Carbon County, Montana Demographics 2026

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

Carbon County, Montana has a population of 11,116, the 20th most populous county in Montana. The median household income is $80,261 and the median home value is $420,800. The poverty rate is 7.8%.

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

Carbon County Quick Facts

Population 11,116

Median Household Income $80,261

Median Home Value $420,800

Poverty Rate 7.8%

Unemployment Rate 4.5%

Median Age 50.4 years

Homeownership Rate 78.0%

Affordability Ratio 5.2x

Bachelor's Degree+ 34.6%

High School Graduation 96.6%

Cities/Places 15

Population 11,116 20th of 56

Median Income $80,261 11% higher than state

Poverty Rate 7.8%

Unemployment 4.5%

How Carbon 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	10,877	11,116	+2.2%
Median household income	$71,017	$80,261	+13.0%
Median home value	$379,300	$420,800	+10.9%

Median Household Income

Carbon

$80,261

$72,509

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Carbon

$420,800

$375,800

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 15.8%

$25K-$50K 17.4%

$50K-$100K 27.4%

$100K+ 39.5%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

2.7%

$10K-$15K

2.5%

$15K-$20K

5.0%

$20K-$25K

5.5%

$25K-$30K

3.4%

$30K-$35K

2.9%

$35K-$40K

3.5%

$40K-$45K

5.1%

$45K-$50K

2.4%

$50K-$60K

5.2%

$60K-$75K

9.3%

$75K-$100K

12.9%

$100K-$125K

13.4%

$125K-$150K

6.2%

$150K-$200K

8.9%

$200K+

11.0%

Employment

4.5% Unemployment Rate State: 3.6%|National: 5.2%

59.6% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 78.0%

Renter 22.0%

Affordability Index Expensive

5.2x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $844/mo 12.6% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

17.2%

18-34

14.4%

35-54

24.2%

55-74

33.9%

75+

10.3%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 29 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Carbon County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Red Lodge	2,502	$55,750	6.7%	$380,700
Bridger	788	$42,891	15.0%	$250,000
Joliet	613	$77,396	14.0%	$235,500
Fromberg	438	$64,500	13.5%	$212,500
Rockvale	350	N/A	6.9%	N/A
Belfry	231	$102,823	34.2%	N/A
Roberts	191	$95,917	19.4%	N/A
Montaqua	145	$124,250	2.1%	$467,700
Bearcreek	88	$115,000	3.4%	$204,200
Fox	80	N/A	0.0%	$765,600
Edgar	60	N/A	6.7%	$247,200
Luther	46	$131,250	2.2%	$500,000
Boyd	9	N/A	0.0%	N/A
Roscoe	5	N/A	0.0%	N/A
Silesia	5	N/A	0.0%	N/A

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

Carbon County is located in Montana with a total population of 11,116. It is the 20th most populous county out of 56 in Montana. The county encompasses 15 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Carbon County is 50.4 years. This is 25% higher than the state median of 40.4 years. 10.3% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Carbon County is $80,261. This is 11% higher than the state median of $72,509. It is also about the same as the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 7.8%. This is 32% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.5%. The unemployment rate is 4.5%. This is 23% higher than the state rate of 3.6%. The median home value is $420,800. Housing costs are 12% higher than the state median of $375,800. The home-value-to-income ratio is 5.2x. 78.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 13% higher than the state average of 69.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Carbon County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 90.1% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 3.0%. The Asian population (0.0%) is well below the state average of 0.8%.

Education

34.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 2% 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 96.6%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Carbon 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 Carbon County, Montana?

Carbon County has a population of 11,116, making it the 20th most populous county in Montana.

What is the median income in Carbon County?

The median household income in Carbon County is $80,261 with a poverty rate of 7.8%.

How many cities are in Carbon County, Montana?

Carbon County contains 15 Census-designated places.