Employment rose 0.5 percent in Montana’s only large county, Yellowstone, from December 2023 to December 2024, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Michael Hirniak noted that the rate of employment growth in Yellowstone ranked 193^rd among the 363 largest U.S. counties with published data. (See table 1.)

Employment in Yellowstone stood at 87,800 in December 2024, accounting for 17.1 percent of total employment in Montana. Nationwide, the 369 largest counties comprise 73.3 percent of total covered employment in the United States. (Large counties and county equivalents are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2023.)

The average weekly wage in Yellowstone increased 6.2 percent over the year to $1,314. The national average was $1,507, up 5.0 percent over the year. Yellowstone’s weekly wage ranked 193^rd nationally, and the percent change ranked 46^th among the largest U.S. counties.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 55 small counties in Montana, defined as having employment below 75,000 in 2023. (See table 2.) Among the small counties in Montana, Stillwater was the only county that reported an average weekly wage ($1,597) above the national average.  Petroleum reported the lowest average weekly wage ($666) in the state.

Among all 56 Montana counties, 15 reported average weekly wages of less than $900, 14 registered wages from $900 to $1,024, 13 had wages from $1,025 to $1,149, and 14 had average weekly wages of $1,150 or higher. (See map 1 and table 2.)