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News Release Information

25-974-KAN
Thursday, June 12, 2025

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (816) 285-7000

County Employment and Wages in Montana — Fourth Quarter 2024

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 193rd 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.)

Large county average weekly wages in the fourth quarter 2024

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 193rd nationally, and the percent change ranked 46th among the largest U.S. counties.

Smaller county average weekly wages in the fourth quarter of 2024

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.)

Map 1. Average weekly wages by county in Montana, fourth quarter 2024

(U.S. average = $1,507)

Additional statistics and other information

QCEW data for states have been included in this release in table 3. For additional information about quarterly employment and wages data, please read the Technical Note for the County Employment and Wages News Release or visit the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages website.

Employment and Wages Annual Averages Online features comprehensive information by detailed industry on establishments, employment, and wages for the nation and all states. This publication is typically published in September of the following year of the reference period or shortly after the QCEW first quarter full data update.

Information in this release will be made available to individuals with sensory impairments upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Telecommunications Relay Service: 7-1-1.

The County Employment and Wages release for the first quarter 2025 is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, September 9, 2025.

QCEW Moves to One Data Release Beginning with Fourth Quarter 2024 Publication

The Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) is streamlining its release process. Beginning with the fourth quarter 2024 national release on June 4, QCEW will publish the national County Employment and Wages news release on the same date as the QCEW full data update. Revised news release dates are available online.

Table 1. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and the largest county in Montana, fourth quarter 2024
Area Establishments,
fourth quarter
(thousands)
Employment Average weekly wage (1)
December 2024
(thousands)
Percent change,
December
2023–24 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)
Fourth quarter
2024 ($)
National ranking
by level (3)
Percent change,
fourth quarter
2023–24 (2)
National ranking
by percent change (3)

United States (4)

12,265.4 156,202.9 0.8 -- 1,507 -- 5.0 --

Montana

65.8 512.8 0.5 -- 1,254 37 6.4 6

Yellowstone

8.0 87.8 0.5 193 1,314 193 6.2 46

(1) Average weekly wages were calculated using unrounded data.
(2) Percent changes were computed from employment and pay data adjusted for noneconomic county reclassifications.
(3) Ranking does not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.
(4) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.

Note: Data are preliminary. Dashes indicate data not applicable or available. Covered employment and wages include workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.

Table 2. Covered establishments, employment, and wages in the United States and all counties in Montana, fourth quarter 2024
Area Establishments Employment December 2024 Average weekly wage ($) (1)

United States (2)

12,265,395 156,202,874 1,507

Montana

65,778 512,841 1,254

Beaverhead

602 4,084 970

Big Horn

273 3,722 1,064

Blaine

208 1,340 937

Broadwater

273 1,449 897

Carbon

667 3,041 981

Carter

58 345 884

Cascade

3,282 36,470 1,162

Chouteau

230 1,252 1,003

Custer

564 5,365 1,032

Daniels

100 566 946

Dawson

419 3,395 991

Deer Lodge

362 3,397 1,058

Fallon

186 1,192 1,156

Fergus

594 4,719 993

Flathead

7,299 50,480 1,209

Gallatin

10,184 74,192 1,478

Garfield

71 334 716

Glacier

345 4,030 1,066

Golden Valley

49 213 1,065

Granite

201 943 958

Hill

607 6,766 1,021

Jefferson

513 2,750 1,102

Judith Basin

116 549 853

Lake

1,344 9,731 1,076

Lewis and Clark

3,864 40,300 1,295

Liberty

97 517 851

Lincoln

993 6,144 931

McCone

79 553 1,092

Madison

643 2,759 1,171

Meagher

140 731 864

Mineral

210 1,135 898

Missoula

7,090 65,486 1,227

Musselshell

208 1,327 1,187

Park

1,361 6,670 1,114

Petroleum

26 115 666

Phillips

190 1,190 820

Pondera

240 1,535 893

Powder River

107 580 1,133

Powell

257 2,422 1,183

Prairie

63 484 854

Ravalli

2,478 13,832 1,073

Richland

660 5,279 1,250

Roosevelt

279 3,427 972

Rosebud

271 3,581 1,242

Sanders

592 3,223 928

Sheridan

227 1,267 988

Silver Bow

1,522 16,545 1,148

Stillwater

417 2,974 1,597

Sweet Grass

278 1,445 1,490

Teton

334 1,789 884

Toole

244 1,804 1,148

Treasure

33 205 840

Valley

360 2,850 1,013

Wheatland

106 611 863

Wibaux

46 251 824

Yellowstone

8,023 87,776 1,314

(1) Average weekly wages were calculated using unrounded data.
(2) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.

Note: Data are preliminary. Dashes indicate data not applicable or available. Covered employment and wages include workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.

Table 3. Covered establishments, employment, and wages by state, fourth quarter 2024
State Establishments,
fourth quarter
(thousands)
Employment Average weekly wage (1)
December 2024
(thousands)
Percent change,
December
2023–24
Fourth quarter
2024 ($)
National ranking
by level
Percent change,
fourth quarter
2023–24
National ranking
by percent change

United States (2)

12,265.4 156,202.9 0.8 1,507 -- 5.0 --

Alabama

162.3 2,122.2 0.9 1,255 36 4.1 32

Alaska

25.3 317.4 1.7 1,430 16 4.2 30

Arizona

225.5 3,272.3 1.2 1,406 19 6.4 6

Arkansas

106.1 1,312.6 1.1 1,153 50 5.9 10

California

1,903.9 18,230.8 0.5 1,872 5 6.5 5

Colorado

236.6 2,911.3 -0.3 1,594 8 5.1 16

Connecticut

150.7 1,700.7 0.5 1,716 6 5.2 15

Delaware

45.2 480.6 1.5 1,437 15 4.5 24

District of Columbia

52.4 757.2 -0.5 2,495 1 4.7 21

Florida

914.8 9,978.9 0.9 1,405 20 5.7 13

Georgia

396.6 4,916.6 0.8 1,391 21 4.7 21

Hawaii

61.4 651.3 1.1 1,345 27 4.3 26

Idaho

103.9 859.1 0.5 1,232 39 8.3 3

Illinois

411.2 6,089.1 0.5 1,538 12 4.1 32

Indiana

194.6 3,201.9 0.4 1,222 44 4.4 25

Iowa

112.5 1,559.3 -0.6 1,237 38 3.2 50

Kansas

103.5 1,445.6 0.9 1,218 45 4.3 26

Kentucky

159.0 2,008.4 0.2 1,189 46 3.8 39

Louisiana

156.8 1,936.3 1.1 1,228 40 2.8 51

Maine

66.2 643.9 0.9 1,278 33 5.9 10

Maryland

197.0 2,779.9 1.6 1,570 10 4.2 30

Massachusetts

288.5 3,646.1 -0.4 1,890 3 4.7 21

Michigan

303.4 4,406.8 -0.1 1,370 23 4.1 32

Minnesota

215.1 2,945.4 1.1 1,452 14 3.7 42

Mississippi

90.9 1,174.3 0.2 1,023 51 4.1 32

Missouri

251.5 2,922.2 0.5 1,268 35 3.8 39

Montana

65.8 512.8 0.5 1,254 37 6.4 6

Nebraska

78.0 1,024.8 0.5 1,227 41 3.5 45

Nevada

108.1 1,561.5 0.4 1,350 25 6.1 9

New Hampshire

68.7 692.4 0.4 1,577 9 3.3 49

New Jersey

339.1 4,332.2 0.9 1,629 7 3.4 47

New Mexico

68.9 873.8 0.3 1,223 42 5.0 17

New York

711.5 9,777.3 1.5 1,881 4 5.4 14

North Carolina

384.0 4,941.9 0.5 1,358 24 5.8 12

North Dakota

36.9 431.1 0.9 1,315 30 3.8 39

Ohio

346.3 5,551.7 0.6 1,305 32 4.8 20

Oklahoma

129.7 1,713.2 0.8 1,168 48 4.1 32

Oregon

190.9 1,989.6 0.0 1,424 17 6.6 4

Pennsylvania

395.1 6,076.5 0.8 1,414 18 4.0 37

Rhode Island

48.9 500.8 1.6 1,348 26 3.5 45

South Carolina

195.3 2,310.1 1.4 1,223 42 6.2 8

South Dakota

40.6 459.7 0.9 1,181 47 3.9 38

Tennessee

232.2 3,320.3 0.9 1,372 22 5.0 17

Texas

846.0 14,129.7 1.5 1,488 13 4.3 26

Utah

142.6 1,735.8 1.3 1,333 29 3.7 42

Vermont

33.7 311.2 0.0 1,311 31 4.9 19

Virginia

320.9 4,142.6 1.2 1,546 11 4.3 26

Washington

241.5 3,612.0 0.8 1,897 2 8.7 2

West Virginia

62.7 701.4 0.2 1,159 49 3.4 47

Wisconsin

212.2 2,950.8 0.4 1,278 33 3.6 44

Wyoming

31.1 279.4 0.5 1,340 28 12.4 1

Puerto Rico

51.6 975.4 -0.2 718 (3) 4.5 (3)

Virgin Islands

3.0 33.1 -8.6 1,046 (3) 1.8 (3)

(1) Average weekly wages were calculated using unrounded data.
(2) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands.
(3) Data not included in the national ranking.

Note: Data are preliminary. Dashes indicate data not applicable or available. Covered employment and wages include workers covered by Unemployment Insurance (UI) and Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE) programs.

 

Last Modified Date: Thursday, June 12, 2025