Overview
Yellowstone County is Montana's most populous county, home to 167,340 residents (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023). That puts it larger than 87% of U.S. counties and at the top of Montana's rankings, above 98% of counties in the state. Billings, the county seat, serves as the economic hub for a wide stretch of eastern Montana and northern Wyoming.
Median household income sits at $74,400 (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), higher than 77% of U.S. counties and 91% of Montana counties. The median age is 38.7 years (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), younger than about 75% of U.S. counties. For a place this size in a rural state, the combination of a large labor force, above-average incomes, and relatively young population sets it apart from most of Montana.
Demographics
At 38.7 years, the median age runs younger than most U.S. counties (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023). Only about 25% of counties nationally have a younger median age, but within Montana, Yellowstone skews young, sitting below 79% of the state's counties.
A third of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, at 33.9% (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023). That's above 85% of U.S. counties and 86% within Montana. The average commute is 17.1 minutes (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), shorter than 88% of counties nationally. Most residents aren't spending their mornings stuck in traffic.
The population is 83.9% white, 6.4% Hispanic, 3.8% Native American, 0.8% Asian, and 0.5% Black (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023). The Native American share ranks higher than 93% of U.S. counties, reflecting the county's proximity to the Crow and Northern Cheyenne reservations.
Education
Total enrollment across Yellowstone County schools is 23,374 students (Education Data Portal, 2021), placing it in the top 2% of Montana counties by enrollment and above 87% of counties nationally.
Per-pupil spending comes in at $14,075 (Education Data Portal, 2020). That's below the national average of roughly $15,000 and lower than 93% of Montana counties. For the state's largest school system, spending per student ranks near the bottom.
The student-teacher ratio is 15.1 to 1 (Education Data Portal, 2021), close to the national average of about 15.5 to 1 and higher than 95% of Montana counties. Larger class sizes come with the territory in a county this size.
The graduation rate is 78.7% (Education Data Portal, 2019), well below the national average of roughly 87%. It's lower than 87% of U.S. counties and sits in the bottom half within Montana. That gap between a well-educated adult population and below-average graduation rates suggests the county may be attracting college graduates from elsewhere rather than producing them locally.
Economy & Employment
The unemployment rate is 3.4% (BLS LAUS, 2025), lower than 64% of U.S. counties. The labor force totals 88,742, with 85,692 employed and 3,050 unemployed (BLS LAUS, 2025). By labor force size, Yellowstone ranks above 88% of counties nationally and 98% within Montana.
Median household income of $74,400 (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023) and per capita income of $42,894 (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023) both rank well above most U.S. counties, at the 77th and 86th levels respectively. IRS data tells a similar story: the average adjusted gross income was $82,006 per return, based on 83,050 returns totaling $6.8 billion in AGI (IRS Statistics of Income, 2021).
The poverty rate is 10.0% (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), lower than 73% of U.S. counties. Within Montana, it's lower than 70% of the state's counties. Poverty exists here, but at rates below what most of the country sees.
Housing & Cost of Living
The median home value is $317,600 (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), higher than 86% of U.S. counties. Within Montana, that figure sits around the 73rd level, reflecting that several mountain and resort counties push home prices well above Yellowstone's.
Median gross rent is $1,084 per month (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), above 79% of U.S. counties and 91% of Montana counties. Fair market rents climb further: a two-bedroom unit runs $1,417 (HUD Fair Market Rents, 2026), and a three-bedroom costs $1,951 (HUD Fair Market Rents, 2026). The full HUD rent schedule ranges from $1,016 for an efficiency to $2,216 for a four-bedroom (HUD Fair Market Rents, 2026). Those figures rank above 84% to 89% of counties nationally.
The county has 73,363 total housing units with 4,091 vacant, putting the vacancy rate at 5.6% (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023). That's lower than 93% of U.S. counties and the lowest in Montana. Housing supply is tight. With strong demand and minimal vacancy, renters and buyers face a competitive market.
At median income of $74,400 and median rent of $1,084 per month, a renter household would spend roughly 17% of gross income on rent. But fair market rents for a two-bedroom at $1,417 push that closer to 23%. For households earning below the median, the math gets harder.
Health & Wellness
Obesity affects 34.0% of adults (CDC PLACES, 2023), lower than 81% of U.S. counties. The diabetes rate is 8.2% (CDC PLACES, 2023), lower than 96% of counties nationally. High blood pressure affects 28.3% (CDC PLACES, 2023), below 91% of U.S. counties. On these metabolic health measures, Yellowstone performs better than the large majority of U.S. counties.
Mental health is a different picture. Depression affects 28.2% of adults (CDC PLACES, 2023), higher than 89% of U.S. counties and 98% of Montana counties. Poor mental health days affect 18.6% of adults (CDC PLACES, 2023), placing the county near the national midpoint. The depression rate stands out as one of the county's most concerning health indicators.
Poor physical health days affect 12.9% of adults (CDC PLACES, 2023). The rate of adults without health insurance is 9.2% (CDC PLACES, 2023), lower than about two-thirds of U.S. counties. Cholesterol screening stands at 81.3% (CDC PLACES, 2023), and 72.8% of adults report an annual checkup (CDC PLACES, 2023), which falls below 73% of U.S. counties.
Climate & Natural Disasters
Yellowstone County gets 69.4 inches of snow per year (NOAA Climate Data Online, 2025), more than 94% of U.S. counties. That's the defining climate fact here: this is a genuinely snowy place.
Average temperatures run cold. The annual average is 48.5°F, with daily highs averaging 60.7°F and lows at 36.3°F (NOAA, 2025). Both the average and low figures rank in the bottom quarter nationally. Annual precipitation is 20 inches (NOAA, 2025), less than 88% of U.S. counties.
On the disaster side, FEMA records 14 declared disasters for the county going back to 1978 (FEMA OpenFEMA, 2026). Fire is the dominant pattern. Six of those declarations were fire-related, with three in a single 14-month stretch from August 2020 through July 2021. The most recent was a flood declaration in June 2022. The county's disaster count falls below 80% of U.S. counties, so while the fire history is real, it's not unusual for the region.
The hurricane declaration from 2005 is worth noting. Montana doesn't get hurricanes. That declaration was part of the federal response to Hurricane Katrina, which triggered emergency declarations across states receiving evacuees. It reflects federal administrative geography, not local exposure.
For anyone considering a move here, the practical implications are snow load on structures, winter driving conditions, and wildfire proximity during dry summers. Those are manageable risks, but they're real ones that belong in any housing or insurance calculation.
Financial Profile
IRS data shows 83,050 tax returns filed with total adjusted gross income of $6.8 billion and total income of $6.9 billion (IRS Statistics of Income, 2021). Average AGI per return was $82,006 and average income was $82,840 (IRS Statistics of Income, 2021). Both figures rank above 85% of U.S. counties.
Banking access is extensive. The county has 327 bank branches holding $25.3 billion in total deposits (FDIC Summary of Deposits, 2023). The branch count ranks above 99% of U.S. counties, and deposits above 97%. Yellowstone serves as the banking center for a large regional footprint, which inflates these numbers well beyond what the local population alone would generate.
Social Security beneficiaries total 37,000 (SSA OASDI, 2024), representing about 22% of the county's population. That share is consistent with the county's relatively young median age and large working-age population.
Key Comparisons
Yellowstone County consistently ranks in the upper quarter of U.S. counties across economic measures. Income, home values, labor force participation, and educational attainment all place above 75% of counties nationally. Within Montana, the county leads in population, labor force, enrollment, and bank deposits.
A few metrics run counter to the pattern. The graduation rate of 78.7% falls well below the national average. Depression at 28.2% ranks among the highest in both Montana and the nation. The vacancy rate of 5.6% is the lowest in the state, signaling a tight housing market that could strain affordability over time.
Annual checkup rates and cholesterol screening lag behind most U.S. counties, despite the county's role as a regional medical center. Per-pupil school spending sits below the national average and near the bottom within Montana.
The county's disaster history skews toward fire and flood, consistent with its semi-arid climate and proximity to wildland areas. Fourteen federal declarations since 1978 place it below most counties in total disaster exposure.
Data Sources
- Census ACS 5-Year, 2023: Population, income, housing, demographics, education attainment, commute times, poverty rate
- BLS LAUS, 2025: Unemployment rate, labor force, employment counts
- CDC PLACES, 2023: Health metrics including obesity, diabetes, mental health, insurance coverage, preventive care
- HUD Fair Market Rents, 2026: Fair market rent by bedroom count
- FEMA OpenFEMA, 2026: Disaster declarations and history
- IRS Statistics of Income, 2021: Tax returns, adjusted gross income, total income
- FDIC Summary of Deposits, 2023: Bank branch counts and total deposits
- NOAA Climate Data Online, 2025: Temperature and precipitation averages
- SSA OASDI, 2024: Social Security beneficiary counts
- USDA Census of Agriculture, 2022: Data not available for Yellowstone County
- Education Data Portal, 2021: Per-pupil spending, enrollment, student-teacher ratio, graduation rate