Employment declined 0.1 percent in Yellowstone, the only large county in Montana, from March 2025 to March 2026, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Montana employment increased 0.6 percent over the year to 506,600 in March 2026, as measured by the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program. Regional Commissioner James B. Howard, Jr., noted that the rate of employment growth in Yellowstone ranked 166th among the 371 largest U.S. counties with published data. (See table 1.)

Employment in Yellowstone stood at 86,100 in March 2026, accounting for 17.0 percent of total employment in Montana. Nationwide, the 376 largest counties comprise 73.5 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 2025.)

The average weekly wage in Yellowstone increased 4.2 percent over the year to $1,285. The national average was $1,654, up 3.9 percent over the year. Yellowstone’s weekly wage ranked 251st nationally, and the percent change ranked 118th among the largest U.S. counties. 

Statewide, average weekly wages increased 3.5 percent over the year to $1,229. Montana ranked 48th in average weekly wages among the 50 states and the District of Columbia and 30th in wage growth.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 55 smaller counties in Montana, defined as having employment below 75,000 in 2025. (See table 2.)  Wage levels in all of the smaller counties were below the national average. Stillwater reported the highest average weekly wage ($1,391) in the state. Petroleum reported the lowest average weekly wage ($663).

Among all 56 Montana counties, 12 reported average weekly wages of $874 and lower, 12 had wages from $875 to $974, 9 had wages from $975 to $1,074, 11 had wages from $1,075 to $1,174, and 12 had average weekly wages of $1,175 and higher. (See map 1 and table 2.)  

QCEW data for all states have been included in this release in table 3.

Nationwide coverage of the largest counties is published in the County Employment and Wages news release. Additional information about quarterly employment and wages data is available in the news release Technical Note and from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages website.

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The County Employment and Wages release for the second quarter 2026 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, December 2, 2026.