The Rational Moderate

State profile

Montana

20 official measures, each beside the U.S. value, with Montana’s rank among the 50 states and DC and its margin of error where the source publishes one. Rank 1 is the highest value; a rank says nothing on its own about better or worse. Select a measure to see every state.

marks a rank that is not statistically different from the next higher state, by the Census Bureau’s test at the 90 percent confidence level. Margins of error are 90 percent.

Each comparison with the U.S. value uses the same test wherever the source publishes a margin of error. A difference is stated only where the test confirms it or no test is possible; untested ones are marked. For life expectancy the U.S. figure comes from a separate NCHS report without a standard error, so that test uses the state’s alone. A state is part of the nation, so the two estimates are not fully independent, which the Census Bureau’s ACS handbook warns about. The test does not adjust for it, and allowing for it changes none of the comparisons shown.

People

  • Population

    July 1, 2025

    1,144,694

    U.S.
    341,784,857; Montana is 0.33% of the U.S. total.
    Rank
    43 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Population growth

    July 1, 2024 to July 1, 2025

    +0.63%

    U.S.
    +0.52%; Montana is 0.11 points higher than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    16 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Median age

    July 1, 2025

    41.2 years

    U.S.
    39.4 years; Montana is 1.8 years higher than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    10 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

Income and output

  • Median household income

    2024

    $75,340

    plus or minus $1,635

    U.S.
    $81,604; Montana is $6,264 lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    36 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Iowa, or from the next lower state, North Carolina.
    Price-adjusted
    $79,603, plus or minus $1,728: income divided by Montana’s 2024 regional price parity (94.6, U.S. = 100). Computed by this site, not published by Census or BEA, and not ranked.

  • Per capita personal income

    2025

    $72,066

    U.S.
    $77,028; Montana is $4,962 lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    27 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Real per capita personal income

    2024

    $59,203

    U.S.
    $59,195; Montana is $8 higher than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    20 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • GDP per capita

    2025

    $70,713

    U.S.
    $90,294; Montana is $19,581 lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    43 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Poverty rate

    2024

    10.23%

    plus or minus 0.72%

    U.S.
    12.15%; Montana is 1.92 points lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    36 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Wisconsin, or from the next lower state, Connecticut.

Prices and housing

  • Price level (RPP)

    2024

    94.6

    U.S.
    100.0; Montana is 5.4 points lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    30 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Median home value

    2024

    $425,400

    plus or minus $10,246

    U.S.
    $360,600; Montana is $64,800 higher than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    17 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Arizona.

  • Median gross rent

    2024

    $1,177

    plus or minus $42

    U.S.
    $1,487; Montana is $310 lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    32 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Maine, or from the next lower state, Michigan.

  • Rent burden

    2024

    42.67%

    plus or minus 3.32%

    U.S.
    51.77%; Montana is 9.10 points lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    48 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Wyoming, or from the next lower state, South Dakota.

  • Homeownership rate

    2024

    68.60%

    plus or minus 0.94%

    U.S.
    65.27%; Montana is 3.33 points higher than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    18 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Pennsylvania, or from the next lower state, Missouri.

  • Residential electricity price

    January to July 2026

    13.95 cents

    U.S.
    18.19 cents; Montana is 4.24 cents lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    41 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.
    July 2026
    14.99 cents in that month alone (U.S. 18.31 cents)

Average residential electricity price, cents per kilowatthour, Montana and the United States, 1990 to 2024

Cents per kilowatthour, nominal (not adjusted for inflation), all residential customers. From EIA’s annual survey of utilities.

5 cents10 cents15 cents1990200020102020
Data table
YearMontanaUnited States
19905.457.83
19915.768.04
19925.848.21
19935.778.32
19945.968.38
19956.098.40
19966.228.36
19976.408.43
19986.508.26
19996.788.16
20006.498.24
20016.888.58
20027.238.44
20037.568.72
20047.868.95
20058.109.45
20068.2810.40
20078.7710.65
20089.1311.26
20098.9411.51
20109.1611.54
20119.7511.72
201210.0811.88
201310.3312.13
201410.1812.52
201510.8812.65
201610.9412.55
201710.9512.89
201810.9612.87
201911.1313.01
202011.2413.15
202111.2213.66
202211.3315.04
202312.5416.00
202412.6616.48

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, EIA-861 historical state data (HS861). HS861 1990-2009.xlsx and HS861 2010-.xlsx, sheet Total Electric Industry, RESIDENTIAL Price · retrieved Oct. 2, 2026 · 35 rows · as of 2024 · annual. The CSV has every state since 1990. Download CSV

Work

  • Unemployment rate

    August 2026

    3.2%

    U.S.
    4.1%; Montana is 0.9 points lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    40 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Labor force participation

    August 2026

    61.5%

    U.S.
    61.6%; Montana is 0.1 points lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    29 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

Unemployment rate, Montana and the United States, Sept. 2016 to Aug. 2026

Percent, seasonally adjusted. Montana: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (model-based). United States: the national rate from BLS’s Current Population Survey. BLS published no figure for Oct. 2025 (the 2025 lapse in appropriations); that month is shaded, the line joins the months on either side, and the table shows the gap.

0%5%10%15%20182020202220242026
  • Months with no BLS figure
Data table
MonthMontanaUnited States
Sept. 20164.25.0
Oct. 20164.24.9
Nov. 20164.24.7
Dec. 20164.24.7
Jan. 20174.24.7
Feb. 20174.14.6
March 20174.14.4
April 20174.14.4
May 20174.14.4
June 20174.14.3
July 20174.14.3
Aug. 20174.14.4
Sept. 20174.14.3
Oct. 20174.14.2
Nov. 20174.14.2
Dec. 20174.04.1
Jan. 20183.94.0
Feb. 20183.94.1
March 20183.84.0
April 20183.84.0
May 20183.73.8
June 20183.74.0
July 20183.73.8
Aug. 20183.63.8
Sept. 20183.63.7
Oct. 20183.73.8
Nov. 20183.73.8
Dec. 20183.63.9
Jan. 20193.64.0
Feb. 20193.63.8
March 20193.53.8
April 20193.53.7
May 20193.43.6
June 20193.43.6
July 20193.53.7
Aug. 20193.53.6
Sept. 20193.53.5
Oct. 20193.53.6
Nov. 20193.53.6
Dec. 20193.53.6
Jan. 20203.53.6
Feb. 20203.53.5
March 20203.54.4
April 202011.914.8
May 20209.213.2
June 20207.711.0
July 20206.710.2
Aug. 20205.68.4
Sept. 20205.27.8
Oct. 20204.66.9
Nov. 20204.36.7
Dec. 20204.26.7
Jan. 20214.06.4
Feb. 20213.96.2
March 20213.86.1
April 20213.76.1
May 20213.65.8
June 20213.55.9
July 20213.45.4
Aug. 20213.25.1
Sept. 20213.14.7
Oct. 20212.94.5
Nov. 20212.84.1
Dec. 20212.73.9
Jan. 20222.74.0
Feb. 20222.73.9
March 20222.73.7
April 20222.73.7
May 20222.73.6
June 20222.73.6
July 20222.73.5
Aug. 20222.73.6
Sept. 20222.73.5
Oct. 20222.63.6
Nov. 20222.53.6
Dec. 20222.53.5
Jan. 20232.53.5
Feb. 20232.53.6
March 20232.53.5
April 20232.53.4
May 20232.63.6
June 20232.63.6
July 20232.73.5
Aug. 20232.83.7
Sept. 20232.93.7
Oct. 20233.03.9
Nov. 20233.13.7
Dec. 20233.13.8
Jan. 20243.13.7
Feb. 20243.13.9
March 20243.03.9
April 20243.03.9
May 20243.03.9
June 20243.14.1
July 20243.04.2
Aug. 20243.04.2
Sept. 20243.04.1
Oct. 20242.94.1
Nov. 20242.94.2
Dec. 20242.94.1
Jan. 20252.94.0
Feb. 20253.04.2
March 20253.14.2
April 20253.14.2
May 20253.24.3
June 20253.24.1
July 20253.34.3
Aug. 20253.44.3
Sept. 20253.54.4
Oct. 2025no datano data
Nov. 20253.64.5
Dec. 20253.64.4
Jan. 20263.64.3
Feb. 20263.64.4
March 20263.64.3
April 20263.54.3
May 20263.44.3
June 20263.34.2
July 20263.24.1
Aug. 20263.24.1

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS); national column from the CPS via FRED. LASST<FIPS>0000000000003 for each state (column = USPS code); US = FRED UNRATE · retrieved Oct. 2, 2026 · 608 rows · as of August 2026 · monthly. The CSV has every state since January 1976. Download CSV

Labor force participation rate, Montana and the United States, Sept. 2016 to Aug. 2026

Percent, seasonally adjusted. Montana: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (model-based). United States: the national rate from BLS’s Current Population Survey. BLS published no figure for Oct. 2025 (the 2025 lapse in appropriations); that month is shaded, the line joins the months on either side, and the table shows the gap.

60%61%62%63%64%20182020202220242026
  • Months with no BLS figure
Data table
MonthMontanaUnited States
Sept. 201663.562.9
Oct. 201663.462.8
Nov. 201663.462.7
Dec. 201663.362.7
Jan. 201763.362.8
Feb. 201763.462.9
March 201763.462.9
April 201763.563.0
May 201763.562.8
June 201763.562.8
July 201763.562.9
Aug. 201763.462.9
Sept. 201763.363.1
Oct. 201763.262.7
Nov. 201763.262.7
Dec. 201763.162.7
Jan. 201863.162.7
Feb. 201863.263.0
March 201863.362.9
April 201863.362.9
May 201863.462.9
June 201863.463.0
July 201863.463.0
Aug. 201863.362.6
Sept. 201863.462.8
Oct. 201863.462.9
Nov. 201863.462.9
Dec. 201863.563.0
Jan. 201963.563.1
Feb. 201963.463.1
March 201963.463.0
April 201963.462.8
May 201963.562.9
June 201963.663.0
July 201963.763.1
Aug. 201963.863.1
Sept. 201963.963.2
Oct. 201964.063.3
Nov. 201964.063.3
Dec. 201964.063.3
Jan. 202063.963.3
Feb. 202063.763.3
March 202063.462.6
April 202062.460.1
May 202062.960.8
June 202062.661.5
July 202062.861.5
Aug. 202062.761.7
Sept. 202062.861.4
Oct. 202062.661.7
Nov. 202062.561.5
Dec. 202062.361.5
Jan. 202162.261.4
Feb. 202162.161.4
March 202162.161.5
April 202162.161.6
May 202162.161.6
June 202162.061.7
July 202161.961.8
Aug. 202161.961.7
Sept. 202161.961.7
Oct. 202162.161.8
Nov. 202162.361.9
Dec. 202162.562.0
Jan. 202262.762.2
Feb. 202262.862.3
March 202262.962.4
April 202262.962.2
May 202262.862.3
June 202262.862.2
July 202262.762.1
Aug. 202262.762.3
Sept. 202262.762.2
Oct. 202262.762.2
Nov. 202262.762.1
Dec. 202262.862.3
Jan. 202362.962.4
Feb. 202363.062.5
March 202363.162.6
April 202363.162.6
May 202363.162.6
June 202363.162.6
July 202363.062.6
Aug. 202363.062.8
Sept. 202363.162.7
Oct. 202363.162.6
Nov. 202363.162.8
Dec. 202363.162.5
Jan. 202463.062.5
Feb. 202463.062.6
March 202463.162.7
April 202463.162.6
May 202463.262.6
June 202463.262.6
July 202463.262.7
Aug. 202463.162.7
Sept. 202463.062.7
Oct. 202462.862.5
Nov. 202462.762.4
Dec. 202462.562.5
Jan. 202562.562.6
Feb. 202562.462.5
March 202562.462.5
April 202562.462.6
May 202562.462.4
June 202562.462.3
July 202562.462.2
Aug. 202562.462.3
Sept. 202562.462.5
Oct. 2025no datano data
Nov. 202562.362.5
Dec. 202562.362.4
Jan. 202662.362.1
Feb. 202662.262.0
March 202662.061.9
April 202661.861.8
May 202661.761.8
June 202661.561.5
July 202661.561.4
Aug. 202661.561.6

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS); national column from the CPS via FRED. LASST<FIPS>0000000000008 for each state (column = USPS code); US = FRED CIVPART · retrieved Oct. 2, 2026 · 608 rows · as of August 2026 · monthly. The CSV has every state since January 1976. Download CSV

Health and education

  • Life expectancy

    2022

    77.3 years

    plus or minus 0.23 years

    U.S.
    77.5 years; Montana is not statistically different from the U.S. value (its estimate is 0.2 years lower).
    Rank
    26 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, South Dakota, or from the next lower state, Texas.

  • Uninsured rate

    2024

    8.75%

    plus or minus 0.50%

    U.S.
    8.20%; Montana is 0.55 points higher than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    15 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, South Carolina, or from the next lower state, North Carolina.

  • Bachelor's degree or higher

    2024

    36.34%

    plus or minus 1.08%

    U.S.
    36.85%; Montana is not statistically different from the U.S. value (its estimate is 0.51 points lower).
    Rank
    22 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Pennsylvania, or from the next lower state, Georgia.

Civic participation

  • Voter turnout (self-reported)

    Nov. 5, 2024 general election

    69.2%

    plus or minus 2.5%

    U.S.
    65.3%; Montana is 3.9 points higher than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    20 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Missouri, or from the next lower state, Massachusetts.

Sources and data

Every figure on this page, with its source, period and the CSV behind it (all 50 states and DC, with ranks and the test). Retrieved Oct. 2, 2026.

  1. Population, July 1, 2025: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025. CSV
  2. Population growth, July 1, 2024 to July 1, 2025: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025. CSV
  3. Median age, July 1, 2025: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025 (SC-EST2025-AGESEX). CSV
  4. Median household income, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  5. Median home value, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  6. Median gross rent, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  7. Poverty rate, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  8. Rent burden, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  9. Homeownership rate, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  10. Uninsured rate, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  11. Bachelor's degree or higher, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  12. Price level (RPP), 2024: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by State (SARPP). CSV
  13. Real per capita personal income, 2024: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Real Personal Income by State (SARPI). CSV
  14. Per capita personal income, 2025: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, State Annual Personal Income (SAINC1). CSV
  15. GDP per capita, 2025: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, GDP by State (SAGDP1), and U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population. CSV
  16. Unemployment rate, August 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS). CSV
  17. Labor force participation, August 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS). CSV
  18. Life expectancy, 2022: National Center for Health Statistics, U.S. State Life Tables, 2022 (National Vital Statistics Reports Vol. 74, No. 12). CSV
  19. Residential electricity price, January to July 2026: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Tables 5.6.B and 5.6.A. CSV
  20. Voter turnout (self-reported), Nov. 5, 2024 general election: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, November 2024 Voting and Registration Supplement, Table 4a. CSV
  21. Unemployment rate by state, monthly, January 1976 to August 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS); national column from the CPS via FRED. CSV
  22. Labor force participation rate by state, monthly, January 1976 to August 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS); national column from the CPS via FRED. CSV
  23. Average residential electricity price by state, annual, 1990 to 2024: U.S. Energy Information Administration, EIA-861 historical state data (HS861). CSV