Big Horn County, Montana Demographics 2026

Name: Big Horn County, Montana Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Big Horn County, Montana has a population of 12,891, the 15th most populous county in Montana. The median household income is $58,750 and the median home value is $143,400. The poverty rate is 22.1%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Big Horn County Quick Facts

Population 12,891

Median Household Income $58,750

Median Home Value $143,400

Poverty Rate 22.1%

Unemployment Rate 13.2%

Median Age 31.9 years

Homeownership Rate 66.7%

Affordability Ratio 2.4x

Bachelor's Degree+ 17.8%

High School Graduation 89.7%

Cities/Places 9

Population 12,891 15th of 56

Median Income $58,750 19% lower than state

Poverty Rate 22.1%

Unemployment 13.2%

How Big Horn County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	12,963	12,891	-0.6%
Median household income	$56,680	$58,750	+3.7%
Median home value	$148,200	$143,400	-3.2%

Median Household Income

Big Horn

$58,750

$72,509

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Big Horn

$143,400

$375,800

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 21.7%

$25K-$50K 19.2%

$50K-$100K 38.0%

$100K+ 21.1%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

5.3%

$10K-$15K

2.7%

$15K-$20K

8.2%

$20K-$25K

5.5%

$25K-$30K

3.7%

$30K-$35K

4.8%

$35K-$40K

3.6%

$40K-$45K

4.3%

$45K-$50K

2.7%

$50K-$60K

12.1%

$60K-$75K

14.3%

$75K-$100K

11.6%

$100K-$125K

7.6%

$125K-$150K

4.9%

$150K-$200K

5.6%

$200K+

2.9%

Employment

13.2% Unemployment Rate State: 3.6%|National: 5.2%

57.2% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 66.7%

Renter 33.3%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.4x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $697/mo 14.2% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

31.4%

18-34

21.9%

35-54

20.9%

55-74

20.7%

75+

5.1%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Moderate Diversity

Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.

State average: 29 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Big Horn County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Hardin	3,742	$60,423	7.2%	$147,100
Crow Agency	2,192	$52,339	39.2%	$58,800
Muddy	724	N/A	52.3%	$163,800
Busby	569	$46,071	28.4%	$133,600
Pryor	497	$47,083	36.4%	$90,700
Wyola	481	$63,032	14.2%	$65,200
Lodge Grass	429	$49,375	39.9%	$62,200
Fort Smith	78	$51,190	0.0%	$119,600
St. Xavier	55	N/A	38.2%	$202,900

Explore Montana Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Big Horn County is located in Montana with a total population of 12,891. It is the 15th most populous county out of 56 in Montana. The county encompasses 9 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Big Horn County is 31.9 years. This is 21% lower than the state median of 40.4 years. With 31.4% of the population under 18, Big Horn County has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Big Horn County is $58,750. This is 19% lower than the state median of $72,509. It is also 27% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 22.1%. This is 92% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.5%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 13.2%. This is 266% higher than the state rate of 3.6%. The median home value is $143,400. Housing costs are 62% lower than the state median of $375,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.4x, Big Horn County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 66.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 4% lower than the state average of 69.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Big Horn County is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 4.7%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (27.0%) is well below the state average of 83.6%. The Asian population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 0.8%.

Education

17.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 49% lower than the state rate of 35.2%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 89.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Big Horn County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Montana and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Big Horn County, Montana?

Big Horn County has a population of 12,891, making it the 15th most populous county in Montana.

What is the median income in Big Horn County?

The median household income in Big Horn County is $58,750 with a poverty rate of 22.1%.

How many cities are in Big Horn County, Montana?

Big Horn County contains 9 Census-designated places.