County25.3Judith Basin County: 23.4 USD millionJudith Basin County23.4Powder River County: 20.6 USD millionPowder River County20.6Carter County: 15.4 USD millionCarter County15.4Garfield County: 14.5 USD millionGarfield County14.5Prairie County: 13.7 USD millionPrairie County13.7Wibaux County: 11.9 USD millionWibaux County11.9Treasure County: 8.6 USD millionTreasure County8.6Golden Valley County: 8.4 USD millionGolden Valley County8.4Petroleum County: 5 USD millionPetroleum County5Yellowstone County: 4,951 USD millionYellowstone County4,951Gallatin County: 3,926.8 USD millionGallatin County3,926.8Missoula County: 3,469.1 USD millionMissoula County3,469.1Flathead County: 2,497 USD millionFlathead County2,497Lewis and Clark County: 2,104.1 USD millionLewis and Clark County2,104.1Cascade County: 2,066.2 USD millionCascade County2,066.2Silver Bow County: 820.2 USD millionSilver Bow County820.2Ravalli County: 610.4 USD millionRavalli County610.4Lake County: 418.7 USD millionLake County418.7Hill County: 362.2 USD millionHill County362.2Richland County: 316.9 USD millionRichland County316.9Park County: 306.5 USD millionPark County306.5Stillwater County: 290.6 USD millionStillwater County290.6Madison County: 270.1 USD millionMadison County270.1Lincoln County: 242.3 USD millionLincoln County242.3Custer County: 242.1 USD millionCuster County242.1Rosebud County: 216.1 USD millionRosebud County216.1Fergus County: 215.9 USD millionFergus County215.9Big Horn County: 197.9 USD millionBig Horn County197.9Glacier County: 189.8 USD millionGlacier County189.8Beaverhead County: 182.4 USD millionBeaverhead County182.4Dawson County: 170.7 USD millionDawson County170.7Roosevelt County: 162.3 USD millionRoosevelt County162.3Valley County: 150.5 USD millionValley County150.5Deer Lodge County: 148.4 USD millionDeer Lodge County148.4Sanders County: 134.7 USD millionSanders County134.7Carbon County: 124 USD millionCarbon County124Jefferson County: 120.1 USD millionJefferson County120.1Powell County: 114.6 USD millionPowell County114.6Toole County: 104.9 USD millionToole County104.9Sweet Grass County: 98.6 USD millionSweet Grass County98.6Teton County: 79.1 USD millionTeton County79.1Pondera County: 73.1 USD millionPondera County73.1Fallon County: 72.6 USD millionFallon County72.6Musselshell County: 64.4 USD millionMusselshell County64.4Blaine County: 62.9 USD millionBlaine County62.9Broadwater County: 62.7 USD millionBroadwater County62.7Sheridan County: 60.2 USD millionSheridan County60.2Chouteau County: 56.2 USD millionChouteau County56.2Phillips County: 54.1 USD millionPhillips County54.1Mineral County: 48.5 USD millionMineral County48.5Granite County: 41 USD millionGranite County41Daniels County: 30.8 USD millionDaniels County30.8McCone County: 28.9 USD millionMcCone County28.9Liberty County: 28.2 USD millionLiberty County28.2Wheatland County: 25.4 USD millionWheatland County25.4Meagher County: 25.3 USD millionMeagher County25.3Judith Basin County: 23.4 USD millionJudith Basin County23.4Powder River County: 20.6 USD millionPowder River County20.6Carter County: 15.4 USD millionCarter County15.4Garfield County: 14.5 USD millionGarfield County14.5Prairie County: 13.7 USD millionPrairie County13.7Wibaux County: 11.9 USD millionWibaux County11.9Treasure County: 8.6 USD millionTreasure County8.6Golden Valley County: 8.4 USD millionGolden Valley County8.4Petroleum County: 5 USD millionPetroleum County5
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

RankCounties2021
USD million
Change on 2020
1Yellowstone County4,951+9.2%
2Gallatin County3,926.8+18.8%
3Missoula County3,469.1+12.7%
4Flathead County2,497+16.1%
5Lewis and Clark County2,104.1+7.9%
6Cascade County2,066.2+8.2%
7Silver Bow County820.2+11.7%
8Ravalli County610.4+13.4%
9Lake County418.7+10.3%
10Hill County362.2+4.3%
11Richland County316.9+2.3%
12Park County306.5+16.9%
13Stillwater County290.6+13.8%
14Madison County270.1+5.7%
15Lincoln County242.3+8.5%
16Custer County242.1+6.8%
17Rosebud County216.1-0.1%
18Fergus County215.9+6.2%
19Big Horn County197.9-1.5%
20Glacier County189.8-1.2%
21Beaverhead County182.4+8.9%
22Dawson County170.7-0.5%
23Roosevelt County162.3-0.2%
24Valley County150.5+2.1%
25Deer Lodge County148.4+8.3%
26Sanders County134.7+11.5%
27Carbon County124+12.8%
28Jefferson County120.1+8.9%
29Powell County114.6+5.2%
30Toole County104.9-1.9%
31Sweet Grass County98.6+9.6%
32Teton County79.1+10.3%
33Pondera County73.1+5.8%
34Fallon County72.6-3%
35Musselshell County64.4+4.4%
36Blaine County62.9+2.9%
37Broadwater County62.7+9.5%
38Sheridan County60.2+2.5%
39Chouteau County56.2+7.3%
40Phillips County54.1+1%
41Mineral County48.5+19.4%
42Granite County41+21%
43Daniels County30.8+2.3%
44McCone County28.9+8.7%
45Liberty County28.2+10.7%
46Wheatland County25.4+6.3%
47Meagher County25.3+9.4%
48Judith Basin County23.4-0.5%
49Powder River County20.6+3.7%
50Carter County15.4+8.3%
51Garfield County14.5+5.5%
52Prairie County13.7+6.8%
53Wibaux County11.9+3%
54Treasure County8.6+7.6%
55Golden Valley County8.4+4.1%
56Petroleum County5+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, 2021) [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, 2021. 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=2021. 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, 2021. 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=2021.

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, 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/montana-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_montana_by_2021,
  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, 2021}},
  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=2021. 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, 2021
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=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/montana-counties?period=2021.
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 $4.95 billion in 2021, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Which county has the lowest wages and salaries paid?

Petroleum County, with $4.99 million in 2021.

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